evaluation and assessment article

TEACHING ASSESSMENT & EVALUATION

CONTENTS

• Introduction ....................................... 1

• Need for the Guide ............................ 1

• What is Quality Teaching? ................. 2

• Formative Assessment ...................... 2

• Summative Evaluation ....................... 2

• Overview of Assessment andEvaluation Strategies:

1. Teaching dossiers ........................ 32. Student ratings ............................ 43. Peer observations ........................ 54. Letters & individual interviews ...... 65. Course portfolios ......................... 66. Classroom assessment ............... 7

• Classroom Assessment Techniques .. 8

The Teaching Assessment and Evaluation Guide© is published by the Senate Committee on Teaching and Learning(SCOTL),York University www.yorku.ca/secretariat/senate/committees/scotl/ (revised January 2002)

INTRODUCTION

The Teaching Assessment and Evaluation Guide providesinstructors with starting-points for reflecting on theirteaching, and with advice on how to gather feedback ontheir teaching practices and effectiveness as part of asystematic program of teaching development. As well, theGuide provides guidance on how teaching might be fairlyand effectively evaluated, which characteristics ofteaching might be considered, and which evaluationtechniques are best suited for different purposes. TheTeaching Assessment and Evaluation Guide is acompanion to the Teaching Documentation Guide (1993),also prepared by the Senate Committee on Teaching andLearning (SCOTL). The Documentation Guide (availableat the Centre for the Support of Teaching and on theSCOTL website) aims to provide instructors with adviceand concrete suggestions on how to document the varietyand complexity of their teaching contributions.

NEED FOR THE GUIDE

Teaching is a complex and personal activity that is bestassessed and evaluated using multiple techniques andbroadly-based criteria. Assessment for formativepurposes is designed to stimulate growth, change andimprovement in teaching through reflective practice.Evaluation, in contrast, is used for summative purposes togive an overview of a particular instructor’s teaching in aparticular course and setting. Informed judgements onteaching effectiveness can best be made when bothassessment and evaluation are conducted, using severaltechniques to elicit information from various perspectiveson different characteristics of teaching. There is no onecomplete source for information on one’s teaching, and nosingle technique for gathering it. Moreover, thetechniques need to be sensitive to the particular teachingassignment of the instructor being assessed or evaluated,as well as the context in which the teaching takes place. Ifmultiple perspectives are represented and differenttechniques used, the process will be more valued, theconclusions reached will be more credible, andconsequently more valuable to the individual beingassessed or evaluated.

Current practices at York University are varied. In mostdepartments and units, teaching is systematicallyevaluated, primarily for summative purposes. Individualinstructors are free, if they wish, to use the data sogathered for formative purposes, or they may contact theCentre for the Support of Teaching which providesfeedback and teaching analysis aimed at growth,development and improvement. Without denying thevalue of summative teaching evaluation, the mainpurpose of this Guide is to encourage committees andindividuals to engage in reflective practice through theongoing assessment of teaching for formative purposesand for professional development. Research indicatesthat such practice leads to heightened enthusiasm forteaching, and improvement in teaching and learning, bothof which are linked to faculty vitality.

S E N AT E C O M M I T T E E O N T E A C H I N G A N D L E A R N I N G ’ S G U I D E T O

Y O R K U N I V E R S I T Y

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consideration the level of the course, the instructor’sobjectives and style, and the teaching methodologyemployed. Nonetheless, the primary criterion must beimproved student learning. Research indicates thatstudents, faculty and administrators alike agree thatquality teaching:

• establishes a positive learning environment;• motivates student engagement;• provides appropriate challenges;• is responsive to students’ learning needs; and• is fair in evaluating their learning.

Concretely, indicators of quality teaching can include:

• effective choice of materials;• organization of subject matter and course;• effective communication skills;• knowledge of and enthusiasm for the subject matter

and teaching;• availability to students; and• responsiveness to student concerns and opinions.

Some characteristics are more easily measured thanothers. Furthermore, since instructors are individuals andteaching styles are personal, it is all the more important torecognize that not everyone will display the same patternsand strengths.

