If a student feels the information they are learning is actually part of the course (learning objective) and has an interest in the subject matter, learning is bound to follow.
As an adult learner, I want to know that what I am learning will be of use to me ‘out-there’. I want to learn it now and put it into practice tomorrow!
robert,
Great post! You are correct about aligning with objectives.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Cynthia,
Nice comments, these all should be tied to the objectives or outcomes of the course.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Peter,
You make such good points! These are great ideas to keep in mind when developing a COMPLETE assessment plan for the course.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Janis,
Great points! You can't make the technology be a barrier to good assessment.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Jean,
You make a great point. You do need to let students know what the do RIGHT. Good post!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Socorro,
If the focus of the objectives are tied to the real life activities then that is a part of the assessment.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Avis,
I like the fact that you talk about linking learning to other objectives, constructivism.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Adib,
You make an important point and that is feedback. What can I provide to students based on the assessment.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Deborah,
Great post. It does allow you to look at delivery. We seem to focus on content don't we.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Joseph,
yes, it is important that the instructor be the content expert. Does the delivery work is a measure through assessment.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Austin,
Yes, this could be the way you gauge mastery of a subject.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Michael,
True, and how well the student "absorbed" the information.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Dr. Kimberly,
You make a great point. You have to assess real world skills. That is important!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Kimberly,
You make a great point. All the assessment in the world means nothing if you don't make corrections.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
William,
Great post. You really should be able to identify the learning objectives in the assessment.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Deborah,
You make such a good point! Timing is everything in assessment particularly summative assessment!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I believe that the two most important things to consider when conducting summative assessments are:
1. Is the student able to apply his/her knowledge in real work environment?
2. Did the student acquire the knowledge in accordance with course objectives?
The first factor that I would consider when conducting a summative assessment centers on determining if the student was able to understand the theoretical aspects of the concepts and topics addressed in the class. Next, it would be important to determine if the student was able to move from the theoretical viewpoint of the concepts and topics to describing how each would apply in the real world. The combination of the aforementioned factors improves the ability of the instructor to measure the student’s skills as well as his/her level of understanding and knowledge.
The student is by far the most important aspect in any assessment. When one conducts a summative assessment one should consider if the student had all the opportunities afforded other students. Was the student aware what was required to obtain a passing grade? Did the student have open communication with the instructor during the learning process? Was there some other type of other assignments during the learning process?
If these did take place, let us look at what is truly important in the summative assessment process;
1. Timeliness of the assessment. The assessment must be done is a reasonable time so the student knows if he/she can move forward or need some type of remediation.
2. Accuracy of the assessment. Did the instructor review the assessment tool to ensure it is accurate so the assessment ensures that the objective of the course was met?
