Tim,
Are the students provided with any handouts describing the hands on work? A worksheet or guidelines is always helpful
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
I teach Automotive classes and use hands on and written based tests. I make students show me that they have learned the different test equiptment that we practice using in lab. I also give them a written test covering the subject matter that we covered in class and lab.
In the fashion department at IADT we have lab classes that require the student to incorporate skills they received from previous classes. I like to build on the skills they learn from each class.
Leigh,
Thank you for the detailed post. This is a well thought out process. By setting proper expectations you end up with considerably less emphasis on grades and more on expected outcomes.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
Hello Ron,
I teach in a hospitality culinary school and in which the simulation is a student run restaurant. We created competencies based on the positions that the student would rotate through the front and back of the restaurant concept. These competencies are on a lickert scale graded on observation from the instructor. We grade on all three of Bloom's domains: cognitive, psychomotor and affective. Categories such as teamwork, knowledge of station, safety, and problem solving to name a few. We explain the compentencies on day 1 with the syllabus and then every other day discuss their competencies with the students through effective communication. This seems to work well for the students and pressure is not as high when they know that they don't need to be a master of a station but understand what competent of a station means.
This I believe also transfers to kitchen and hospitatliy management when understanding how to train employees, develop your employees and evaluate your employees as a manager. So they are not only learning the restaurant rotation but management techniques as well.
Mark,
The tasting of the food prepared by students does provide an immediate assessment. It is a feature of culinary education. I am sure your rubrics break it down by presentation, taste, time to prepare, etc. I would prioritize what is being assessed and rank taste as the 3rd or 4th item in the assessment.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
As a culinary arts instructor I was looking for some content in regards to culinary lab education. In the culinary lab we use rubrics and visual observation to assess the students. One of the most challenging is the tasting of the food produced my the students. Tasting does have it's risks, however, it is the best way to provide accurate feedback to the students. if food is not tasted, then how can an instructor give any kind of feedback to the students?
Sherrie,
I assume you closely observe when the students are working with animals?
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
I teach veterinary technology. In some classes the evaluation process is simple. In others, it simply is not. I don't expect my students to have the skills of an experienced technician. But I do expect them to have entry level skills. These include such things as blood draws, surgical assisting, and many more. If there is no need for me to step in and protect the animal, student doing the task, or the student assisting, the skill is mastered.
Kristine,
Thank you for your post. Your school seems to have a detailed assessment process.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
We hold weekly labs that provide a chance to demo a task or set of tasks needed in the veterinary technology field, then the students are allowed to practice those skills for the rest of the lab. It is not expected that they have necessarily reached a level of competency in that task as a result of having completed that one lab, however. They are expected to practice those skills at home, while being uttered at school, and most importantly (and frequently) while participating in their rotations at veterinary clinics throughout the term. As they learn more at school, the clinics should allow them to develop their skills, and they should be allowed the opportunity to repeat them frequently, allowing the time for improvement that we don't necessarily have in our labs (due to the amount of material being covered, as each week brings a whole new set of skills to be learned!) We observe their progress within each lab period, but ultimately, competency is assessed when they complete each task for an instructor without help, following a set of required guidelines to complete the task. They each have a book requiring instructor signatures for all required (and desired) tasks that are based on those deemed necessary by our accrediting body, the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Becka,
It is a role play with therapists and alumni? Are those participants prepped? If you are not doing s already you could develop scenarios to be used. This might help to assess the students and the expected outcomes.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
Jeanne,
Paper and pencil evaluations could count for less in the total score and possibly be given more frequently. Students tend to cram for mid-terms and finals. Thank you for your post.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
I use a template depending on what modality I am teaching as to what the important parts of this specific modality is. I also try and have my students test out on existing therapists or on alumni who know what they should be feeling. i also have those "clients" fill out a survey after the test out as well.
While competency-based assessment seems to be the best method of evaluation, many schools still require paper and pencil evaluations as well. It is also important if a student can discuss his procedures with someone else. Oral discussion is also a helpful determinant when assessing a student's progress.
Frank,
Thank you for the detailed post. Does your institution track the success rate for testing with the government inspector?
Dr. Ron Hansen
During my current aircraft electrical course, we divide our time between lecture and lab. my lectures provide a basic knowledge and the students are required to research applicable regulation and techniques to complete wiring task. After there projects are complete they are guided thru the use of testing equipment which is used to confirm their results. These project require cognitive, affective and also psycomotor skill to complete successfully. The students are also required to complete a exam at the end of the course to assess their competency. The final result is the student is approved to test with a governmnet inspector for knowledge and compentency and if successful are issued licenses.
Joseph,
Do students review the lab manual before the skill tests? How often are skill test provided? Thank you for your post.
Dr. Ron Hansen
We determine this by having skills tests for each module a student goes through. We are there to help them with any questions and also provide lab manuals so they can be guided through each module.
Thank you Dr Hansen.
It is the nature of the subject that is very detailed oriented. The images to me have to be 'perfect' or is it adequate enough just to be acceptable? Sometimes there is difference of opinion in interpretation of any image and this is where I find subjectivity come in. But again, sometimes difference of opinion is good!. It in itself is a learning process.
