What are some characteristics of effective assessment?
Assessment is an ongoing process aimed at understanding and improving student learning (Angelo & Cross, 1993).
Assessment is the process of gathering and discussing information from multiple and diverse sources in order to develop a deep understanding of what students know, understand, and can do with their knowledge as a result of their educational experiences; the process culminates when assessment results are used to improve subsequent learning” (Huba and Freed, 2000: 8).
Assessment is fundamental to learning. Assessment fosters learning when:
- Assessment contributes to an understanding of learning needs
- Assessment processes directly relate to intended learning outcomes as well as the experiences that lead to these outcomes
- Assessment processes validate for the student that the learning has value beyond the classroom
- Assessment processes are ongoing, cumulative, depicting student growth towards increasingly complex understandings
- Assessment processes promote and foster each student’s ability to be an effective self-assessor
- Assessment is used to guide the improvement of learning and assessment strategies
Assessment begins with learning outcomes and includes early, frequent and timely feedback to and from students (formative) as well as evaluation of levels of mastery (summative).*
Assessment requires explicit, public expectations and criteria based on high standards of quality such as: clarity, accuracy, relevance, depth, breadth and logical coherence.*
* Adapted from Valencia Community College, Learning-Centred Reference Guide, 2000
What are some considerations when developing and renewing assessment processes?
When designing program or course assessments a number of things need to be kept in mind:
- Assessment is done to increase learning and to demonstrate evidence of having met learning outcomes.
- Assessment is flexible and should take a variety of forms. Some examples include an assessment of knowledge, isolated task assessment, or a complex work project.
- Criteria for assessment need to be clearly identified.
- Students, teachers and stakeholders need to know what will be expected in regards to assessment, and each may contribute to both setting the standards and participating in the actual assessment.
- Assessment takes place in a variety of contexts where appropriate
- Assessments can be designed for assessing people’s prior learning in order for them to have the opportunity to obtain equivalent college credit if requested.
- Assessments are also done formatively and summatively.
Questions that guide the development and/or renewal of course and program assessments include:
- How would we know that learners have met the course or program learning outcomes?
- What kinds of assessment tasks could we design that integrate abilities, skills and understandings students have been expected to learn?
- How might we design assessment tasks that parallel what students will do in life with what they have learned? (e.g. products developed, projects completed, problems solved, procedures demonstrated, presentations given, work experiences completed, etc.)
- What criteria should we use to determine the quality of student performance on a specific assessment task?
- How much responsibility do students have for assessment? How effective are students’ self assessment skills?
- Is there a balance of formative and summative assessment? Is there a balance of reflection and performance? Are there adequate and appropriate opportunities for teacher/employer/peer feedback to the students?
- Are technical requirements of assessment met appropriately?
- Validity – congruency with learning outcomes (e.g. are stated outcomes being assessed?)
- Reliability – consistency across assessors and across time
- Sufficiency – enough learning evidence to assess student performance adequately without over assessing
- Authenticity – assurance that it’s the student’s own learning evidence
- Currency –reflection of the student’s current performance
What is Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition?
Prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR) is the process of assessing what a person already knows and can do and equating that learning to college-level credit. PLAR recognizes that individuals are learning all the time. Formal school, self study, community work, employment, on-the-job training or other life experiences are some of the ways individuals acquire knowledge, skills and abilities that may be equated to college-level credit. “As part of the assessment process, the focus is on what the individual has learned, not the time, place, or method of learning, or even the motivation of the learner” (Simosko and Cook, 1996).
What is the history of PLAR at Camosun?
Camosun has always offered selective opportunities for students to be assessed and credited for previous learning. In the mid-1990s Camosun developed formalized procedures and processes, which expanded opportunities PLAR for students. Many courses and programs across the college now offer these opportunities for students.
Would you like to know more about assessment?
Angelo, T. and Cross, K.P. (1993). Classroom Assessment Techniques: A handbook for college teachers. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Available in Camosun’s Learning and Teaching Centre Resource Library.
Camosun College (2000). Guiding Principles for a Learning-Centred College.
Huba, M. and Freed, J.E. (2000). Learner-Centered Assessment on College Campuses: Shifting focus from teaching to learning. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Available in Camosun’s Learning and Teaching Centre Resource Library.
Simosko, S. and Cook, C. (1996). Applying APL Principles in Flexible Assessment: A Practical Guide. London: Kogan Page Limited.
http://www.ola.bc.ca/pla/navigating.html
http://fcis.oise.utoronto.ca/~plar/database/toc.html
http://www.camosun.bc.ca/divisions/registrar/advisingsheets/student_services/pla.pdf