Assessing Student Work

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Overview

Assessment of student work involves a range of methods, including but not restricted to testing. Assessment can include evaluating student performance on all kinds of activities and projects either as an individual and/or in a group. The method of assessment should grow out of the goals & outcomes established for the course and how you've determined its best to evaluate student progress in key areas." Some goals (values, motivation, attitudes, some skills) may not be measurable by conventional tests; look for other evidence of their development. Use some non-graded tests and assessments that provide feedback to both the students and you. the CATs methods for gathering information about student learning will give invaluable feedback on learning that's in progress." (McKeachie's Teaching Tips, p 74).

LTITC Resources:

Classroom Assessment Techniques Workshop, Fall 2008, Robin Blackman. CAT
Assessment Course Module and CATs Slide Presentation

Available for checkout from our library:

Hu, S. (2005). Beyond grade inflation: Grading problems in higher education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Ory, J.C., & Ryan, K.E. (1993). Tips for improving testing and grading. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.

Stevens, D.D., Levi, A.J. (2005). Introduction to rubrics: An assessment tool to save grading time, convey effective feedback, & promote student learning. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.

Walvoord, B.E., & Anderson, V.J. (1998). Effective grading: A tool for learning and assessment. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Online Resources:

CAT Teaching Video: Source: http://www.youtube.com/v/g4ogt0yI8xA
Presenter: Shaun Longstreet, The University of California, Irvine
Length: 9 Minutes 50 Seconds

Attendance & Assessment Teaching Video: Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjZ0i6Hjgoo
Presenter: Tom Angelo, The University of Sydney
Length: 4 Minutes 58 Seconds

Class Participation Assessment Guidelines (Prof John Tyler, Education, Brown U).

Constructive Grading: How to Get Students to Read Your Comments

American Association of Colleges & Universities provides a wealth of resources on assessment, working with campuses to set clear goals, plan instruction and curricula to achieve the goals, assess student accomplishment, and revise and improve the whole learning/teaching cycle.

"A Call for Assessment--the Right Kind," article in Inside Higher Education, January 2009: "... AACU has persistently prodded academic leaders to take seriously the need to look within and improve the teaching and learning that takes place in their classrooms."