Assessment Planning:

Activity: Summary

Date: @March 16, 2022

What is Assessment?
Assessment is a constant cycle of improvement. Data gathering is ongoing.

Academic departments or programs need to constantly ask:

What do we want students to be able to know, do and appreciate?
How do we know that students are achieving the intended learning outcomes?

It is important to have the proper structure in place to ensure that the process, once in
place, is self-sustaining. It will be necessary for an Assessment Committee to be
formed, which will be representative from each program. Members of this committee
would understand the purpose and importance of assessment and would be willing to
share their knowledge, expertise, and interest in assessment with other faculty
members in their department.

Assessment Cycle
Step 1: Clearly define and identify the learning outcomes.

Step 2: Select appropriate assessment measures and assess the learning outcomes.

Step 3: Analyze the results of the outcomes assessed.

Step 4: Adjust or improve programs following the results of the learning outcomes
assessed.

Designing an Assessment Plan

When we conduct assessment, we may want to start by developing survey questions or
collecting data. To be effective, it is important to take a broader view and consider the
purpose and significance of what you hope to accomplish.

Questions to ask yourself:

Why is this assessment important?
To understand student learning, improve teaching, or for accountability purposes
such accreditation.
What are the benefits of completing this assessment?
What circumstances, contexts, pressures may be influencing the assessment?
What do you hope to know or learn as a result of conducting the assessment?
Simply stated, answer this question, “The purpose of my assessment is….”

Given the purpose of the assessment, what are the critical questions to be
answered or what are the key learning outcomes to be measured?

What methods can be best answer your assessment questions?

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 Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods may all be used in assessment.

Common quantitative methods include numeric data gathered from instruments,

surveys, questionnaires, and so on.

Common qualitative methods include interviews, focus groups, observations, and

document analysis.

Planning Assessment
An assessment plan outlines methods and tools that define clear expectations and
standards for quality in productions and performances.
An assessment plan ensures focusing on intended learning goals and should be
developed before the activities and tasks.

Because tasks allow for broader expressions of individual learning, assessment

strategies need to be open enough to accommodate a range of learner work, yet
focused on expected results.

The plan should involve learners in setting goals, reviewing and managing their learning
progress and self-reflecting.

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