Jennifer Fager, Ph.D.
UWEC
fagerjj@uwec.edu
Please do not reproduce or disseminate without permission
Assessment Planning
Assessment Plans should be developed for each program included in your
curriculum. This process will benefit your students by:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Providing a set of clear expectations for what they are to learn.
Clarify where this learning is to take place.
Identify key assessments that are linked to learning outcomes.
Setting expected performance levels.
An effective plan includes:
1.
2.
3.
4.
a set of student learning outcomes,
a curriculum map,
a list of artifacts/evidence to be collected, and
a plan for using and sharing the results with stakeholders.
This workbook is designed to help you develop an assessment plan that may be
useful to you, your colleagues, your students, and other stakeholders. Of course
there are many formats that might be used and other language or labels can be
used to identify these concepts, however, each plays a key role in the
development of a plan that is useful.
Writing Student Learning Outcomes
When writing Student Learning Outcomes, the focus should be on observable outcomes
and an “action verb” can provide that focus. Student Learning Outcomes usually begin
with something like:
By the end of the secondary education program, students will be able to design
curriculum and instruction appropriate for the cognitive development of all
learners.
Design is the “action verb” in this example.
By the end of the chemistry program, students will be able to apply knowledge of
ions, solutions and solubility to explain the formation and properties of
homogeneous mixtures.
Apply and explain are the “action verbs” in this example.
Identify
Describe
Demonstrate
Generalize
Recognize
Attend
Hit
Perform
Predict
Conjugate
Name
Classify
Translate
Explain
Specify
Volunteer
Communicate
Evaluate
Design
Others?
Distinguish
Order
Predict
Apply
Create
Participate
Dance
Speak
Locate
Define
Construct
Interpret
Analyze
Judge
Run
Solve
Interview
Draw
Student Learning Outcomes should describe what students should know, be able to do
and/or be like (dispositions) by the end of the defined program. These types of Student
Learning Outcomes are typically linked to domains. The common domains of learning
include cognitive, affective and psychomotor.
List four or five things you want your graduates to know by the end of your program.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Cognitive (Knowledge) Domain
Level
Knowledge
Action Verbs
Recite, List
Comprehension
Translate, interpret, predict,
generalize, identify
examples
Application
Apply, rewrite
Analysis
Analyze, dissect, resolve,
solve, diagnose, investigate
Synthesis
Create, synthesize, write
Evaluation
Evaluate, judge, rate,
appraise
Outcome Example
By the end of the chemistry
program, students will be
able to list all of the
elements on the Periodic
Table.
By the end of the French
program, students will be
able to translate a
paragraph of text from
English to French.
By the end of the BIS
program, students will be
able to apply basic Web
development skills
By the end of the special
education program,
students will be able to
diagnose learning
disabilities in K-12 settings.
By the end of the art
program, students will be
able to create at least 12
original works in their
medium.
By the end of the music
education program,
students will be able to
judge student
performances.
For each of the four or five things you want your students to know by the end of the
program, write down a verb that would describe the action a student would need to take
to be able to demonstrate their knowledge:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Other domains commonly used as a reference in teaching are the Affective Taxonomy
and the Psychomotor Taxonomy. The affective domain includes a focus on students’
attitudes, values and dispositions. These outcomes are a little more difficult to measure;
however, it is possible, and many disciplines are including these in their national
standards.
Affective (Values, Dispositions) Domain
Action Verbs
Outcome Example
Attend, accept, listen,
By the end of the women's
selectively attend to
studies program, students
will listen attentively to
alternative views on select
issues.
Responding
Comply with, approve,
By the end of the
volunteer, applaud, acclaim elementary education
program, students will able
to comply with PL 94-142.
Valuing
Increase proficiency in,
By the end of the political
relinquish, assist, support,
science program, students
deny, protest, debate
will be able to debate
numerous sides to an
argument.
Organization
Balance, organize,
By the end of the
formulate, accommodate
environmental studies
program, students will be
able to organize the
conservation efforts of
urban, suburban and rural
communities.
Characterization by a value Respect, interpret, use
By the end of the
complex
evidence, maintain
counseling program,
objectivity
students will be able to
objectively interpret
evidence presented by
clients during a therapy
session.
Level
Receiving
List four or five values or dispositions you would expect a graduate of your program to
demonstrate and an action a student would need to take to be able to demonstrate the
value or disposition:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The Psychomotor Taxonomy focuses on the development of students’ physical abilities
and skills. These Student Learning Outcomes may include performances, skill in a
sport, typing skills, painting, playing an instrument, manipulating another person’s limbs
during physical therapy and demonstrating a dissection.
