Evaluating Learning
Why is it important to evaluate the process of learning in addition to the learning outcomes?
Erik,
I love your examples and your acronym! Please go to the faculty lounge and share these ideas in the instructional methods forum. Thank you for sharing.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
As a math instructor, people have often told me that my job as far as grading goes is easy because math is "right or wrong." I've always disagreed with this, as I feel like the process is THE important part to assess. My students quickly become familiar with my abbreviation "cbom" for "correct based on mistake" as I always go back through the student's work and will even re-calculate the solution based on mistakes that he or she made. Often time the final answer accounts for minimal points in my rubrics.
So I'm in total agreement that the process is important to assess. When you can do periodic evaluations as you go through the course, you can let the students' end of course grade reflect the learning that was done along the way. This is much more preferable than just having one big grade at the end of the course that basically decides the grade (which I recall having several times when I was in school!)
Gerardo,
Very true...so while one test cannot really capture the learning, using a variety of tools and methods can provide a more rounded picture of what has been learned.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Test is not complete assuranc3 of the learning level of the student, constant class interaction with the students to asses the level of learning that can then be applied to the formal test allowing the student to express his/her idea of the learned subject.
Fiorella,
Good points! Yes, instruction should be aligned to objectives/outcomes and should also follow rubrics that have been created based on those outcomes and also tied into the overall program goals. Also, transferrable soft skills should always be valued in learning, in my opinion (team /group work/ collaboration etc.).
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Multiple methods of assessment are required to get an accurate gauge of what the students have learned. While I agree that tests should not be the only measuring stick used when determining what a student has learned, they (in particular multiple choice tests) are still essential in that they remove potential grading bias from faculty.
Equally important are the measuring sticks used (not just the assignments), but what are the rubrics? are they aligned to the assignment? course objectives? do they align with program and institutional goals?
Josh,
Great example! Math is a wonderful subject area in which the process can be evaluated and rewarded even if the final answer is incorrect. In other subject areas, we as instructors, have to be more observant and intentional to really see the process followed by the student, so that can be rewarded as well.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
When I was in high school, I really struggled with geometry, and had a hard time finding the answers to the questions properly. After taking a test one time, I came back to class a few days later and the instructor showed the class how I had found the right answer to one of the questions but by using a method completely different from what everyone else had done. I still did really bad on the rest of the exam! But I really impressed the teacher with that one question and my method for finding the answer. I still remember that even though it was years and years ago. After becoming an instructor, that experience always stood out to me. And I have rarely given my students a multiple choice exam. I give them open-ended questions and tell them that I did have an answer in mind when writing it, but that doesn't mean that HAS to be their response.
There are so many ways to judge a students understanding of a topic, and if it were just based on a final exam, then that often just proves the student has learned how to take standardized tests and maybe not the actual material.
Melissa,
YES!! So, the application (which is where the learning actually takes place and is used) is a result of teacher direction, guidance, and expertise. Good points!
Dr. Ruth Reynard
I've found that students can quote whateve we are looking for in an answer. Making them translate that into practical application and personalizing the information is one key to evaluting their learning process. It's great that they can search the internet for the answer, but do they understand what that answer is really saying? It's iportant to look at this process or we will have a lot of students who know how to look stuff up, without having the skill to then apply it to their life/job.
Melissa
Ralph,
I agree...the problem with these more "holistic" methods is that they are not as neat and easily reported as simple test scores. We're fighting an "uphill" battle in this!
Dr. Ruth Reynard
I think as our course emphasizes that testing does not assess the total knowledge acquisition of a student. Using multiple knowledge assesment tools such as essays, projects and discussions, provides a better picture of a learners understanding of the subject matter. Using multiple tools also provides the learner with more opportunities to demonstrate their understanding of the subject matter which builds confidence in their own knowledge.
Ralph Fornari
Mia,
Yes...so the process is important, not just the end goal. I remember years ago in Math class we would always be asked to write out each stage of our calculations so that the teacher could see "how" we got to our answer. Today, the process still means our thinking process, but also our interaction, exchange, and production stages as well (given the uses of new technology).
Dr. Ruth Reynard
I think it is important because it levels the playing field, so to speak. Since all students learn differently and respond to different teaching styles, evaluating not just the final outcomes but also the grasp of the concepts in their (students) own ways allows them the freedom to relate the information to what they will be doing in their own terms. It makes the materials more practical for them.
Yvette,
Very true - focusing on the learning process shows the "how" and the "why"...whereas evaluating only the outcome shows the "what" and little else.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Yvette,
I agree - case studies encourage learning within contexts that reflect real life and can be adjusted to reflect the challenges of change and real life demands. That makes for more substantial and critical learning to take place.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
It is important to evaluate the process of learning in addition to the learning outcomes because with the advent and proliferation of technology, the methodologies we have to arrive at the learning outcomes have changed and expanded. There are more than one way to skin a cat - so to speak. Therefore, it's not just enough to believe that you've taught the learning outcomes and the student has learned them. These days, we must consider HOW we are arriving at those learning outcomes. As the lecture stated, students learn in different ways. With all of the different learning styles, coupled with our teaching styles, if we are not careful, we might find ourselves presenting information in the way we are most comfortable, which might only work for students who learn in that way - which could leave out those who learn in different ways that how we are most comfortable teaching. So we must remain conscious and aware of the methods we are using to ensure that 'no student is left behind.'
This is a great point. So often, I ask students what they believe the purpose of a particular course is - or even a specific assignment - and often, they have absolutely no idea how that assignment or the overall course pertains to their programmatic outcomes. Therefore, over the years, I have come to spending some time at the beginning of each course explaining the purpose of the course and the major assignments in that course to clarify their purposes and what is expected of the student to know and master by completing the assignments and the course. It has helped the students to be able to better verbalize and dialogue intelligently about it. Thanks for sharing.
Good point. While I used to shy away from case studies as an inexperienced instructor, what I have found over the years is just want everyone is saying: the students learn programmed answers and then get out of the program and still cannot critically think out in the field. The application of the knowledge and skills is so critical that we must at a minimum SIMULATE those real-life experiences in the classroom and focus not only on students' mastery of the fundamentals but also their ability to think critically and apply principles in real-life situations.
