LeMoyne-Owen College December 15, 2009 Mimi Czarnik, Professor of English and Dean of Humanities Becky Burton, Associate Professor of Biology Alverno College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Introduction to Assessment Principles

“Non-Negotiable” Assumptions about Learning  All students can learn  Students need to learn how to learn  Education goes beyond knowing to be able to do what one knows  Educators are responsible for making learning more available by articulating criteria for successful performance

Assessment  “To sit down beside”  Sample of behavior  Involves expert judgment based on explicit outcomes and criteria  Incorporates feedback related to public outcomes and criteria

Principles of Assessment  Assessment is an integral part of learning.  Assessment must involve a sample of behavior.  Assessment must involve a performance of an ability representing the expected learning outcome of a course.  Assessment occurs in multiple modes and settings.

Discussion Can you think of examples of assessments that you give where students know more at the end than they did at the beginning?

Components of the Assessment Process  Public learning outcomes  Public criteria that describe a picture of the ability being assessed  Observation of a sample of performance  Response mode consistent with the ability  Use of expert judgment in applying criteria  Assessor feedback  Student self-assessment

Assessment Modes  Is it clearly related to the course outcome(s)?  Does it bring the student close to a situation within which the student will be using the outcome(s) outside the classroom?  Does it fit the level of the student?  Will it engage the student?  Will it give the student an opportunity to demonstrate sufficient indicators of the outcome(s)?

Evaluating an Assessment  Elicit student demonstration of the outcomes?  Criteria communicated to student?  Appropriate level?  Assessment similar to actual practice?  Criteria-referenced feedback?  Self assessment? Peer assessment?

Sample Assessment Plans

Beginning Group Work Review your program/departmental outcomes. Make a list of courses in your department/ program that teach and/or assess for each of your outcomes. Begin writing course outcomes.

Presentations of Assessment Plans in Process As you listen to your faculty peers, jot down notes that address some of the following:  What aspects of outcome might be applicable to your program/department?  Did you hear any particularly effective language?

Criteria  Standards of what we expect in student performance  Indicators that ability and/or knowledge is present in a performance  Collectively, a picture that students can use to imagine an acceptable performance  A learning objective when students discover they do not meet a particular criterion

Characteristics of More Effective Criteria  Are observable:  Explain, analyze, compare, design  Use qualifiers:  Effective, appropriate, complete  Are clear to the student  Reflect outcomes

Characteristics of Less Effective Criteria  Are format requirements, directions, steps, or tasks, such as:  Select a species to investigate  Must be 3-5 pages  Can only be met in one way  Select the best answer for each multiple choice question

Practice Writing Criteria  Choose one of your course outcomes from this afternoon’s work.  Write one or two criteria for this outcome. Criteria must be observable and assessable.

Alverno College Faculty-Designed in- Course Assessment INSTRUCTOR ADMINISTERS ASSESSMENT INSTRUCTOR (and Student) STUDIES RESULTS INSTRUCTOR DESIGNS/REDESIGNS ASSESSMENT (Integration of Abilities/ Discipline Concepts) INSTRUCTOR (and Student; Sometimes Peers) ASSESSES PERFORMANCE (Student Assessment-as-Learning at Alverno College, 1994, p. 97)