Assessment should enable students to demonstrate capacities relative to the learning objectives. Learning objectives are typically affects and competencies we seek to instill in our learners using the course content as the tool. The facts and figures matter greatly. Students cannot demonstrate higher order thinking before they remember and understand the material to be manipulated. The affects and competencies may be broad and demonstrable in several different types of assessments. When thinking about types of assessments to include in your course, always start by clarifying your learning objectives.
- What do I want students to know and be able to do when they leave this course/lesson? (Learning Objectives)
- What kinds of tasks/ deliverables will reveal whether students have achieved the learning objectives? (Assessments)
We should not assess what we do not teach. The verbs that lead your learning objectives will be measurable outcomes. Not everything we teach is measurable, but that which we hold the students accountable for should be. How we mark the assessments, the grading process, is a challenging aspect of being an educator. Approaching student work with rigor, compassion, and consistency makes for impactful learning.
Online assessment
The NYU Remote Instruction Support Website, Remote Assessment Methods, and Practices covers in detail technology tools that can help you assess student learning.
One thing to keep in mind when crafting online assessment and discussion prompts is to be as clear and specific as possible.
These tips from Writing Better Questions for Online Assessment can help you with writing better questions for your online assessment.
How to use rubrics in your assessment
A rubric is an assessment tool that lays out specific components and performance expectations for an assignment. It clearly indicates achievement criteria across all the components of any kind of student work, from written to oral to visual and can be used for marking assignments, class participation, or overall grades. Rubrics can ease anxiety about the grading process for both faculty and students as they help staying focused and consistent on expectations. Creating rubrics does require a substantial time investment upfront, but this process will result in reduced time spent grading or explaining assignment criteria down the road.