FOUNDATIONS OF

ASSESSMENT
Assessment Workshop
February 2017
 Overview
What do we mean by assessment?
Why assess?
Levels of learning outcomes
What
do we mean by department-level
assessment?
The
5-step process for department-level
assessment
Resources
 What do we mean by
assessment of student learning?

Assessment is an ongoing process of:

Establishing measurable, clear, and documented
expected outcomes of student learning
Providing students with sufficient opportunities to
achieve those outcomes
Systematically gathering and analyzing
evidence to determine how well, and in what
ways, student learning matches the
documented outcomes and expectations
(criteria)
Using the evidence to inform decisions to improve
student learning
Adapted from: Learner Centered Teaching
(https://learnercenteredteaching.wordpress.com/teaching-resources/definition-of-
assessment-of-student-learning/)
Why Assess?
Levels of Learning
Outcomes

8 College Learning
Outcomes (CLOs)

CLOs + department level

learning outcomes + field
standards (if relevant)

Course Reference Form

learning outcomes
(should include some
department and college
learning outcomes.
 Levels of Learning
Outcomes
Exercise 1: Distinguish
learning outcome levels Example
Analyze a variety of
resources to make
decisions and solve
problems.

Conduct research on
issues in the study of
English literature.

Analyze scholarly views of

the motivations of one of
Shakespeares characters.

Adapted from Assessing Student Learning:

A common sense guide (2nd ed.), Linda
Suskie, 2009
 department-level
assessment of student
learning
Grades vs. Distinct Criteria

Licensure Exam Pass Rates vs. Results by

Topic

Individual Student Results vs. Aggregate

Results
5-Step Department
Assessment Process
March
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May
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Step 1: Defining
Department Learning
Outcomes
1. Consider what your department wants students
to learn by the end of a program or something
consistent or essential across courses in your
department
2. Consider the level of student learning you want
students to achieve by taking courses in your
department (e.g. recall vs application)
3. Operationalize and make your outcome
measureable and understood by your whole
department
4.Consider the criteria for success in your department
Step 2:Menu of Methods
Method Examples Useful for Not useful for Requirements
assessing assessing for department
assessment
Multiple-choice Content-based Understandi Standardized
True-/false knowledge ng of assessment
Closed Fill in the blank Student processes instrument
Tasks Solve (without knowledge of Students (e.g. test)
showing process) facts, skills, or application
concepts of concepts
Open-ended Use of processes Strictly Standardized
questions or strategies content assessment
Multiple possible Ability to interpret knowledge rubric
answers information Standardized
Open Multiple possible Ability to apply assessment
Tasks processes information instrument or
Writing Reasoning assignment
assignments Ability to can be useful
Class discussions communicate
thinking
Tasks that Ability to Strictly Standardized
integrate organize, content assessment
multiple skills synthesize, and knowledge rubric
Performa Presentations apply information Standardized
nce Tasks Projects and/or skills assessment
Mock trials Use of resources instrument or
Performances assignment
can be useful
Where to apply the
method?
3 possible approaches
Captio
n This!

3 4
 Step 3: Implementing and
Gathering Assessment Data
Issues to consider when preparing to gather assessment data:
1. Who will participate (which sections)?
2. When will the assessment take place?
3. How will you implement it in your course (which
assignment will you use)?
4. How will consistency be maintained across the
department?
5. Is additional contextual information needed to help make
sense of data?
6. Which resources will you need to leverage for help with
data collection? (IEPR, BlackBoard)
Step 4: Analyzing Results
Who you gonna call? IEP
R
Step 5: Plan of Action to Impact
Learning Outcome Achievement
5-Step Department
Assessment Process
March
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May
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Support Resources
Quiz Time!
1. On your cell phone, use your browser to go to:
kahoot.it
(You can also download the Kahoot app)
2. Enter the game code (on the screen up front)
3. Enter a nickname of your choosing

Questions will appear on the screen up front. You will

answer using your phone. Select the color/shape of the
correct answer using your phone.

Hurry! Questions are timed.