ASSESSMENT OF TEACHING FORFORMATIVE PURPOSES

Formative assessment of teaching can be carried out atmany points during an instructional period, in theclassroom or virtual environment, to compare theperceptions of the instructor with those of the students,and to identify gaps between what has been taught andwhat students have learned. The purpose of assessment isfor instructors to find out what changes they might makein teaching methods or style, course organization orcontent, evaluation and grading procedures, etc., in orderto improve student learning. Assessment is initiated bythe instructor and information and feedback can besolicited from many sources (for example, self, students,colleagues, consultants) using a variety of instruments(surveys, on-line forms, etc. - see classroom assessmentbelow). The data gathered are seen only by the instructorand, if desired, a consultant, and form the basis forongoing improvement and development.

SUMMATIVE EVALUATION

Summative evaluation, by contrast, is usually conducted atthe end of a particular course or at specific points in aninstructor’s career. The purpose is to form a judgmentabout the effectiveness of a course and/or an instructor.The judgment may be used for tenure and promotiondecisions, to reward success in the form of teachingawards or merit pay, or to enable departments to make

WHAT IS QUALITY TEACHING?

All assessment and evaluation techniques contain implicitassumptions about the characteristics that constitutequality teaching. These assumptions should be madeexplicit and indeed should become part of the evaluationprocess itself in a manner which recognizes instructors’rights to be evaluated within the context of their ownteaching philosophies and goals. First and foremost then,“teaching is not right or wrong, good or bad, effective orineffective in any absolute, fixed or determined sense.”¹Instructors emphasize different domains of learning(affective, cognitive, psychomotor, etc.) and employdifferent theories of education and teachingmethodologies (anti-racist, constructivist, critical,feminist, humanistic, etc.)². They encourage learning indifferent sites (classrooms, field locations, laboratories,seminar rooms, studios, virtual classrooms, etc.). Theyuse different instructional strategies and formats (usingcase studies, coaching, demonstrating, facilitatingdiscussions,lecturing, problem-based learning,online delivery, etc.),and they do thiswhile recognizingthat students havediverse backgroundsand levels ofpreparedness. In onesituation, instructorsmay see their role astransmitting factualinformation, and inanother as facilitatingdiscussion andpromoting criticalthinking.

As variable anddiverse as qualityteaching might be,generalizations maynevertheless be madeabout its basiccharacteristics asdescribed in the accompanying text box.

The criteria for evaluating teaching vary betweendisciplines and within disciplines, and should take into

______1. Mary Ellen Weimer (1990). Improving College Teaching(CA: Jossey Bass Publishers), 202.

2. Adapted from George L. Geis (1977), “Evaluation:definitions, problems and strategies,” in Chris Knapper etal Eds., Teaching is Important (Toronto: Clarke Irwin inassociation with CAUT).

QUALITY TEACHING

Put succinctly, quality teaching isthat activity which brings about themost productive and beneficiallearning experience for students andpromotes their development aslearners. This experience mayinclude such aspects as:

• improved comprehension ofand ability to use the ideasintroduced in the course;

• change in outlook, attitude andenthusiasm towards thediscipline and its place in theacademic endeavour;

• intellectual growth; and• improvement in specific skills

such as critical reading andwriting, oral communication,analysis, synthesis, abstraction,and generalization.

Teaching Assessment and Evaluation Guide

1. TEACHING DOSSIERS

A teaching dossier orportfolio is a factualdescription of aninstructor’s teachingachievements andcontains documentationthat collectivelysuggests the scope andquality of his or herteaching. Dossiers canbe used to presentevidence about teachingquality for evaluativepurposes such as T&Psubmissions, teachingaward nominations,etc., as they can provide a useful context for analyzingother forms of teaching evaluation. Alternatively, dossierscan provide the framework for a systematic program ofreflective analysis and peer collaboration leading toimprovement of teaching and student learning. For furtherinformation on how to prepare a teaching dossier, pleaseconsult SCOTL’s Teaching Documentation Guide(available at the Centre for the Support of Teaching andfrom the SCOLT website).

OVERVIEW OF STRATEGIES FOR ASSESSING AND EVALUATINGQUALITY TEACHING AND STUDENT LEARNING

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This section describes six strategies that teachers may use to assess and evaluate the quality of their teaching and its impacton student learning: 1) teaching dossiers; 2) student ratings; 3) peer observations; 4) letters and individual interviews; 5)course portfolios; and 6) classroom assessment. These descriptions draw on current research in the field (available at theCentre for the Suppport of Teaching, 111 Central Square, www.yorku.ca/cst) and practices and procedures at otheruniversities in Canada and abroad. All evaluation and assessment efforts should use a combination of strategies to takeadvantage of their inherent strengths as well as their individual limitations.

