Learning Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Faculty

50 Techniques for Engaging Students and Assessing Learning in College Courses Do you want to: Know what and how well your students are learning? Promote active learning in ways that readily integrate assessment? Gather information that can help make grading more systematic and streamlined? Efficiently collect solid learning outcomes data for institutional assessment? Provide evidence of your teaching effectiveness for promotion and tenure review? Learning Assessment Techniques provides 50 easy-to-implement active learning techniques that gauge student learning across academic disciplines and learning environments. Using Fink's Taxonomy of Significant Learning as its organizational framework, it embeds assessment within active learning activities. Each technique features: purpose and use, key learning goals, step-by-step implementation, online adaptation, analysis and reporting, concrete examples in both on-site and online environments, and key references—all in an easy-to-follow format. The book includes an all-new Learning Goals Inventory, as well as more than 35 customizable assessment rubrics, to help teachers determine significant learning goals and appropriate techniques. Readers will also gain access to downloadable supplements, including a worksheet to guide teachers through the six steps of the Learning Assessment Techniques planning and implementation cycle. College teachers today are under increased pressure to teach effectively and provide evidence of what, and how well, students are learning. An invaluable asset for college teachers of any subject, Learning Assessment Techniques provides a practical framework for seamlessly integrating teaching, learning, and assessment.

Table of Contents:
Preface xi Acknowledgments xvii The Authors xix Introduction: Conceptual Framework 1 How Can We Best Teach to Promote Learning? 1 What Is a Learning Assessment Technique (LAT)? 4 How Do LATs Support the Kind of Teaching that Promotes Significant Learning? 5 Conclusion 10 Part One: The Learning Assessment Techniques Cycle 11 1 Clarifying What You Want Students to Learn 13 Defining Learning 13 Aiming for Significant Learning 14 Using the Learning Goals Inventory (LGI) to Identify Significant Learning Goals 14 Expressing What You Want Students to Learn in Language that Is Helpful for Assessment 14 Identifying Course-Level Learning Goals 14 Considering the Challenges Related to Course Learning Objectives and Outcomes 17 Determining Course-Level Learning Objectives 18 Identifying Course-Level Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) 20 Differentiating Between Learning Objectives and Learning Outcomes 20 Crafting a Course Learning Outcome Statement 21 Determining Performance Standards for Individuals and the Class as a Whole 21 Is All the Work Required Worth the Effort? 22 2 Determining Your Purpose for Assessing Student Learning 24 Defining Assessment 24 How Learning Assessment Is Different from Grading 25 Types of Learning Assessment 25 Assessing Students to Determine for Ourselves How Well Students Are Learning 26 Assessing to Give Learners Feedback on Their Progress 27 Assessing Learning to Improve Our Profession through the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) 27 Assessing to Provide Information to Institutional and External Stakeholders on How Well Students Are Learning 27 Crafting the Assessment Question 28 3 Selecting a Learning Assessment Technique 30 Using the Learning Goals Inventory (LGI) 30 Considering Instructional Context When Choosing a LAT 30 Key Instructional Elements to Consider 35 Considering Clustering Multiple LATs Together 35 4 Implementing a Learning Assessment Technique 43 Creating Assessment Rubrics 43 Creating Student Self-Evaluation Forms 45 Creating Peer Evaluation Forms 45 Introducing the Activity 46 Providing Students with Information They Need About the Learning Assessment 46 Facilitating the Learning Assessment 47 Concluding the Activity 48 Timing the Phases 49 Collecting the Learning Artifacts 50 Managing the Learning Artifacts 50 5 Analyzing and Reporting What Students Have Learned 52 Identifying Whose Learning You Are Gauging 52 Considering Independent and Collaborative Data Analysis 53 Scoring Individual Learning Artifacts 53 Scoring Group Artifacts 53 Determining the Method of