1. Assessing Service-Learning
Deena Sue Fuller
Tennessee State University
Adapted from a presentation by
Brenda Marsteller Kowalewski
at Weber State

2. Two Kinds of Assessment
Grading of
Student Learning
in each SL Course
Overall Assessment of SL Processes, Activities, and Outcomes
2

3. Overall Assessment of SL Processes, Activities, and Outcomes(Description of the process we use at TSU)
3

4. GRADING Assessing the Learning in Service-LearningWhy and How
4

5. Presentation Topics
Purpose of Grading/Assessment
Connecting to course objectives
What is actually being graded?
How are these assignments graded?
Determining the weight of the service-learning project
5

6. Purpose of Grading/Assessment
To provide faculty with a measure of what was learned.
To provide feedback to students on what is expected of them, what they have done well, what they need to improve on and how.
Formative feedback on service-learning reflections can greatly enhance learning
6

7. Connecting to Course Objectives
Grading is the act of measuring student learning outcomes.
Student learning outcomes are derived from course objectives.
Worksheet on five general academic learning goal categories in which service-learning can enhance academic learning.
7

8. Establishing Academic Learning Objectives
Course-Specific Academic Learning
Understanding specific course concepts and skills
Generic Academic Learning
Critical thinking skills
Learning How to Learn
Learning how to apply academic knowledge in the real world
Community Learning
Learning about a particular social issue
Inter- and Intra-Personal Learning
Learning how to work collaboratively with others
8

9. What is Actually Being Graded?
NOT the service. The learning.
How do you know students are learning?
What activities in the classroom will enable students to meet academic learning objectives?
What assignments outside of the class will enable students to meet academic learning objectives?
9

10. Activities in the Classroom
Large and small group discussions
One-minute reflection papers
Poetry and metaphors
Presentations
Collage
On the Fence, Off the Fence
Take a Stand
Others?
10

11. Assignments Outside the Class

• Integrative papers
• 12. Structured journals
• 13. Reflective interviews
• 14. Scrapbook or collage
• 15. Video or Photography
• 16. Portfolios
• 17. Case Studies
• 18. Participation and performance at the service site
• 19. Progress toward project completion
• 20. Tangible outcomes for the community
• 21. Others?

11

22. How are these Assignments Graded?
Literature on assessment lacks best practices for grading service-learning projects.
Assessment literature assessing impact of service-learning on students based on their self evaluation.
Sample scoring rubrics are in your notebooks
12

23. What is a Scoring Rubric???
Rubrics are rating scales that are specifically used with performance assessments. They are formally defined as scoring guides, consisting of specific pre-established performance criteria, used in evaluating student work --- projects, reflection papers, participation in a task, portfolios, etc.
13

24. How are the SL Assignments Graded?

• Plan ahead and incorporate SL criteria into your syllabus so students will know what is expected
• 25. The more structure provided in the assignment, whether it be in class or out of class, the better.
• 26. Gives you the ability to evaluate first if they addressed what was assigned.
• 27. Then you can evaluate the quality of the response to the assigned question.
• 28. Look at the sample Rubrics

14

29. How are these Assignments Graded? SCORING RUBRICS
Useful in grading journals or portfolios (two very popular assessment strategies in service-learning)
Some very general see Sample Rubrics (in notebook)
Some very specific look up Moskal on the web
There is no magic rubric. Design your own to fit your specific learning objectives and service-learning project.
15

30. How are these Assignments Graded?
Site Supervisor Evaluation
Faculty arent always in the field on site to observe students when they are actually engaging in service.
See example in packet for helping your community partners to participate in the supervision/evaluation
Student Self Evaluation
Gives the faculty member insight into how the students would rate themselves in the project.
See example in packet
16

31. Other questions about grading
Do all assignments have to be graded?
Not necessarily.
You could just give points for participation in the in-class reflection exercises or for turning in the weekly reflection papers.
Do we grade the level of participation in the assignments?
Sometimes --- evaluated on a scale or again, using a rubric.
Participation in class or small group discussion
Do we grade the level of participation in the service project?
What if a student does not complete the required number of hours?
Could reject all service-learning assignments because hours were not fulfilled.
Could adjust the scores on completed s-l assignments to reflect the percentage of hours completed.
17

32. Determining the Weight of the Service-Learning Project
What percentage of the course objectives are being taught via the service-learning assignment?
What assignments teach these objectives?
Weight accordingly
What percentage of the course objectives are being taught via other teaching strategies?
What assignments teach these objectives?
Weight accordingly
18

33. Examples
Rubrics can be very simple
Set up point systems to reinforce /reward

• Growth
• 34. Progress on a task
• 35. Depth of critical thinking
• 36. Collaboration
• 37. Problem solving
• 38. Understanding others perspectives
• 39. etc.

19

40. ABC 123 Method
Students sometimes need to be taught how to reflect and this helps them understand
Can be used with oral or written reflection

41. ABCs
A = Affect: attitudes, emotions, feelings
B = Behavior: past, current, or future behaviors
C = Cognitive Connections: thoughts and overt reference to topic, term, skill

42. A Relevant Example
As a groupweve been studying about grading service-learning.
Cognitive What have you learned about grading? What are key components?
Affect How do you feel about what youve learned? Why? How do you feel about your use of rubrics?
Behavior Describe how you will integrate specific grading techniques into your course and how this will change the way you teach and evaluate.

43. Assigning Points Simple Way
Dichotomous scoring

• 1 pt for each of the ABC responses
• 44. 0 pt for each one missing