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Developing
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Developing It is important that
faculty across general education areas agree on the
meaning of terms that will be used in assessing courses
and programs. Selected assessment terms are defined
below. Faculty should dialogue about these definitions
and make changes to them until there is a common
understanding about assessment. Assessment "Assessment is an
ongoing process aimed at understanding and improving
student learning. It involves making our expectations
explicit and public; setting appropriate criteria and
standards for learning quality; systematically gathering,
analyzing, and interpreting evidence to determine how
well performance matches those expectations and
standards; and using the resulting information to
document, explain, and improve performance." (Tom Angelo,
1995) "Assessment is the
systematic collection, review, and use of information
about educational programs undertaken for the purpose of
improving student learning and development." (Palomba
& Banta, 1999) Capstone
Assessment Assessment of outcomes
structured into learning experiences occurring at the end
of a program. The experiences involve demonstration of a
comprehensive range of program outcomes through some type
of product or performance. The outcomes may be those of
the major and of the general education program or of the
major only. (Palomba & Banta, 1999) Criteria/Standards: Performance descriptors
that indicate how well students will meet expectations of
what they should be able to think, know or do. They are
descriptive benchmarks against which performance is
judged. These criteria or standards may be described in
varying gradients of success as in rubrics or in grades.
Often they are stated in terms of percentages,
percentiles, or other quantitative measures (Nichols,
2000). Direct Assessment
Methods These methods involve
students' displays of knowledge and skills (e.g. test
results, written assignments, presentations, classroom
assignments) resulting from learning experiences in the
class/program. (Palomba & Banta, 1999) Evaluation Decisions made about
assessment findings; deciding about the value of
programs/program outcomes; may involve recommendations
for changes. Formative
Assessment Assessment conducted
during a performance/course/program with the purpose of
providing feedback that can be used to modify, shape, and
improve a performance/course/program. (Palombra &
Banta, 1999) Goals Description of intended
results of learning stated in global, general terms, e.g.
clear communication, problem solving. Grading Values placed on
varying levels of achievement in course assignments
and/or examinations. Course assignments and tests can be
used for assessment if they are clearly linked to
course/program goals and if the assessment is based on
established criteria and standards. Holistic Scoring
A type of grading in
which an assignment is given an overall score. Possible
scores are described in a rating scale. A high score
indicates achievement of all aspects of the assignment,
while a low score means few if any of the desired
outcomes have been achieved. The score levels need to be
specific enough to reveal meaningful,diagnostic
information when the scores are aggregated. (Ewell, 1991;
Palomba & Banta, 1999). Indirect Assessment
Methods Assessment methods that
involve perceptions of learning rather than actual
demonstrations of outcome achievement (e.g. alumni
surveys, employer surveys, exit interviews). Objectives Synonymous with
outcomes. Statements that describe measurable
expectations of what students should be able to think,
know or do when they've completed a given educational
program. Each statement should describe one expectation;
should not bundle several into one statement. The
statements must be clear and easily understood by all
faculty in the area/department. Outcomes Statements that
describe qualitative or quantitative measurable
expectations of what students should be able to think,
know or do when they've completed a given educational
program. Synonymous with learning objectives. Each
statement should describe one expectation; should not
bundle several into one statement. The statements must be
clear and easily understood by all faculty in the
area/department. (Nichols, 2000) Portfolio
Assessment A type of direct
measure, a performance measure, in which students'
assignments are carefully reviewed for evidence of
desired learning outcomes. The portfolios contain work
selected over a period of time, with materials added as
the student progresses through the course/program. In
addition, the portfolios usually include students'
reflective learning/outcome analysis statements. (Lyons,
1998) Primary Trait
Analysis Factors or traits
(assignment specific) that are considered in scoring an
assignment generally stated in a hierarchical scale of
three to five incremental levels of achievement quality.
For each level on the scale there is a specific statement
that describes expected behavior (criterion) at that
level. (Palomba & Banta, 1999; Walvoord &
Anderson, 1998). Scoring
Guide/Rubric A kind of holistic or
primary trait scoring in which detailed criteria are
delineated and used to discriminate among levels of
achievement in assignments, performances, or
products. Summative
Assessment/Evaluation Assessment conducted
after a program has been implemented and completed to
make judgments about its quality or worth compared to
previously defined standards. (Palombra & Banta,
1999) Resources: Angelo, T. (1995).
Improving Classroom Assessment to Improve Learning",
Assessment Update, 7(6), 1-2, 13-14. Nichols J, &
Nichols K. (2000). The Departmental Guide and Record Book
for Student Outcomes Assessment and Institutional
Effectiveness. NY: Agathon Press. Ewell, P.T. (1991). To
Capture the Ineffable: New Forms of Assessment in Higher
Education. In G. Grant (ed.), Review of Research in
Education, no. 17, Washington D.C.: American Educational
Research Association. Lyons, N. "Portfolios
and Their Consequences: Developing as a Reflective
Practitioner". In N. Lyons (ed.), With Portfolio in Hand:
Validating the New Teacher Professionalism, New York:
Teacher's College Press. Palomba, C & Banta
T. (1999). Assessment Essentials: Planning, Implementing,
and Improving Assessment in Higher Education. San
Francisco: Jossey Bass.
GE
Outcomes
Assessment
2000-2001