1. Identifying Assessments
Assessment Ideas and Examples for Online Courses

2. Topics Key Assessment Practices to Remember
Types of Assessment and Examples
Scoring Tools

3. Key Assessment Practices: Important Points to Remember
Important points to remember when creating or identifying assessments:
Authenticity: Formal assessments have a real-world application.
Variety: Employ a variety of assessments through the course.
Validity: Assessments must reflect course objectives. Rely on a variety of assessments to promote validity.
Reliability: Use a well-designed rubric for summative assessments.
Feedback: Feedback is designed to improve learning and should be incorporated with assessments.
Timing: Assessments occur at appropriate times.

4. Types of Assessment and Examples: Formative and Summative Assessment Characteristics
Formative Assessment
Shows evidence of learning
May be prompted or unprompted, formal or informal
Is an integral part of the learning process- occurs regularly
Allows course participants to guide and enhance their learning
Guides instructional decisions
Results impact modification and adjustment of own teaching
Measures needs and progress of participants
Designed to promote improvement
May support participants in monitoring their own progress
Involves feedback to improve work of participants
Summative Assessment
Introduced at the beginning of course
May be a culminating learning activity
Allows participants to demonstrate understanding
Requires participants to draw upon skills and concepts through course
Is authentic
Can be customized for individual application
Is scored with a rubric
Should be worked on throughout course
Accompanied by multiple opportunities for feedback from course facilitator and peers

5. Types of Assessment and Examples: Formative Assessment Types and Examples
Description and Use
Example
Observation
I, T, WG
Throughout each weekly session, the facilitator observes interaction with other participants, presence in the ELC, teamwork, and checks for understanding by observing participants build upon personal experiences, discuss course concepts, and make connections.
A facilitator checks for participant’s understanding by viewing a response in a discussion forum.
Survey
I, WG
A survey is very helpful after a particular session or midpoint in the course to provide anonymous feedback to the facilitator about the content and/or process of the course.
A survey given to participants at the mid-point of a course.
Session activity with learning demonstration
Very flexible and lots of room for creativity, activities can provide formal or informal checks for understanding.
Individual Activity: In this activity, the participant is asked to produce
Team Activity: The team members must come to consensus and produce
Whole Group Activity: Through whole group discussions and chats, this class develops a checklist that individuals can use beyond the course.

6. Types of Assessment and Examples: Formative Assessment Types and Examples (continued)
Description and Use
Example
minute I
Participants are asked to take one minute to type a response to a question in an , and send the response to the course facilitator. The facilitator replies to the with constructive, positive comments. This can be used easily at any time to get feedback from participants and check for understanding.
Includes a question, participant response and facilitator feedback.
Discussion Prompt
I, T, WG
Given a prompt, participants compose a response and post in the discussion board for classmates to respond. The response will show participants’ understanding of a particular concept and require that participants draw upon their own experiences.
A discussion prompt with a participant response with facilitator feedback.
Team evaluation- Progress report
I, T
Teams evaluate their progress and effectiveness in working together approximately every third week in a course. The facilitator provides feedback to the team.
Teams assess their progress.
Team HOT form: Each team completes this form.

7. Types of Assessment and Examples: Formative Assessment Types and Examples (continued)
Description and Use
Example
Guiding questions for self-check
Self-Assessment I
One or more questions for participants to think-about or reflect on as they complete course activities.
Sample think-about questions
T-Chart
Immediately after a chat, a T-Chart is completed by each participant and the facilitator to reflect on the content and process of the chat. The T-Charts are typically shared among classmates, and the facilitator provides feedback.
T-Chart Template: A template is given to participants to complete after a chat.
Weekly journal reflection
Individuals post a weekly reflection in a private discussion forum. The reflection is in response to one or more questions that are designed to promote critical thinking.
Sample reflection prompt
Checklist
Helpful for students when working on long or complex problems, checklists can be used by individuals, teams or the instructor as the course developer deems appropriate for the particular activity.
Sample Checklist

8. Types of Assessment and Examples: Summative Assessment Types and Examples
Description and Use
Example
Final Project Performance Assessment I
Participants are asked to perform an authentic task. This task is accompanied by a rubric.
Lesson Plan
Action Plan
School Improvement Plan
Portfolio
Performance Assessment
I, WG
A portfolio is an organized collection of work that demonstrates what course participants have learned over a period of time.
Individual Bank of Strategies
Completed Class Toolkit
Class Checklist
Individual Contributions
Helpful for students when working on long or complex problems, checklists can be used by individuals, teams or the instructor as the course developer deems appropriate for the particular activity.
Individual Contributions Template

9. Scoring Tools: Types of Scoring Tools
Characteristic
Example
Rubric
A tool with defined guidelines used to evaluate student work. The rubric not only lists the elements that must be present in a particular piece of work, it delineates the levels of quality, by defining the characteristics of each level of work that might be exhibited in participants’ work. Rubrics may be analytic (assess a particular dimension) or holistic (assess overall performance).
They contain the following elements:
a continuum of points (scores) on a scale
descriptors for each level of student performance
meaningful descriptors and consistent scores
the scale includes 3 or more rating levels (points)
the highest point (level) indicates exemplary (professional) performance
they make explicit the criteria for student achievement
they can be used by students to assess their own performance and the performance of other students.
Source: Health, Physical Education, Family And Consumer Sciences. NY State Education Department Resource Guide. Part III.I. (1997). Page 9. Retrieved from Taking Aim for Evaluating Students in the Digital Age (
Final Product Rubric
Checklist
Helpful for students when working on long or complex problems. Checklists can be used by individuals, teams or the instructor as the course developer deems appropriate for the particular activity or assignment.
Sample Checklist
Criterion list
Contains a list with key traits, elements, or dimensions that will be evaluated.
Sample Criterion List