To focus on:

§ Appraisal of instructor’steaching and learning context

§ Soundness of instructor’sapproach to teaching andlearning

§ Coherence of teachingobjectives and strategies

§ Vigour of professionaldevelopment, contributionsand accomplishments in thearea of teaching.

Benefits: Dossiers provide an opportunity for instructorsto articulate their teaching philosophy, review theirteaching goals and objectives, assess the effectiveness oftheir classroom practice and the strategies they use toanimate their pedagogical values, and identify areas ofstrength and opportunities for improvement. They alsohighlight an instructor’s range of responsibilities,accomplishments, and contributions to teaching andlearning more generally within the department, universityand/or scholarly community.

Limitations: It is important to note that dossiers are notmeant to be an exhaustive compilation of all thedocuments and materials that bear on an instructor’steaching performance; rather they should present aselection of information organized in a way that gives acomprehensive and accurate summary of teachingactivities and effectiveness._______For further information on teaching dossiers see:

Teaching Documentation Guide (1993, Senate Committeeon Teaching and Learning).

Peter Seldin “Self-Evaluation: What Works? WhatDoesn’t?” and John Zubizarreta “Evaluating Teachingthrough Portfolios” in Seldin and Associates (1999).Changing Practices in Evaluating Teaching: A PracticalGuide to Improved Faculty Performance and Promotion/Tenure Decisions (MA: Anker Press).


informed decisions about changes to individual courses,the curriculum or teaching assignments.

At most universities, summative evaluation includes theresults of teaching evaluations regularly scheduled at theend of academic terms. However, to ensure thatsummative evaluation is both comprehensive andrepresentative, it should include a variety of evaluationstrategies, among them:

• letters from individual students commenting on theeffectiveness of the instructor’s teaching, the quality ofthe learning experience, and the impact of both on theiracademic progress;

• assessments by peers based on classroom visits;

• samples and critical reviews of contributions to courseand curriculum development, as well as ofcontributions to scholarship on teaching; and

• evidence of exceptional achievements andcontributions to teaching in the form of awards, andcommittee work.

One’s teaching dossier (see below) is an ideal format forpresenting these types of evaluation as a cumulative andlongitudinal record of one’s teaching.

Important note: It is crucial that the two processes –summative evaluation and formative assessment – be keptstrictly apart if the formative assessment of teaching is tobe effective and achieve its purpose. This means that theinformation gathered in a program of formativeassessment should not be used in summative evaluationunless volunteered by instructors themselves. It alsomeans that persons who are or have been involved inassisting instructors to improve their teaching should notbe asked to provide information for summative evaluationpurposes.

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2. STUDENT RATINGS OF TEACHING

Student ratings ofteaching or studentevaluations are the mostcommonly used sourceof data for bothsummative andformative information.In many academic unitsthey are mandatory, andin several units, they arealso standardized. Forpurposes such as tenureand promotion, datashould be obtained overtime and across coursesusing a limited numberof global or summarytype questions. Suchdata will provide acumulative record andenable the detection ofpatterns of teachingdevelopment1. Information obtained by means of studentratings can also be used by individual instructors toimprove the course in future years, and to identify areas ofstrength and weakness in their teaching by comparisonwith those teaching similar courses. Longer and morefocussed questionnaires are also useful in a program offormative evaluation when designed and administered byan instructor during a course.

Benefits: The use of a mandatory, standardizedquestionnaire puts all teaching evaluations on a commonfooting, and facilitates comparisons between teachers,courses and academic units. The data gathered also servethe purpose of assessing whether the educational goals ofthe unit are being met. Structured questionnaires areparticularly appropriate where there are relatively largenumbers of students involved, and where there are eitherseveral sections of a single course, or several courses withsimilar teaching objectives using similar teachingapproaches.

Questionnaires are relatively economical to administer,summarize and interpret. Provided that students are askedto comment only on items with which they have directexperience, student responses to questionnaires have beenfound to be valid. While questionnaire forms withopen-ended questions are more expensive to administer,they often provide more reliable and useful sources ofinformation in small classes and for the tenure andpromotion process. Also, open-ended questions provideinsight into the numerical ratings, and provide pertinentinformation for course revision.

Limitations: While students’ perceptions providevaluable feedback to instructors, recent research hasidentified specific areas of teaching quality on whichstudents are not able to make informed judgments. Theseinclude the appropriateness of course goals, content,design, materials, and evaluation of student work.

