Assessment - (1c) What Do I Do?
- Stephen Chanderbhan
Have you been told you have to submit assessment results for a given Core element this semester? Here is a step-by-step breakdown of what the assessment procedure in each semester should look like, as well as some best practices:
Before the Semester
Check the Appropriate Rubric: You will need to assess student learning according to the rubrics that the CCC have approved. Those rubrics may be found on this Wiki at this link ("Assessment - (1a) Rubrics"). On that page, click on the link for the Core element you've been told will be assessed.
For each Objective, you'll judge students as meeting, exceeding, or not meeting expectations. Hallmarks of work at each level of achievement are described in the rubric for each Objective. For the purposes of Core assessment, please use the CCC's rubric and not one of your own.
Complete the Curriculum Map: As you plan your course, it will be helpful to keep the assessment in mind when designing certain assignments for the semester. The CCC has set up a very simple Google form to help you with this, accessible at this link ("Assessment - (2a) Forms for Curriculum Maps (Pre-Semester)"). In this form, you'll indicate what assignment(s) you will use to assess student learning regarding each objective.
This Curriculum Map is not a binding agreement, as it were; if circumstances change and you assess certain objectives differently than you map them, that is perfectly fine. We just want to make sure instructors are mindful of the need to assess their students' work early in the semester, as opposed to later.
Upon reviewing the rubric, please keep in mind that assignments used for assessment should be designed to give a student at least a chance to meet and/or exceed expectations. In other words, it would be best to avoid using assignments for assessment that do not allow students to have a chance at meeting expectations for any given Objective.
You will not need to hand over your students' assessment artifacts when you send in the results; however, we do ask that you hold onto these artifacts until the next time that particular Core element is assessed.
Randomly Select 10 Students to be Assessed: The CCC asks you to assess the work of 10 students (or, if the section has fewer students than that, then assess all the students in that section) in the section we've indicated. Please choose these students at random. Some suggestions for random selection include using a random number generator (such as www.random.org), choosing the first ten students on the alphabetically organized class roster, choosing the last ten students on the alphabetically organized class roster, etc.
During the Semester
Assess Student Work: For the 10 students whose work is being assessed, check their work against the rubric language to judge their levels of achievement with respect to each Objective. it may be helpful to do this assessment while you are grading these students' work during the semester - especially if the artifacts you will use for assessment are completed during the semester and not just at the end.
We trust your good judgment on interpreting the rubric language as it fits your class and assignments. That said, if you have questions about the rubric language, please feel free to reach out to the CCC for clarification. You may also wish to reach out to other instructors who are teaching the same Core element.
It may be helpful to print out hard copies of the rubric for each of the 10 students being assessed and fill one out (with any notes you may need) as you go along. You will not need to hand over copies of your completed rubrics when you send in the results; however, we do ask that you hold onto such completed rubrics until the next time that particular Core element is assessed.
After the Semester
Compile and Report the Assessment Results: For each of the Objectives, tally up how many of the 10 students assessed did not meet expectations, how many just met expectations, and how many exceeded expectations. Report these numbers on the appropriate Google Form, which is accessible at this link ("Assessment - (2b) Forms for Reporting Assessment Results (Post-Semester)").
On this form, you'll also have the opportunity to provide narrative feedback on the learning goals and objectives themselves, the rubric, and student learning in that Core element in general. This feedback is vital to understanding the state of learning in the Core and will help the CCC initiate discussions about changes and/or push for resources for further development.
Again: you will not need to hand over your students' assessment artifacts, nor will you need to hand over copies of your completed rubrics, when you send in the results; however, we do ask that you hold onto these until the next time that particular Core element is assessed. For the 2-year cycle of assessment, please see the document on this page.
If you have any questions about assessment at any point, please don't hesitate to contact the CCC. The current membership of the CCC may be found at this link.
Created by: Stephen Chanderbhan
Edited on: 2024-01-10