Transcript The Role of Assessment in the Teaching and Learning Process

The Role of Assessment in the
Teaching and Learning Process
What are the benefits?
Assessment Goal:
“Assessment …is a rich conversation about
student learning informed by data.
Ted Marchese
“The ultimate reward from assessment occurs when
faculty use assessment evidence to improve their
programs.”
Catherine Palomba
Assessment at its best!
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We design instructional strategies to assist
students to learn.
We assess the results.
Based on those results, we try something
new and different and see those results --that is the real goal of assessment – to show
us where students are doing well and not
doing well so we can made adjustments that
help students succeed.
The REAL Bottom Line in Assessment:
We CARE about student success!!!!
Gaining the benefits of assessment
requires a solid foundation.
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You must ‘begin at the end’ by asking the
questions:
“What is it that I want students to be able to
do when they exit my course?”
(These should be your student learning
outcomes for the course)
AND…
More foundation
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How will I know what students know/can do?
(This is the essential assessment question.)
Look ‘inside’ the course to identify ‘core
elements’ that can be assessed.
Decide on the best form of assessment and
design an embedded assessment tool.
Data Collection: Keep it simple!
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Identify particular questions/activities/assignments
that will be used for assessment.
Use rubrics, grading sheets, etc. so you have a
record (and so expectations are clear to students).
Know your benchmarks – be realistic - what is
success?
Think ahead to what you will need to do with the
data you collect – will it answer the questions that
need answering?
Analyzing the data
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To aggregate or not?
Overall question: Was the benchmark attained?
Breakdown: Look at the percentage who exceeded,
met, approached, or did not meet the benchmark
(SUNY categories – other standards are useful too).
Ex. From SUNY Information Management:
“Understand and use basic research techniques”:
44-17-30-9 n=222
Drilling down – what else?
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Key analysis question: Where are students
doing well and where are students having
problems?
Analyze the sub-sections of your
assessment tool.
Ex. On the SOC 101 grading sheet, the
benchmark was met but students
consistently did poorly on the ‘Review of the
Literature’.
What then?
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Review your tool --- are the directions clear, is it a
valid measure of what you want to measure, are the
questions well-formulated?
Review your use of class time --- are you providing
enough assistance/time to help students succeed on
this task?
Review your instructional strategies---are there
different ways to teach the material?
Recognize factors that affect student success---are
there some beyond your control?
Make changes and assess again---it is a process!
Where does this fit in the big picture?
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Course-level assessment is linked to
program-level assessment ---- every student
learning outcome (course level) should link to
at least one program outcome (What are we
saying a graduate of the program can do
when s/he receives his or her degree? These
are program-specific outcomes). So, courselevel assessment documents program
goal/outcome attainment.
More of the big picture
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Institutional-level outcomes/competencies
(What do we say that ALL graduates can do
when they receive their degree?). Course
level assessment should link to program
outcomes which should link to college-wide
outcomes --- so it is a comprehensive
package --- and the base is course-level
assessment --- the action is in our
classrooms!!!
And, the even bigger picture
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SUNY --- General Education assessment,
Assessment of the Major/Program, and
Strengthened Campus-based Assessment.
Middle States --- Comprehensive
Assessment Plan, incorporating all three
levels of assessment; documented evidence
that assessment has had impact on the
teaching and learning process; an
assessment of the assessment process.
So, what were those benefits??
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Shift from a teacher-centered classroom to a
student-centered/learning-centered classroom.
Discussions with colleagues about the teaching and
learning process.
Collaboration on what works and what needs to be
changed.
Clearer knowledge of what underlies our teaching.
Better understanding of the linkages between what is
done in the classroom and the big picture.
A Final Quote:
“Without dialogue, assessment is an empty and
intellectually unfulfilling mechanical process removed
from the profession of teaching and the process of
learning. However, with dialogue – raising questions,
seeking answers, interpreting evidence, implementing
changes, and examining their effects – assessment
becomes integral to our work. Internally driven
assessment engages us in improving our students’
learning.”
Peggy Maki
For more information
Ruth E. Andes, Ph.D.
Genesee Community College
College Road
Batavia, NY 14020
(585) 343-0055, Ext. 6308
[email protected]