1. Confirming Student Learning: Using Assessment Techniques in the Classroom Douglas R. Davenport Dean, College of Arts and Sciences Truman State University Kirksville, Missouri 63501 douglas@truman.edu

2. Indiana University South Bend Assessment Workshop March 28, 2008

3. What are your goals? List three things you hope to gain by attending this workshop. Rank them in terms of importance.

4. Exploring the Teaching/Learning Relationship Three statements to consider… I teach, therefore they learn. If students have trouble understanding the material, it is because they do not spend enough time preparing. Teaching without learning is just talking.

5. Exploring the Teaching/Learning Relationship Conclusions… Teaching and learning are not always connected. Understanding the relationship is important, if we consider student learning important. Assessment can help us in this effort.

6. How am I doing?

7. What is Assessment? The systematic collection and analysis of information about student learning.

8. Why Engage in Assessment? To improve student learning To examine program/institutional effectiveness To ensure accountability

9. Levels of Assessment Systemwide Assessment Institutional Assessment Program Review & Assessment Classroom Research Classroom Assessment

10. What is Course-Embedded Assessment? The process of using student activities, rather than nationally-normed tests or surveys, to assess skills and knowledge. (Rockhurst University)

11. Why do Course-Embedded Assessment? It permits assessment without requiring additional work from students. It ensures student participation. It encourages faculty collaboration. It enables departments to assess what matters most to them.

12. Course-Embedded Assessment Tasks… Use work done in a course. Count towards the grade. Should be scored based on explicit criteria. Are not used to evaluate specific faculty. (Rockhurst University)

13. Course-Embedded Assessment for Departments/Programs Common Test Questions Capstone Course Projects Sampling of Student Work

14. Course-Embedded Assessment Processes Identify learning outcomes to be assessed Determine levels of achievement expected Determine strategies to be implemented (test questions, essays, etc) Adapt appropriate scoring methods (rubrics, etc)

15. Time for a Temperature Check… What is the most important thing you have learned thus far? What important questions remain unanswered?

16. What is Classroom Assessment? Techniques used to collect information from students related to a particular class. A subset of Course-Embedded Assessment

17. Comparing Course-Embedded and Classroom Assessment Both use student activities from classroom settings Both seek to enhance the learning environment Both provide relevant data to achieve this goal

18. Why do Classroom Assessment? It enables us to examine student learning at an appropriate time. It involves those who are closest to the learning process, producing authentic assessment It has low costs and important benefits

19. Classroom Assessment Addresses Questions Such As… Are my students learning what I think I am teaching? Who is learning and who is not learning? What am I doing that is useful for these students? What am I doing that is not useful for these students?

20. Key Characteristics of Classroom Assessment It is rooted in the pedagogy of individual faculty members It is focused upon learning It can be easily implemented on the fly and customized at will (context specific) It is formative assessment (feedback), not summative assessment (evaluation)

21. Beginning Steps in Classroom Assessment What are my teaching goals? The Teaching Goals Inventory Which goals are essential?

22. Steps - Planning Select a goal/objective to work on, and the class you plan to work with. Pick a classroom assessment form to use, or develop a form of your own. Talk to a respected colleague about your goal, your choice of class, and your classroom assessment form. Get their honest and direct advice!

23. Steps – Administering and Reflecting Talk with your class about your project, make them feel involved. Administer the classroom assessment form to your class. Compile and analyze the results. Look at the results, and, if the results are not clear, ask that respected colleague for input. Share the results with students, along with your responses.

24. Steps - Closing the Loop… Follow up by changing your instruction in response to your findings. Administer another classroom assessment form to see if the changes have addressed the problem(s) as intended. Make sure to change your notes on the class to reflect the changes you have made Continue the cycle with either the same goal, or another one. Share your results with others.

25. CAT Matrix – Student Focused LowMediumHigh Knowledge Assessment Minute Paper/Muddiest Point Background Knowledge Probe Critical Thinking One Sentence Summary Annotated Portfolios Self- Awareness (Deep Learning) Opinion PollsDouble-Entry Journals

26. CAT Matrix – Course/Instructor Focused Teaching Feedback One thing you do that helps my learning One thing you do that hinders my learning A practical suggestion that will improve the class for me

27. CAT Matrix – Course/Instructor Focused Most Useful/Least Useful The most useful part of this class was… The least useful part of this class was… One thing you could do to make the class more useful is…

28. CAT Matrix – Course/Instructor Focused Last Semester Now that you have been done with the course for a semester, what do you believe was the most important thing you learned? Please identify the ways that the course helped prepare you for the classes you are taking now... Looking back on the course now, what do you feel was the best thing about the course... Looking back on the course now, what do you feel is one thing can be improved in the course to make it more useful to students like you...

29. Key Resource Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers Angelo & Cross, 1993 (Jossey Bass)

30. Questions? e-mail: douglas@truman.edu