What are your students learning?

Classroom Assessment Strategies

Center for Teaching & Learning Oregon State University

http://oregonstate.edu/ctl

Learning Outcomes
Participants will: 1. Identify seven principles of good practice in undergraduate education. 2. Understand differences between evaluation & assessment. 3. Become familiar with formative assessment strategies, techniques and tools. 4. Identify assessment tools to use in the classroom
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Assessment Focuses on Learning

There is no such thing as effective teaching in the
absence of learning. Teaching without learning is just talking.
Angelo, T., & Cross, K. (1993). Classroom assessment techniques.

Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education

1) 2) Encourages contact between students & faculty Develops reciprocity & cooperation among students

3)
3)

Encourages active learning

Gives prompt feedback on performance

Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education

5) 6) 7) Emphasizes time-on-task Communicates high expectations Respects diverse talents & ways of learning

(A. Chickering & Z. Gamson, AAHE Bulletin, March 1987)

Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education

So whats assessment and how is it different from evaluation?

Evaluation vs. Assessment

Evaluation: A judgment or determination of the quality of a performance, product, or use of a process against a set of standards.

Evaluation vs. Assessment

Assessment: The process of measuring a performance, a work, a product, learning skills and attitudes, and giving feedback to an assessee which documents growth and provides directives to improve future performance.
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What Do Evaluations Tell You ?

According to these course mid-term grades (100 points possible) why did Silone and Phillips not do as well as their peers?
Williams Thompson Phillips Roberts Silone Vaughn 65 86 45 49 38 59

Assessment Provides Feedback to the Learner

Feedback is information that provides the performer with direct, usable insights into current performance, based on tangible differences between current performance and hoped for performance.
Wiggins, G. (1993). Assessing student performance.

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Feedback for Learning

Assessment can be formative or summative.
The best assessment is formative never merely summative. Formative assessment gives both instructor and learners information on learning before and between tests and major projects. The best assessment provides information that the recipient can use for improvement. 11

Formative Assessment
Can be informal, quick and easy
Used on the fly to measure student understanding, misconceptions, etc. Not graded (but may receive credit) Used to gather information about student learning to inform instruction
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Assessment Strategy in Practice

Think-Pair-Share
Directions: 1. Think: Take a minute to recall as many of the 7 principles for good practice in undergraduate education as you can. 2. Pair up with your neighbor and share what you recall. Between the two of you how many of the 7 principles can you both remember? (2 minutes)

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Selecting Assessment Tools

Assessment Project Cycle:
(Following outline provided in Angelo, T., & Cross, K. (1993). Classroom assessment techniques: A handbook for college teachers.) a. Identify one specific course to assess b. Identify your teaching goals, and use these to identify learning outcomes and assessment tools c. Complete the Teaching Goals Inventory and choose assessment tool d. Apply the assessment tool e. Analyze the data f. Respond to results
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Formative Assessment Strategies

Assess beliefs, prior knowledge, recall, & understanding:
Self-perception and prior knowledge surveys Attitudes quiz Muddiest Point Empty Outlines

Minute Paper
Applications Cards

Assess skill in analysis and critical thinking:

Categorizing Grid
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Defining Features Matrix

Effective Assessment
Provides feedback and development opportunities. Involves both instructor and learners. Is embedded in teaching and learning. Is mutually beneficial.

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Getting Started with Classroom Assessment: 5 Suggestions

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Appeal to your intuition and professional judgment as a teacher. Dont make classroom assessment into a self-inflicted chore or burden. Try any/each assessment technique on yourself and colleagues first. Allow for more time than you think you will need to carry out and respond to the assessment. Make sure to close the loop.

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Thank you

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