Psychomotor (Skills) Domain
Level
Perception
Action Verbs
Chooses, describes,
detects, differentiates,
distinguishes, isolates,
relates, selects, separates
Set
Begins, displays, explains,
moves, proceeds, reacts,
responds, shows, starts,
volunteers
Guided Response
Assembles, builds,
calibrates, constructs,
dismantles, displays,
dissects, fastens, fixes,
grinds, heats, manipulates,
measures, mends, mixes,
sketches
Assembles, builds,
calibrates, constructs,
dismantles, displays,
dissects, fastens, fixes,
grinds, heats, manipulates,
measures, mends, mixes,
sketches
Assembles, builds,
calibrates, constructs,
dismantles, displays,
dissects, fastens, fixes,
grinds, heats, manipulates,
measures, mends, mixes,
sketches, demonstrate
Adapts, alters, changes,
rearranges, reorganizes,
revises, varies
Mechanical Response
Complex Response
Adaptation
Origination
Arranges, combines,
composes, constructs,
creates, designs, originates
Outcome Example
By the end of the music
theatre program, students will
be able to relate types of
music to particular dance
steps.
By the end of the physical
education program, students
will be able to demonstrate
the proper stance for batting
a ball.
By the end of the physical
education program, students
will be able to perform a golf
swing as demonstrated by
the instructor.
By the end of the biology
program, students will be
able to assemble laboratory
equipment appropriate for
experiments.
By the end of the industrial
education program, students
will be able to demonstrate
proper use of woodworking
tools to high school students.
By the end of the industrial
education program, students
will be able to adapt their
lessons on woodworking
skills for disabled students.
By the end of the dance
program, students will be
able to create a dance step.
List four or five performances or skills you would expect a graduate of your program to
demonstrate and an action a student would need to take to be able to demonstrate the
value or disposition:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Where in the program do students have the opportunity to
learn these outcomes?
Program
Outcomes
Core Courses:
101
102
201
x
x
301
x
Mutli-cultural Capstone
course
Course
x
Outcome 1
x
x
Outcome 2
x
x
x
x
Outcome 3
x
x
Outcome 4
x
x
Outcome 5
x
x
x
x
Outcome 6
Outcome 7
x
x
Outcome 8
x
x
x
x
x
x
Outcome 9
x
Outcome 10
x
The faculty in the department of Musicology engaged in the
curriculum mapping exercise above during a recent faculty meeting.
Examine the map and list questions you might pose to the faculty
members.
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
What recommendations might you provide to the faculty based upon
your questions?
Recommendation 1:
Recommendation 2:
Recommendation 3:
Map your Curriculum. Where in your program do students have the opportunity
to learn what you intend for them to learn?
Our Program
Outcomes
Our Core Courses:
Evidence/Artifacts—How do you know that students have
learned what you intended for them to learn?
Below is a list of existing program artifacts/evidence that can be used to assess student
learning outcomes:
1. Capstone experiences
2. Portfolio evaluations
3. Thesis and dissertations
4. National exams
5. Comprehensive Exams
6. Course Grades
7. Course Assignments
8. Field Experience Reports
9. Practicum Evaluations
10. Internship Evaluations
11. Student surveys/interviews/focus groups
12. Student Presentations
13. Student Publications
14. Student Performances
15. Admissions data
16. Placement data (career, graduate school)
17. Employer Surveys
18. Alumni Surveys
What evidence/artifacts do you currently collect? List ideas below.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
How do these artifacts/evidence measure student learning?
What level of proficiency is expected on each of these artifacts/evidence to suggest
students learned what was intended?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Reporting Results
Data are useful when they are used. How will you use the information you have
gathered to improve the quality of the learning experience or program for the students?
Sample Assessment Report Summary
Student Learning Outcome Assessed:
By the end of the AAS Multimedia Track, graduates will be able to design and maintain a
website appropriate software and technology.
What did you do to assess the outcome?
We developed a rubric (attached) that included each aspect of the website design
including database management, interfaces, appropriate links, user authentication, etc.
What did you find as a result of this assessment?
We discovered that 92% of our students were able to develop a website based upon the
criteria outlined on our rubric. Strengths included the students’ abilities to use
appropriate technologies (100% met this target area) and weaknesses included
database development (68% did not meet the target in this area).
What are you going to do as a result of the assessment?
As a result of our assessment activities we are going to engage in the following:
Add two additional lessons on database development. We will develop an additional
learning module available to students as a tutorial for those who require remediation in
this area.
We will review this outcome again in the spring after the curriculum changes to
determine whether our changes made a significant difference in students’ abilities to
develop databases.
Review your Assessment Activities by completing the following. This process
allows you to “close the assessment loop.”
Assessment Report Summary
Student Learning Outcome Assessed:
What did you do to assess the outcome?
What did you find as a result of this assessment?
What are you going to do as a result of the assessment?
Reference:
Gronlund, N.E. (2000). How to Write and Use Instructional Objectives. Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.