Assessment of Learning Outcomes
Assessment - An Overview
So far in this course, you've learned about the importance of developing learning objectives and outcomes. Learning objectives define the purpose of your course, guide you in developing appropriate learning experiences for your learners, and play a major role in assessment. Were your learners able to meet the learning objectives presented to them? What tool(s) did you use to measure learner knowledge and skill?
Below is a list of assessment considerations from the WGBH Educational Foundations, The Guiding Principles of Assessment Links to an external site.:
- Assessments measure students' attainment of learning outcomes.
- Assessments measure the level of student success.
- There should be a connection between the way students learn the material and the way they are tested on it.
- Assessments should be varied.
- Assessments include formal and informal evaluations.
- Students should know the evaluation plan at the beginning of a course.
Formative versus Summative Assessment
There are two well known methods of assessment: formative assessment and summative assessment. Formative assessment measures student learning during the the learning process and summative assessment measures learning that occurs at the end of an instructional lesson or unit. Examples of formative assessment are: written reflections, polls and surveys, checks for understanding, quizzes, in-class activities, and online learning modules. Examples of summative assessments are unit exams, papers, projects, presentations, and learner portfolios. For other examples, here is an Assessment Tool Resource from Scholastic Links to an external site..
Methods of Assessment
Assessments are designed to measure the skills and knowledge the learner has mastered during instruction. While quizzes or tests are often used to assess mastery, there are countless other assessment methods that could be equally (or more) effective for the given learner population, context, and learning objectives. It is important to keep in mind that the personas and needs of your learners, as well as the context and objectives, should influence which assessment method you design and develop. Varying the methods of assessment throughout a lesson or unit of instruction will help to support appropriate skill and knowledge assessment, and appeal to different learning and testing preferences of the learners. Beyond a quiz or test, other methods of assessment for adult basic education may include:
|
Source: Saskatchewan Advanced Education and Employment Links to an external site. |
||
|
Methods of Assessment |
Assessment |
Example |
|
Performance Assessment |
Learners are given a variety of tasks and situations where they can demonstrate understandings and apply knowledge, skills, and the Foundations of Science to a variety of contexts. |
|
|
Authentic |
Assessments tie directly to the applications of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes in the real world. |
|
|
Holistic |
Incorporates a wide range of assessment pieces to provide a total picture of the learner. |
|