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the use of a variety of techniques as described elsewherein this document can help to address the gaps andshortcomings in the student rating data.

Further, recent research indicates that care should be takento control for possible biases based on gender, race,discipline, and teaching approach, particularly for thoseusing non-traditional teaching methods and curriculum.Likewise, ratings can be affected by factors for which it isdifficult to control, such as student motivation, complexityof material, level of course, and class size. Care should betaken, therefore, to create an appropriate context forinterpreting the data in light of other sources of data andin comparison with other courses. One way to ensurefairness and equity is to ask students to identify thestrengths of the instructor’s approach as well asweaknesses, and to ask for specific suggestions forimprovement.

Teachers have such different perspectives, approaches,and objectives that a standardized questionnaire may notadequately or fairly compare their performance. Forexample, the implicit assumption behind the design ofmany evaluation forms is that the primary mode ofinstruction is the lecture method. Such a form will beinadequate in evaluating the performance of instructorswho uses different teaching methods, for examplecollaborative learning. One way to overcome thislimitation and to tailor the questionnaire to the objectivesand approaches of a specific course or instructor is todesign an evaluation form with a mandatory core set ofquestions and additional space for inserting questionschosen by the instructor.

Note: The Centre for the Support of Teaching has sampleteaching evaluation forms from numerous Faculties anddepartments, as well as books and articles which arehelpful resources for individuals and committeesinterested in developing questionnaires. In addition, webresources are posted on the SCOTL website._____For further information on student ratings of teaching see:

1. Cashin, William (1995), “Student ratings of teaching:The research revisited.” Idea Paper, Number 32 (KansasState University, Centre for Faculty Development)

2. See, for example, The Teaching Professor, Vol. 8, No.4, 3-4

3. See also Theall, Michael and Franklin, Jennifer,Eds.(1990). Student Ratings of Instruction: Issues forImproving Practice, New Directions in Teaching andLearning, No. 43 (CA: Jossey-Bass Inc.).

To focus on:

§ Effectiveness of instructor

§ Impact of instruction onstudent learning

§ Perceived value of the courseto the student

§ Preparation and organization

§ Knowledge of subject matterand ability to stimulateinterest in the course

§ Clarity and understandability

§ Ability to establish rapportand encourage discussionwithin the classroom

§ Sensitivity to and concernwith students’ level of under-standing and progress


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3. PEER OBSERVATIONS

Peer observations offercritical insights into aninstructor’sperformance,complementing studentratings and other formsof evaluation tocontribute to a fullerand more accuraterepresentation ofoverall teaching quality.Research indicates thatcolleagues are in thebest position to judgespecific dimensions ofteaching quality,including the goals,content, design andorganization of thecourse, the methods andmaterials used indelivery, and evaluation of student work.

Peer observation may be carried out for both summativeand formative purposes. For summative evaluation, it isrecommended that prior consensus be reached about whatconstitutes quality teaching within the discipline, what theobservers will be looking for, and the process for carryingout and recording the observations. To ensure that a fullpicture of an instructor’s strengths and weaknesses isobtained, some observers find checklists useful and somedepartments may choose to designate the responsibility ofmaking classroom observations to a committee. Given therange of activities in a class, some observers find it helpfulto focus on specific aspects of the teaching and learningthat takes place. It is also advisable that more than onecolleague be involved, and that more than one observationtake place by each colleague. This will counteractobserver bias towards a particular teaching approach andthe possibility that an observation takes place on anunusually bad day. These precautions also provide forgreater objectivity and reliability of the results.

Before an observation, it is important that the observerand instructor meet to discuss the instructor’s teachingphilosophy, the specific objectives and the strategies thatwill be employed during the session to be observed, andthe materials relevant to the course: syllabus, assignments,online course components, etc. Likewise, discussions ofthe criteria for evaluation and how the observations willtake place can help to clarify expectations and procedures.A post-observation meeting allows an opportunity forconstructive feedback and assistance in the developmentof a plan for improvement.

Peer observation is especially useful for formativeevaluation. In this case, it is important that the results ofthe observations remain confidential and not be used forsummative evaluation. The process of observation in thiscase should take place over time, allowing the instructorto implement changes, practice improvements and obtainfeedback on whether progress has been made. It may alsoinclude video-taping the instructor’s class. This process isparticularly helpful to faculty who are experimenting withnew teaching methods.

