Assessment Plans,Who Needs Them?

Claudia Barreto, Ph.D.University of New Mexico

Valencia Campus

barr@unm.edu

Acknowledgements• I’d like to thank the UNMVC Teaching &

Learning Assessment Committee Members: Julie DePree, Kurt Folkendt, Reinaldo Garcia, Jami Huntsinger & Clifton Murray for all their hard work.

• My assessment mentor was Barbara E. Walvoord, Ph.D., Chair of Assessment Committee, Fellow of the Institute for Educational Initiatives, and Concurrent Professor of English, University of Notre Dame, Indiana. – Assessment Clear and Simple: A Practical

Guide for Institutions, Departments, and General Education (Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education) ISBN: 978-0-7879-7311-7

•Doing assessment should not be a hassle.

•In fact, doing assessment should serve to make you a more efficient and effective educator.

The outcomes of this workshop is for participants

to: 1. learn how to create effective

assessment plans for programs & courses ;

2. develop a network with whom we can share ideas on outcomes assessment to continually improve teaching & learning at the Branch Campuses.

Learning Objectives

Direct Measures

Indirect Measures

Uses of Assessment Data

Learning Objectives

• Select a verb for performing a task.

• Make sure the verb describes the type of behavior learners need to exhibit after instruction.

–

• Explain the conditions under which the task must be performed.

• Determine to what standards the task must be performed.

Learning Objectives

• Bloom identified three domains of educational activities: – Cognitive: mental skills

(Knowledge) – Affective: growth in feelings or

emotional areas (Attitude) – Psychomotor: manual or

physical dexterity (Skills)

• http://www.coun.uvic.ca/learn/program/hndouts/bloom.html

Learning Objectives

1.Select a verb for performing a task.

2.Make sure the verb describes the type of behavior learners need to display after instruction.

3.Explain the conditions under which the task must be performed.

4.Determine to what standards the task must be performed.

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of this learning module you will be expected to demonstrate that you understand and can explain with 90% accuracy:

– the purpose & outcome of meiosis– how a cell accomplishes meiosis– how genetic variability in a

population is increased by meiosis– nondisjunction– the evolutionary significance of

sexual reproduction

Learning Objectives

Assignments:

A. Read & study Chapter 12. Self test your achievement of the learning objectives for this LM by answering “Content Review” questions 1 - 6 on pages 267-268. You do not need to turn these in.

B. You do not need to turn anything in for assignment part B either! This is another great way for you to make sure you are achieving the learning objectives for this module.

1. Complete (= do the prequiz, animation & post

quiz) Web Tutorial 12.1 “Meiosis” 2. Complete (= do the prequiz, animation &

post quiz) Web Tutorial 12.2 “Mistakes in Meiosis”

Learning Objectives

Assignments continued:

C. Use these Web resources to help in your achievement of the LOs for the Ch.12 LM: STUDY:

• http://www.geocities.com/baluchitheruim/• http://www.sumanasinc.com/webcontent/anisamples/majorsbiology/meiosis.html (do the Intro., Animation, Conclusion & take the

Quiz)• http://www.biology.arizona.edu/CELL_BIO/tutorials/meiosis/main.html• http://tutor.lscf.ucsb.edu/mcdb/tutorial/meiosis/meiosis.htm

• Test Your Understanding:• http://www.biology.arizona.edu/CELL_BIO/tutorials/meiosis/problems.html

D. Complete & turn in your answer to the following Review Questions. Use your own words & diagrams. Copied answers will not allow us to determine if you really understand the material. Due on 2/1:

+ Draw a well labeled diagram that illustrates how a cell carries out meiosis.

+ Answer “Conceptual Review” questions #s 1 – 5 on page 268.

Learning Objectives

Direct Measures

Indirect Measures

Uses of Assessment Data

Direct & Indirect Tools to Assess Student Achievement of LOs

Direct: Exams, papers, homework, works of art, etc…

Indirect: Surveys, Focus Groups, etc…• SALG: This free site is designed for

instructors of all disciplines who would like feedback from their students about how the course elements are helping their students to learn.

– http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/salgains/instructor/Course.asp– http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/salgains/instructor/default.asp

Learning Objectives

Direct Measures

Indirect Measures

Uses of Assessment Data

“Closing the Loop”

•Once you gather and analyze data on student learning, use it to see how you can improve your courses.– Look for both your strengths and

challenges.

– If you’re colleting useful data, keep it up!

– If some of your data are not yielding information you can use, don’t bother colleting it anymore!

“Closing the Loop”•Rubrics are excellent tools for objectively

evaluating student work. For example, I use them when my students write lab reports.

•Primary Traits, or a description of what the ideal student can do when s/he has achieved each LO are listed in the rubric.

•Each student is graded using the rubric. •PTA is used to evaluate how well the class

preformed in terms of becoming that ideal student.

•These statistics guide revision of pedagogy to get more students to the ideal.

Distinguished Proficient Unsatisfactory Score

Research Goals(statement of testable hypothesis & rationale)

Goals & testable hypothesis are clearly stated. The topic is thoroughly researched, using an ingenious variety of high-level resources. (10)

Clarity of goals & hypothesis is somewhat deficient. Some related issues introduced. Could be more resourceful. (7)

Not clear. Research is lacking in testability and appropriateness. (1)

Significance, Context & Information

Presents a concise, exceptionally clear, & insightful lead-in to the research. Supported by detailed references to current research that is appropriate to the topic & is clearly and accurately presented. Provides precise examples, facts and details, while conveying both the depth and breadth of the topic. (10)

Mentions concepts & topics from recent research that are appropriate to the topic. This info is accurately presented, providing selected examples, facts and details, but lacking the depth and richness of detail. (7)

No mention is made of relevant research. Minimal scientific background is presented, using some examples that may or may not be appropriate or relevant. (1)

Applications Clearly describes how the research contributes to our understanding of biology & how the research can be applied. (10)

Presents some ideas on how the research applies to increasing our understanding of biology. (7)

Does not mention applications. It is not clear how this contributes to biology. (1)

Total out of 25*

Don’t Forget, Doing Assessment Means Gathering

Information That Will Help You Be More Effective &

Help Your Students Succeed

Let’s Go Get Started!