What are the most inclusive methods of assessment?

Assessment is a challenging and necessary component of instruction. Traditional assessment has centered on testing recall of course material through midterm and final exams.

Assessment, at its best, is a communication tool that tells students what skills they have developed, what skills need improvement and how they should proceed. A universally designed evaluation structure highlights the need for regular and consistent feedback that incorporates evaluation throughout the entire term. More frequent low and higher stakes assessment fosters an environment that supports student and instructor reflection on the learning process.

Evaluation and Feedback: Regularly assess student progress using multiple accessible methods and tools, and adjust instruction accordingly. Provide clear course expectations, requirements, and objectives. Provide both individual and group feedback on a regular basis to allow students to make mid-course corrections.

Examples:

• Provide a variety of ways for demonstrating knowledge.
• Create a strong set of learning goals and objectives for your course and assignments.
• Provide a rubric to measure performance.
• Create opportunity for group projects in addition to or instead of individual testing.
• Create a learner-driven education by using Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs).
• Allow additional exam time for all students.
• Allow students to turn in an annotated bibliography prior to the completion of a project
• Use clickers during class to determine comprehension of key concepts.

Selected Teaching Effectiveness Program Resources for Inclusive Assessment

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What are the most fair and reliable methods of assessment?: introduces resources for the development and implementation of student assessment.

What Are Learning Objectives?: focuses on setting up course objectives. Included on this page is a basic overview of what learning objectives are and the basics behind writing them.

Ways to Assess Student Learning During Class: provides short student engagement activities measuring evidence of student learning during class.

Frequent, Prompt and Facilitative: offers a description of CATs and additional resources for including them in your classroom.

Rubric Samples: includes various rubric samples for instructor reference.

What are the most fair and reliable methods of assessment? (Rubric): offers descriptions and examples of rubrics

Team Learning: Using small groups to improve the quality of learning in Higher Education: links to team learning definitions (the process of using small groups to improve the quality of learning in Higher Education) and resources.

Tests and Grading: includes resources for writing test questions along with allaying test anxiety and getting more "teaching" out of "testing" and "grading."

Using Clickers (Personal Response Systems) to Facilitate Active Learning in the Classroom: provides an introduction to using clickers in the classroom and resources in considering the technological and pedagogical benefits of using clickers.