A particularly valuable form of observation for formativepurposes is peer-pairing. With this technique, twoinstructors provide each other with feedback on theirteaching on a rotating basis, each evaluating the other fora period of time (anywhere between 2 weeks and a fullyear). Each learns from the other and may learn as muchin the observing role as when being observed. Fullguidelines for using this technique, as well as advice andassistance in establishing a peer-pairing relationship, areavailable from the Centre for the Support of Teaching.

Benefits: Peer observations can complete the picture of aninstructor’s teaching obtained through other methods ofevaluation. As well, observations are an importantsupplement to contextualize variations in student ratingsin situations, for example, where an instructor’s teachingis controversial because experimental or non-traditionalteaching methods are being used, or where other uniquesituations exist within the learning environment.Colleagues are better able than students to comment uponthe level of difficulty of the material, knowledge ofsubject matter and integration of topics, and they canplace the teaching within a wider context and suggestalternative teaching formats and ways of communicatingthe material.

Limitations: There are several limitations to using peerobservations for summative purposes. First, unlesssafeguards are put in place to control for sources of bias,conflicting definitions of teaching quality, andidiosyncrasies in practice, inequities can result in howclassroom observations are done1. For example,instructors tend to find observations threatening and theyand their students may behave differently when there is anobserver present. Also, there is evidence to suggest thatpeers may be relatively generous evaluators in someinstances. A second limitation is that it is costly in termsof faculty time since a number of observations arenecessary to ensure the reliability and validity of findings.Since observers vary in their definitions of qualityteaching and some tact is required in providing feedbackon observations, it is desirable that observers receivetraining before becoming involved in providing formativeevaluation. The approaches described above can help tominimize these inequities and improve the effectiveness ofpeer observation. Finally, to protect the integrity of this

To focus on:

§ Quality of the learningenvironment (labs, lecturehalls, online discussiongroups, seminars, studios,etc.)

§ Level of student engagement

§ Clarity of presentation, andability to convey coursecontent in a variety of ways

§ Range of instructionalmethods and how theysupport studentunderstanding

§ Student-instructor rapport

§ Overall effectiveness


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technique for both formative and summative purposes, itis critical that observations for personnel decisions be keptstrictly separate from evaluations for teachingimprovement.______For further information on colleague evaluation ofteaching see:

1. DeZure, Deborah. “Evaluating teaching through peerclassroom observation,” in Peter Seldin and Associates(1999). Changing Practices in Evaluating Teaching: APractical Guide to Improved Faculty Performance andPromotion/Tenure Decisions (MA: Anker Press).

4. LETTERS AND INDIVIDUALINTERVIEWS

Letters and/orindividual interviewsmay be used in teachingaward nominations,tenure and promotionfiles, etc. to obtaingreater depth ofinformation for thepurpose of improvingteaching, or forproviding details andexamples of aninstructor’s impact onstudents.

Benefits: Interviewsand letters elicitinformation not readilyavailable through student ratings or other forms ofevaluation. Insights, success stories, and thoughtfulanalyses are often the outcomes of an interview or requestfor a written impressions of an instructor’s teaching.Students who are reluctant to give information on a ratingscale or in written form, often respond well to a skilled,probing interviewer.

Limitations: The disadvantage of letters is that theresponse rate can be low. The major disadvantage ofinterviews is time. Interviews can take approximately onehour to conduct, about 30 minutes to arrange, and anotherblock of time for coding and interpretation. A structuredinterview schedule should be used to eliminate the biasthat may result when an untrained interviewer asksquestions randomly of different students.

5. COURSE PORTFOLIOS

A course portfolio is avariant on the teachingdossier and is theproduct of focussedinquiry into the learningby students in aparticular course. Itrepresents the specificaims and work of theinstructor and isstructured to explainwhat, how and whystudents learn in a class.It generally comprisesfour main components:1) a statement of theaims and pedagogicalstrategies of the courseand the relationshipbetween the method andoutcomes; 2) ananalysis of studentlearning based on key assignments and learning activitiesto advance course goals; 3) an analysis of studentfeedback based on classroom assessment techniques; and4) a summary of the strengths of the course in terms ofstudents’ learning, and critical reflection on how thecourse goals were realised, changed or unmet. The finalanalysis leads to ideas about what to change in order toenhance student learning, thinking and development thenext time the course is taught.1

