Making Assessment Simple …
& Easy
For the members of the
University Assessment
Committee
What is assessment?
One definition:
Assessment is a conversation about
student learning, enriched by data.
What is the goal of assessment?
The improvement of student learning.
History
Assessment has existed for
many years and became a
major issue about 1982.
Assessment jump-started in 1993
- Second Edition of “Classroom
Assessment Techniques: A
handbook for College Teachers” by
Angelo and Cross.
The North Central Association
of Colleges and Schools
Mandated assessment plans by
the end of 1995.
Now, turn over the brightly
colored sheet, read the
message, and tear up the
sheet.
What are examples of data for
student learning?

Direct measures of student learning

Indirect measures of student learning

Non-measures of student learning
Direct measure of student
learning can include:
Portfolios or juried exhibitions
 Professional licensing exams (when
scores by section are available)
 Locally-developed tests, etc.

Indirect measures of student
learning include:
Alumni and employer surveys
 Exit interviews with graduating
students
 Job placement data or graduation
rates

(All have programmatic significance)
Non-measures of student
learning include:
Publication rates of faculty
 Curriculum or program reviews
 Most external reviews of professional
programs

Table discussion: Topics from the
Collaboration Workshop (6 min)
Discussion leaders: Participants in
the Workshop
Reporter: The faculty member
whose birthday is nearest May 13
How do I start assessment in my
classes?
(See the “Six Easy Steps” handout
1. Identify learning outcomes (on-line
Teaching goals Inventory)
2. Select classroom assessment
techniques (CATs) that will match
your teaching goals
The next steps:
3.
Conduct assessments and
collect information
4.
Summarize and evaluate the
data
And then:
5.
6.
Share the information with
students (Closing the loop with
students)
Use the information to improve
student learning (Close the loop at
the course level)
Now, return to Step #2 or Step #3
“Bloom’s Taxonomy” – Where
does your class fit?
Lowest: 1) Knowledge 2) Comprehension
Higher: 3) Application 4) Analysis
Highest: 5) Synthesis 6) Evaluation
Are we asking enough of our
students?

Students frequently complain about
the amount of work, BUT

When completing national surveys,
students indicate that they would
have liked to have been challenged
and encouraged more.
Common faculty question #1
What’s in it for me?
Knowledge of student abilities and
potential
 Increased student satisfaction
 Increased student performance

Common question #2
Doesn’t assessment take valuable
class time?
Increased rate of progress in class
means more material covered
(“Stumbling points” of students are
addressed earlier.)
 Assessments can be incorporated
into Blackboard

Common question #3
Which CATS did I use?
Pre-test / post-test (Initial scores
averaged 25 – 40, final scores
averaged 75)
 Muddiest point / Minute papers
 Analysis of individual examination
questions

Common question #4
What other CATs might I have
used?
RSQC2 (Recall, Summarize, Question,
Connect, Comment)
 Problem Recognition Skills
 Process Analysis
 Approximate Analogies (A is to B as …)

But my teaching goals are
different!
No problem!
Just select or develop CATs that
match your teaching goals and
the amount of time that you wish
to provide.
How do I start to evaluate
student learning?
Determine your priorities for
students
 Select the procedures that you will
use
 Use the assessment techniques in
your classes

How do I complete the loop?
Summarize the information
 Share the information with students
 Use the information to enhance
future classes

When am I finished?

Only when you share the information with
your departmental Curriculum Committee
and with your department Chair or Head
for inclusion in the unit’s assessment
report!

Then, start assessment in your next class!