Elements of Effective Assessment

Alignment

Regardless of the type or method of assessment, assessment must be aligned with the desired learning outcomes. Some traditional approaches to teaching and learning involve assignments given without consideration of the learning goals. By contrast, effective assessment practices are carefully aligned with the things we want students to learn. For example, a multiple-choice quiz could be an effective tool for assessing students' vocabulary knowledge. However, if the learning outcome involves writing a persuasive argument, a multiple-choice test would not provide evidence that the learning outcome has been achieved. 

Variety

Consider a promotional poster for a movie that is soon to be released. That poster might reveal the movie's name and leading actor, but it doesn't tell the whole story. (and it isn't intended to) But the movie trailer, with various scenes from the movie pieced together, will provide a glimpse into the storyline, characters, and the emotional tone of the film. After seeing the movie trailer, viewers have a pretty good idea what that movie is about.

When designing assessments, imagine that you are piecing together a trailer of the students' learning experience. Give students plenty of opportunities to develop and demonstrate the learning outcome in a variety of ways. Not only does this provide more meaningful evidence of student learning, it also acknowledges the diverse experiences students bring to the learning environment.

 Performance Indicators

Performance indicators express precisely how students may demonstrate achievement of a learning outcome. As with well-written outcomes, performance indicators should be specific, observable, and measurable. They should identify what you want students to know, do, or think. Because the criteria for achievement of learning outcomes form the foundation for effective assessment, performance indicators must be identified prior to assessing an outcome. 

Feedback

For formative assessments, meaningful feedback is necessary for students to continue the learning process. A grade on an assignment may offer some indication of student performance, but may not be sufficient for the student to correct or improve in knowledge or skill. Feedback should point to the performance indicators used to evaluate the student's work and offer specific suggestions for how to improve.

Summative assessments may or may not allow the student to receive feedback on their work. However, they can provide feedback to instructors, program coordinators, administrators, or other stakeholders in multiple ways. Like formative assessments, summative assessments may provide evidence of student learning. Additionally, summative assessments can be used to inform decisions for continuous improvement. When aligning summative assessments to learning outcomes, ask yourself if the assessment provides insight into how a course or program can be improved.