Assessment Ideas

creative-assessment

It is important to understand how learners have mastered course materials during the semester and to do so in ways that don't disadvantage learners. When designing your assessment strategy for your course, consider the following:

Assessment design

  • Are assessments aligned with course and concentration competencies and learning objectives?
  • Do assessments reliably and consistently measure how well learners have met learning objectives?
  • Does the course include a variety of assessments that allow for multiple ways to demonstrate learning?
  • Are both low-stakes and high-stakes assessments included?
  • How much time will grading take?
  • Does the scope and number of assessments allow for enough learner feedback?
  • Are assessments a manageable workload for both learners and instructors?
  • Are assessments designed for in-class and out of class?

Assessment content

  • What assessments work best for the course content and objectives?
  • Do learning activities and low-stakes assessments provide scaffolding or practice for high-stakes assessments?
  • Are assessments being reviewed for bias?

Assessment methods

  • What will be graded or ungraded?
  • Are grading criteria available and transparent?
  • Are learners given an opportunity to self-assess?
  • Are samples of completed assessments provided?

Bloom's Taxonomy

Example Assessments

Remember

Remembering: To retrieve knowledge from long-term memory

Verbs: Recognize, Identify, Recall, Retrieve

Quiz

Multiple-choice test

Notes on reading

Poll Everywhere questions

Knowledge checks

 

Understand

Understanding: To construct meaning from oral, written, and graphic communication

Verbs: Interpret, Clarify, Paraphrase, Translate, Classify, Categorize, Summarize, Abstract,
Infer, Conclude, Extrapolate, Predict,
Compare, Contrast, Map, Match, Explain, Construct

Think-pair-share: Learners take a few minutes to discuss a question or prompt with a partner, and hen share it with the class.

Socratic seminar: Learners ask questions of one another about an essential topic, concept, or research study. Learners learn to formulate questions that address issues to facilitate their own discussion.

3-2-1 summary: Learners respond to the following prompt at the end of a short lecture: 3) things they learned; 2) things they want to know more about; and 1) question(s) they have.

Exit ticket: Learners write in response to a specific prompt for a short period of time. Instructors collect their responses as a “ticket out the door” to check for learners’ understanding of a concept taught.

Misconception check: Present learners with common or predictable misconceptions about a concept you’re covering. Ask them whether they agree or disagree and to explain why.

Analogy prompts: Periodically, present learners with an analogy prompt: “the concept being covered is like ____ because ____.”

Peer instruction: One learner teaches another learner what they have learned. If they can do that successfully, it is clear they understood your lesson.

Oral presentation

Essay exam

Matching exam

Laboratory or field notes

Apply

Applying: To use a process or procedure

Verbs: Execute, Implement, Use

Group discussion

Research design proposal

Evaluation proposal

Community assessment proposal

Budget with budget justification

Statistical problems

Debate

analyze

Analyzing: To break down information into basic parts and determine how different parts relate to each other and as a whole

Verbs: Differentiate, Discriminate, Distinguish, Select, Organize, Find, Integrate, Outline, Structure, Attribute, Deconstruct

Reflection essay: Reflect on learning topics

Concept maps: Connect facts, concepts, and ideas using technology tools

Chart, graph, diagram, visual aid (data analysis)

Brochure, poster

Advertisement for Facebook, Instagram or website

Plan for a project

Thesis statement and outline 

Letter to the editor

Description of a process

Essay exam

Multimedia or slide presentation

Synthesize

Synthesize: To make judgments based on defined criteria

Verbs: Coordinate, Critique, Judge

Technical or scientific report

Literature review

Write an abstract

Review of book, article, webinar, TedTalk

Case analysis

Annotated bibliography

Introduction to an essay or scientific report

Create

Creating: To put elements together or restructure to form something new/clear functional whole

Verbs: Generate, Hypothesize, Plan, Design, Produce, Construct

Create an e-Portfolio

Write and produce a podcast

Write and produce a vlog (video blog)

Write and produce a blog

Write a grant proposal

Write policy briefs, proposals

Write a health communication report

Research project