Data Analysis 54 Using Quantitative Data Analysis 54 Using Qualitative Data Analysis 55 Displaying Data and Findings 57 Interpreting Results 64 Writing Up the Results of the Assessment 65 6 Closing the Loop 67 Modifying Your Learning Goals, Objectives, and Outcomes 67 Adjusting Your Purpose for Assessing Learning 68 Selecting a Different LAT 68 Altering an Aspect of Implementation 68 Changing the Way You Analyze or Report Findings 69 Part Two: Learning Assessment Techniques 71 7 Teaching and Assessing for the Foundational Knowledge Domain 73 Clarifying Learning Goals Related to Foundational Knowledge 73 Identifying Learning Outcomes for Foundational Knowledge 74 Aligning Course Level Foundational Knowledge Learning Outcomes with Institutional Learning Goals 75 Assessing Achievement of Foundational Knowledge Learning Outcomes 75 Conclusion 77 Foundational Knowledge Domain LATs 78 1 First Day Final 78 2 Background Knowledge Probe 85 3 Entry and Exit Tickets 91 4 Guided Reading Notes 96 5 Comprehensive Factors List 101 6 Quick Write 105 7 Best Summary 111 8 Snap Shots 116 9 Team Tests 122 10 Team Games Tournament 128 8 Teaching and Assessing for the Application Learning Domain 134 Clarifying Learning Goals Related to Application Learning 134 Skills Goals 134 Identifying Learning Outcomes for Application Learning 136 Aligning Course Level Application Learning Outcomes with Institutional Learning Goals 136 Assessing Achievement of Application Learning Outcomes 136 Conclusion 139 Application Learning Domain LATs 148 11 Prediction Guide 148 12 Fact or Opinion 153 13 Quotation Commentaries 158 14 Insights-Resources-Application (IRA) 164 15 Consider This 169 16 What’s the Problem? 174 17 Think-Aloud Problem-Solving Protocols (TAAPs) 180 18 Peer Problem Review 185 19 Triple Jump 191 20 Digital Projects 196 9 Teaching and Assessing for the Integration Domain 202 Clarifying Learning Goals Related to the Integration Domain 202 Identifying Learning Outcomes for Integration Learning 203 Aligning Course Level Integrative Learning Outcomes with Broader Institutional Learning Goals 204 Assessing Achievement of Learning in the Integration Domain 204 Conclusion 204 Integration Domain LATs 208 21 Knowledge Grid 208 22 Sequence Chains 214 23 Concept Maps 218 24 Contemporary Issues Journal 225 25 Dyadic Essay 230 26 Synthesis Paper 237 27 Case Study 243 28 Class Book 248 29 E-Portfolios 255 10 Teaching and Assessing for the Human Dimension Domain 261 Clarifying Learning Goals Related to the Human Dimension Domain 261 Identifying Learning Outcomes for Human Dimension Learning 262 Aligning Course Level Human Dimension Learning Outcomes with Institutional Learning Goals 262 Assessing Achievement of Learning Regarding the Human Dimension Domain 263 Conclusion 264 Human Dimension Domain LATs 271 30 Free Discussion 271 31 Nominations 277 32 Editorial Review 282 33 Dramatic Dialogues 287 34 Role Play 292 35 Ethical Dilemma 298 36 Digital Story 303 11 Teaching and Assessing for the Caring Domain 312 Clarifying Learning Goals Related to the Caring Domain 313 Identifying Learning Outcomes for the Caring Domain 314 Aligning Learning Outcomes Related to Caring with Institutional Learning Goals 314 Assessing Achievement of Learning Outcomes in the Caring Domain 315 Conclusion 315 Caring Domain LATs 319 37 Stand Where You Stand 319 38 Three-Minute Message 324 39 Issue Awareness Ad 330 40 Proclamations 334 41 Editorial 340 42 Debate 346 43 Briefing Paper 353 12 Teaching and Assessing for the Learning How to Learn Domain 358 Clarifying Learning Goals Related to the Learning How to Learn Domain 358 Identifying Learning Outcomes for the Learning How to Learn Domain 359 Aligning Learning Outcomes Related to Learning How to Learn with Institutional Learning Goals 359 Assessing Achievement of Learning Outcomes in the Learning How to Learn Domain 359 Conclusion 361 Learning How to Learn Domain LATs 364 44 Study Outlines 364 45 Student Generated Rubrics 370 46 Invent the Quiz 376 47 Learning Goal Listing 382 48 What? So What? Now What? Journal 388 49 Multiple-Task Mastery Checklist 393 50 Personal Learning Environment 399 Bibliography 405 Appendices 417 Appendix A About the Learning Goals Inventory (LGI) 419 Appendix B The Learning Goals Inventory with Scoring Sheet 425 Appendix C Key to Classroom Environment and Discipline in LAT Examples 433 Index 439