Course portfolios have been described as being closelyanalogous to a scholarly project, in that:

“a course, like a project, begins with significant goalsand intentions, which are enacted in appropriate waysand lead to relevant results in the form of studentlearning. Teaching, like a research project, isexpected to shed light on the question at hand and theissues that shape it; the methods used to complete theproject should be congruent with the outcomes sought.The course portfolio has the distinct advantage ofrepresenting – by encompassing and connectingplanning, implementation and results – the intellectualintegrity of teaching as reflected in a single course.” 2

Benefits: The focus on a specific course allows theportfolio to demonstrate student understanding as an indexof successful teaching. For instructors, course portfoliosprovide a framework for critical reflection and continuousimprovement of teaching, and deep insight into how theirteaching contributes to students’ knowledge and skills.

To focus on:

§ Appropriateness of coursegoals and objectives

§ Quality of instructionalmaterials and assignments

§ Coherence of courseorganization, teachingstrategies and modes ofdelivery

§ Comprehensiveness ofmethods for appraisingstudent achievement

§ Level of student learning andcontribution of teaching tostudents’ progress

§ Innovations in teaching andlearning

To focus on:

§ Effectiveness of instructorthrough detailed reflection

§ Impact of instruction onstudent learning andmotivation over the longerterm

§ Preparation and organization

§ Clarity and understandability

§ Ability to establish rapportand encourage discussion

§ Sensitivity to and concernwith students’ level ofunderstanding and progress


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For departments, they can highlight cohesion and gapswithin the curriculum and enable continuity within thecourse over time and as different instructionaltechnologies are incorporated. As well, course portfolioscan collectively promote course articulation and providemeans of assessing the quality of a curriculum andpedagogical approaches in relation to the overall goalsand outcomes of a program of study.

Limitations: Because course portfolios focus on onecourse, they do not reflect the full range of an instructor’saccomplishments, responsibilities, and contributions (suchas curriculum development and work with graduatestudents) that would be documented in a teaching dossier.Also, course portfolios take time to prepare and evaluate,and instructors should not be expected to build a portfoliofor every course taught; rather they should concentrate onthose courses for which they have the strongest interest orin which they invest the majority of their energy,imagination and time.3

______For further information on course portfolios see:

1. Cerbin, William (1994), “The course portfolio as a toolfor continuous improvement of teaching and learning.”Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 5(1), 95-105.

2. Cambridge, Barbara. “The Teaching Initiative: Thecourse portfolio and the teaching portfolio.” AmericanAssociation for Higher Education.

3. Cutler, William (1997). The history course portfolio.Perspectives 35 (8): 17-20.

6. CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT*

Classroom assessmentis method of inquiryinto the effects ofteaching on learning. Itinvolves the use oftechniques andinstruments designed togive instructorsongoing feedback aboutthe effect their teachingis having on the leveland quality of studentlearning; this feedbackthen informs theirsubsequentinstructional decisions.Unlike tests and quizzes, classroom assessment can beused in a timely way to help instructors identify gaps

between what they teach and what students learn andenable them to adjust their teaching to make learning moreefficient and effective. The information should always beshared with students to help them improve their ownlearning strategies and become more successful self-directed learners.

There are a variety of instruments for classroomassessment, either in class or electronically, such as one-minute papers, one-sentence summaries, critical incidentquestionnaires, focus groups, and mid-year mini surveys(see page 8). Generally, the instruments are created,administered, and results analysed by the instructor tofocus on specific aspects of teaching and student learning.Although the instructor is not obligated to share the resultsof classroom assessment beyond the course, the resultsmay usefully inform other strategies for evaluatingteaching quality.

Classroom assessment can be integrated into aninstructor’s teaching in a graduated way, starting out witha simple assessment technique in one class involving fiveto ten minutes of class time, less than an hour for analysisof the results, and a few minutes during a subsequent classto let students know what was learned from the assessmentand how the instructor and students can use thatinformation to improve learning. After conducting one ortwo quick assessments, the instructor can decide whetherthis approach is worth further investment of time andenergy.

Benefits: Classroom assessment encourages instructors tobecome monitors of their own performance and promotesreflective practice. In addition, its use can promptdiscussion among colleagues about their effectiveness,and lead to new and better techniques for elicitingconstructive feedback from students on teaching andlearning.

