Assessment in the College ClassroomCarrie Zelna, Ph.D. Director, Office of AssessmentDivision of Undergraduate Academic Programsclzelna@ncsu.edu513-7153

What brings you here today…..Classroom, Course or Both?

Why would you like to learn more about course/class assessment?

Why Do Course Assessment? Determine whether the learning outcomes are being

met by measuring student performance Determine whether the overall course design and

materials and procedures are efficient and effective Determine whether and how students’ attitudes

toward the course and the discipline or field have changed

Identify students for remediation and exemption

Summative May include more than one section of a course Focused on pedagogy and curriculum

Diamond, R.M. (2008). Designing and Assessing Courses and Curricula (3rd Ed.). San Francisco, Jossey-Bass. Pgs. 176-177.

Why Do Classroom Assessment? Determine what students are learning in the

classroom and how well they are learning it Learner-centered Teacher-directed Mutually beneficial Formative Context Specific On-goingAngelo, T.A. and Cross, K.P. (1993). Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass. Pg. 6.

Session OutcomesParticipants will: Identify possible connections between

course assessment and program assessment

Align course outcomes with activities and assignments

Identify appropriate formative (classroom)assessments

Identify summative (course) assessments

Stages of AssessmentFour Steps of Assessment

Establish Learning Goals (Plan)Provide Learning Opportunities (Act)Assess Student Learning (Observe)Use the results (Reflect)

Suskie, L. (2009). Assessing Student Learning: A Common Sense Guide (2nd Ed.). San Francisco, Jossey-Bass. Pg 4.

Linda Suskie email on 4/4/2008 to the Assess listserve: “….understand that assessment is action research, not experimental research. While it is systematic, action research is context-specific, informal, and designed to inform individual practice. As such, it doesn't have the precision, rigor, or generalizability of experimental research. “

Key Issues Embedded vs. Add-on Assessment Value Added/Pre-Post Measures Direct vs. Indirect Evidence Authentic Assessment (Performance or

Alternative Assessment)

Curriculum Map:Alignment: Program Assessment and Course Products

Identifies where concepts are taught Highlights potential issues in the

curriculum Identifies possible key courses that may

have course products for assessment

Genetics

GN 311 GN 312 GN 421 GN 423 GN 425 GN 492/493 GN 434 GN 441 GN 451 GN 490

Principles of Genetics

Elementary Genetics

LaboratoryMolecular Genetics

Population, Quantitative, Evolutionary

Genetics

Advanced Genetics

Laboratory

Special Problems in

GeneticsGenes and

Development

Human and Biomedical

GeneticsGenome Science Colloquium

LEARNING OUTCOMESGraduates wil l be able to:

1) Demonstrate a sound working knowledge of the principles of geneticsA) Describe the basic concepts in molecular, population, quantitative and evolutionary genetics E L E, Q E M M E, O, R E, O, R E, O, P D, OB) Describe how knowledge in genetics is based upon research and the interpretation of experimental results E L E, Q E M E, O, R E, O, R E, O, P D, OC) Describe how model genetic systems are used to understand the biology of all organisms L E, Q M E, O, R E, O, R E, O, P D, O

2) Engage in scientific inquiry and apply technical, analytical and critical thinking skills to solving problems in geneticsA) Demonstrate the abil ity to solve genetics problems in the classroom or laboratory E, H L E, Q E M M E, O, R E, O, R EB) Describe experimental systems used in genetics research. L M D, OC) Describe basic laboratory and computational techniques used in research areas such as transmission genetics, population genetics, cytogenetics and molecular genetics E,L E, Q E M M E, O, R E, O, R E, O, P D, OD) Develop hypotheses related to a research project L M ME) Design experiments aimed at answering hypotheses or basic genetics questions L E, Q E M M E, O, R EF) Demonstrate skil l at collecting data and analyzing results L E, O, R E, O, R E, O, P

Required Courses Elective Courses

Course Map: Alignment: Course Outcomes and Activities/Assignments

Identifies where/how concepts are taught

Identifies where/how concepts are measured

Highlights key course products for assessment

Exercise Draft a Course Map

Include course-level outcomes Pedagogy/Activities such as “Lecture”,

“Case Studies”, and other in or out of class activities.

Major assignments

Techniques: Adapt, not Adopt Add-on Embedded

Add-on Assessments (Usually Classroom)

Often short and anonymousPrior Knowledge and Recall

Background Knowledge Probe Application Cards Documented Problem Solutions Focus Listing Empty Outlines Memory Matrix Minute Paper Muddiest Point

Angelo, T. A. & Cross, K. P. (1993). Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers (2nd Ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Memory Matrix:

Selected Response Constructed Response Product/Performance Formative Summative

• Analysis & Critical Thinking• Defining Features Matrix

Angelo, T. A. & Cross, K. P. (1993). Classroom assessment techniques: A handbook for college teachers (2nd Ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Add-on Assessments (continued)

  Institutional Assessment

Course/Classroom Assessment

Instructor-designed    Large Samples    Sophisticated statistical data

   

Focused on classroom teaching

   

• Analytic Memo: One to two pages, analysis of a problem, present specific roles-students role and the audience.

