When we hear the word “assessment,” most of us think about course assignments and exams. While assignments and assessments are not the same thing, assignments are often used as formative or summative assessments of student learning. As formative assessments, assignments can support the scaffolding of student learning, allowing students to practice new skills so they are able to apply them in more complex projects. Instructors can provide timely feedback to support skill-building and correct errors. As summative assessments, assignments can help instructors evaluate student achievement of learning outcomes.
Grades are a hot topic for students and faculty alike, as they can determine a student’s status, scholarship eligibility, and future prospects. Instructor grading practices and philosophies can vary, often causing student anxiety and concern. Faculty conversations about grades often focus on fairness, rigor, equity, and how to truly measure learning.
The growing set of resources on this site will explore good practices for transparent and equitable assignment design, exam design and administration practices, as well as the array of conversations around grading practices. Alternative grading practices such as Ungrading and contract grading have piqued the curiosity of instructors looking for ways to engage students in their own learning and make learning rather than grades the primary focus of instruction.
What is a Rubric? A rubric is a guide that articulates the expectations for an assignment and communicates the level of quality of performance or learning. As an assessment tool, a rubric sets the criteria for evaluating performance or work
Improving student engagement in the classroom is a hot topic amongst faculty these days. At some point in the conversation, the mythological college student makes an appearance. That perfect student of the past was always on time, had always done
Backwards Design Basics When you are planning a road trip, you probably start with the places you want to end up and then plan your route, including overnight stops, food options, and perhaps a few scenic spots to rest along
Remote, hybrid, and online teaching and learning have prompted most instructors to rethink course instruction and question previously held assumptions about how people learn. How to administer exams can be a particularly thorny issue, especially for courses with large enrollments
Many of my conversations with faculty focus on the challenges they have with doing good learning assessment in large classes. The best learner-centered assessment approaches are no match for 200-person enrollment. I mean, can you imagine reading 200 5-page essays?