Limitations: As with student ratings, the act of solicitingfrank, in-the-moment feedback may elicit criticalcomments on the instructor and his/her approach toteaching. However, it is important to balance the positiveand negative comments and try to link negativecommentary to issues of student learning. New users ofclassroom assessment techniques might find it helpful todiscuss the critical comments with an experiencedcolleague.

______

Adapted from Core: York’s newsletter on universityteaching (2000) Vol 9, No. 3.

To focus on:

§ Effectiveness of teaching onlearning

§ Constructive feedback onteaching strategies andclassroom/online practices

§ Information on what studentsare learning and level ofunderstanding of material

§ Quality of student learningand engagement

§ Feedback on course design


* “Classroom Assessment” is a term used widely byscholars in higher education; it is meant to include alllearning environments. For examples, see referenceson page 8.

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ONE-MINUTE PAPERThe One-Minute Paper, or a brief reflection, is a tech-nique that is used to provide instructors with feedback onwhat students are learning in a particular class. It may beintroduced in small seminars or in large lectures, in firstyear courses or upper year courses, or electronically usingsoftware that ensures student anonymity. The One-Minute Paper asks students to respond anonymously to thefollowing questions:

One-Minute Paper

1. What is the most important thing you learnedtoday?

2. What question remains uppermost in yourmind?

Depending upon the structure and format of the learningenvironment, the One-Minute Paper may be used in avariety of ways:

• During a lecture, to break up the period into smallersegments enabling students to reflect on the materialjust covered.

• At the end of a class, to inform your planning forthe next session.

• In a course comprising lectures and tutorials, theinformation gleaned can be passed along to tutorialleaders giving them advance notice of issues that theymay wish to explore with students.

THE MUDDIEST POINTAn adaptation of the One-Minute Paper, the MuddiestPoint is particularly useful in gauging how well studentsunderstand the course material. The Muddiest Point asksstudents:

What was the ‘muddiest point’ for you today?

Like the One-Minute Paper, use of the Muddiest Point canhelpfully inform your planning for the next session, andsignal issues that it may be useful to explore.

ONE SENTENCE SUMMARIESOne Sentence Summaries can be used to find out howconcisely, completely and creatively students cansummarize a given topic within the grammaticalconstraints of a single sentence. It is also effective forhelping students break down material into smaller unitsthat are more easily recalled. This strategy is mosteffective for any material that can be represented indeclarative form – historical events, story lines, chemicalreactions and mechanical processes.

A SAMPLING OF CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES

The One Sentence Summary technique involves askingstudents to consider the topic you are discussing in terms ofWho Does/Did What to Whom, How, When, Where andWhy, and then to synthesize those answers into a singleinformative, grammatical sentence. These sentences canthen be analyzed to determine strengths and weaknesses inthe students’ understanding of the topic, or to pinpointspecific elements of the topic that require further elabora-tion. Before using this strategy it is important to make surethe topic can be summarized coherently. It is best toimpose the technique on oneself first to determine itsappropriateness or feasibility for given material.

For further information on these and other classroomassessment strategies see:

Cross, K. P. and Angelo, T. A, Eds. (1988) ClassroomAssessment Techniques: A Handbook for Faculty (MI: NationalCenter for Research to Improve Post-Secondary Teaching andLearning).

CRITICAL INCIDENT QUESTIONNAIRESThe Critical Incident Questionnaire is a simple assessmenttechnique that can be used to find out what and howstudents are learning, and to identify areas whereadjustments are necessary (e.g., the pace of the course,confusion with respect to assignments or expectations).

On a single sheet of paper, students are asked fivequestions which focus on critical moments for learning ina course. The questionnaire is handed out about tenminutes before the final session of the week.

Critical Incident Questionnaire

1. At what moment this week were you mostengaged as a learner?

2. At what moment this week were you mostdistanced as a learner?

3. What action or contribution taken this week byanyone in the course did you find most affirmingor helpful?

4. What action or contribution taken this week byanyone in the course did you find most puzzlingor confusing?

5. What surprised you most about the course thisweek?

Critical Incident Questionnaires provide substantivefeedback on student engagement and may also revealpower dynamics in the classroom that may not initially beevident to the instructor.

For further information on Critical Incident Questionnaires seeBrookfield, S. J. and Preskill, S. (1999) Discussion as a Way ofTeaching: Tools and Techniques for a Democratic Classroom.(CA: Jossey Bass), page 49.


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