Add-on Assessments (continued)

Synthesis & Creative Thinking One-Sentence Summary: Who does what to

whom, when, where, how, and why? WDWWWWHW

Approximate Analogies: Formative Assessment is to Summative Assessment as Training is to a Triathlon

Add-on Assessments (continued) Skill in Problem-Solving

Problem Recognition Tasks What’s the Principle?

Create a list of principles taught in the class and a list of problems. The students identify which principle is related to each problem.

Embedded Assessments (Usually Course)

Selected-Response Constructed-Response Product/Performance

Authentic Assessment Toolbox: http://jfmueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/whatisit.htm created by Jon Mueller, Professor of Psychology, North Central College, Naperville, IL

Selected-Response: Measuring Acquisition of Knowledge and Skills

Traditional Test Questions

True/False Matching Multiple Choice

Course Assessment: Look for patterns in the answers

Constructed Response Short-Answer Essay Questions Concept Maps Identifying Themes Making Predictions Summaries Explain Your Solution

Course Assessment: Checklist, Rubrics

http://jfmueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/tasks.htm

Product/Performance“...reveals their understanding of certain concepts and skills and/or their ability to apply, analyze, synthesize or evaluate those concepts and skills” *

Research PaperCapstone ProjectArticle ReviewsFilm AnalysisCase StudyError AnalysisPanel DiscussionFishbowl DiscussionOral Presentations

Course Assessment: Rubrics

* http://jfmueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/tasks.htm

Rubric: No Descriptors, weighted

Criteria Poor (1) Good (2) Excellent (3)

Number of Sources x1      

Historical Accuracy x3      

Organization x1      

Bibliography x1      

Apply critical thinking skills to solve problems, make informed decisions, and interpret events. http://academic.pgcc.edu/~wpeirce/MCCCTR/Designingrubricsassessingthinking.html Designing Rubrics for Assessing Higher Order Thinking by William Peirce

Rubric Component

4 3 2 1

Identifies and summarizes the problem/question at issue.

Accurately identifies the problem/question and provides a well-developed summary.

Accurately identifies the problem/question and provides a brief summary.

Identifies the problem/ question and provides a poor summary or identifies an inappropriate problem/question.

Does not identify or summarize the problem/question accurately if at all.

Identifies and assesses the quality of supporting data/evidence

Provides a well-developed examination of the evidence and questions its accuracy, relevance, and completeness. Clearly distinguishes between fact and opinion.

Examines evidence and questions the quality. Distinguishes between fact and opinion.

Merely repeats information provided. Does not justify position or distinguish between fact and opinion.

Does not identify or assess the quality of supporting evidence.

Identifies and considers the influence of the context* on the issue

Accurately identifies and provides a well-developed explanation of contextual issues with a clear sense of scope.

Accurately identifies and provides an explanation of potential contextual issues.

Does not explain contextual issues; provides inaccurate information; or merely provides a list.

Does not identify or consider any contextual issues.

Demonstrates higher level thinking by interpreting the author’s meaning or the potential bias

Accurately identifies the author’s meaning and/or potential bias and provides a well-developed explanation.

Accurately identifies meaning and/or bias and provides a brief explanation.

Does not explain, provides inaccurate information, or merely lists potential bias or inferred meanings.

Identifies and evaluates conclusions, implications, and consequences

Accurately identifies conclusions, implications, and consequences with a well-developed explanation. Provides an objective

Accurately identifies conclusions, implications, and consequences with a brief evaluative summary.

Does not explain, provides inaccurate information, or merely provides a list of ideas; or only discusses one area.

Does not identify or evaluate any conclusions, implications or consequences.

Data for Decisions

The Aggregate……

University of Virginia Example

Decisions

What types of decisions might you make with this type of data?

Resources AACU Rubrics:

http://www.aacu.org/value/rubrics/index_p.cfm?CFID=37317515&CFTOKEN=54026278

Angelo, T. A. & Cross, K. P. (1993). Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers (2nd Ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Authentic Assessment Toolbox: http://jfmueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/whatisit.htm created by Jon Mueller. Professor of Psychology, North Central College, Naperville, IL.

Diamond, R.M. (2008). Designing and Assessing Courses and Curricula (3rd Ed.). San Francisco, Jossey-Bass.

Suskie, L. 2009 Assessing Student Learning: A Common Sense Guide (2nd Ed.). San Francisco, Jossey-Bass.