ASSESSMENT 101
Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) Workshop
Spring 2011
Facilitators: Dr. Kara Penfield, Director of Academic
Assessment; Isis Artze-Vega, PFF Coordinator
Today’s workshop will…
… describe the relevance of assessment to
colleges and universities
…provide an overview of assessment in
education
…familiarize you with various types of
assessment
…discuss the role of faculty in the
assessment process
…introduce techniques and assessment tools
What is assessment?
Generally speaking…
“Assessment is the process by which information
is obtained relative to some known objective or
goal descriptions” (Kizlik, 2011).
In education…
“Assessment is the systematic collection, review,
and use of information about educational
programs undertaken for the purpose of
improving learning and development” (Paloma &
Banta, 1999).
Relevance to Higher Education Today
Increased demands for accountability
in all levels of education.
•In 2006, Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings proposed
changes to the college accreditation process & recommended
mandatory testing to measure college student learning.
Why?
•Soaring college costs, signs that college students aren’t
learning key competencies & skills, and the lack of data to
examine the outcomes of higher education
•The govt. & general public are also interested in accountability
and assessment because they are investing considerable funds
and want to ensure their investment is worthwhile.
Another key distinction…
Classroom
Assessment
Program
Assessment
CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT
Let’s talk a bit about
your own experiences
with classroom
assessment.
Two Main Types of Assessment
FORMATIVE
•Gathering info. about
student learning with
goal of improvement
• Provides feedback
•Ex: Non-graded quiz
SUMMATIVE
•Gathering info. at end of
course or program to
assign grades, meet
accountability demands
•Provides a final judgment
•Often used to determine
future action
•Ex: Exam
Examples of formative assessment
oHomework exercises
oDiscussion responses
oJournal entries
oPretests
Formative assessment also includes CATs
CATs are classroom assessment techniques
•Main goals: Better understand how your students
are learning & improve your teaching
Examples:
o Background knowledge probe
o Minute paper
o Muddiest point
o One-sentence summary
Angelo, T. A., & Cross, P. (1993). Classroom
assessment techniques: A handbook for
college teachers. San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass
Classroom Assessment Cycle
Phase I:
Plan
Focus on a goal,
choose a
technique
Formulate
appropriate
response, try it
out
Teach the
lesson, assess
student
learning, analyze
the feedback
Phase 3:
Respond
Phase 2:
Implement
Examples of summative assessment
4 Common formats:
o Selected response items
oMultiple choice, True/false, Matching,
o Short answer
o Fill in the blank, One or two sentence
response
o Extended written response (papers, essays, lab
write-ups, portfolios)
o Performance assessment
PROGRAM ASSESSMENT
Components of Program Assessment
Mission
Intended outcomes
Assessment measures
Results
Interpretation
Plan for improvement
Common Intended Outcomes
Oral and written communication
Field-specific content knowledge
Ability to think critically
Common Measures
Rubric Assessment
Capstone Projects
Conference Presentations
Design Exhibits
Clinical Rotations
Student Perception Surveys
Structured Group Interviews
(Focus Groups)
Different Levels
Federal
Govt.
Regional
Accreditors
Institution
Colleges/
schools
Classroom
Interplay b/w classroom & program assessment
•The components of program assessment
(slide 14) can be used in the classroom
•Student products (essays, etc.) can be used
in both… viewed through different lenses
•Capstone projects &
courses
•General Education
“Assessment is more than a response to
demands for accountability, more than a
means for curricular improvement.
Effective assessment is best understood
as a strategy for understanding,
confirming, and improving student
learning.”
Higher Learning Commission