Effective Grading and Assessment:

Strategies to Enhance Student Learning

Faculty Satisfaction,

And Institutional Success!

GRADING is context-dependent, complex process that serves multiple purposes:

1. Evaluation 2. Communication 3. Motivation 4. Organization

5. Student/ Faculty Reflection

Let’s Begin by Asking:

What are four “walk away” things

you want students to be able to

know and do when they complete _______________?

Critical Thinking and Reflective Judgment

Outcomes Assessment

What do you want students to be

able to know and do when they complete:

A course? A course sequence? An internship experience? A major/professional program?

Today is Theory into Action, But for Some Great Resources…

www.towson.edu/assessment

www.towson.edu/assessment

Assessment is …

The systematic gathering and analyzing of information (excluding course grades)

to INFORM and IMPROVE student learning or programs of student learning

in light or goal-oriented expectations.

Good Assessment Begins in the Classroom because:

1. Classroom assessment measures “what matters most”!

2. Classroom assessment provides opportunities for

“multiple measures”!

Good Assessment Begins in the Classroom because:

3. Classroom assessment engages students when they are highly motivated.

4. Classroom assessment has the highest

potential for “closing the loop”!

Measuring what matters mostWhat do you want all students to be able to know and do when they

complete:

Your course? An academic major? A undergraduate degree? An advanced degree or certificate?

Outcomes Assessments may be…

Cognitive- pertaining to mental processing

Outcomes Assessments may be…

Affective- relating to attitudes, feelings, and values

Outcomes Assessments may be…

Psychomotor- relating to physical performance of skills

What DIRECT or INDIRECT Evidence of Student Learning

do you already Collect?

Course-embedded Assessment Strategies

RUBRIC SCORINGTEST BLUEPRINTING SKILLS TESTS POSTERS, POWER POINTS, or PORTFOLIOS with RUBRICS

Program Assessment Strategies

AFFECTIVE CHECKLISTS CAPSTONE COURSE PROJECTSALUMNI SURVEYSEMPLOYER SURVEYSREFLECTIVE STATEMENTS

Gen Ed or Core Curriculum Assessment Challenge…

Student demonstrates the ability to reason quantitatively in a scientific

context:

Score Performance # Students

4 At a proficient level (80% or more success)

4 of 45

3 At a Gen Ed adequate (passing) level

14 of 45

2 With some competency, but not 60% level

26 of 45

1 Lacks any evidence of quantitative reasoning

1 of 45

Give a 5 minute lecture.

Ask students to write a 5 minute summary in class.

Hand out your summary. Ask students to write HOW

and WHY theirs was different outside of class.

Staple HOW/WHY to top of their summary and turn in.

Copy a graphic; ask students to explain what they learned from it.

Fiji Exports of Bananas and Mangoes

0

10

20

30

40

50

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000

Years

Th

ou

san

ds o

f P

ou

nd

s

bananas

mangoes

Use Venn diagrams to see the big ideas.

Use a split-page action- reason list.

Action Reason 1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

Ask students to engage in reflective practice.

Write at least three sentences about what is happening in this picture.

Quality Grading and Assessment can Enhance…

Student Learning,

Faculty Satisfaction,

And Institutional Success!

Let’s start “Closing the Loop”!

Blessings!