Assessment Plans
Assessment plans are guiding documents that outline where, how, and how often student learning will be assessed.
Good assessment plans:
- Start with clearly written learning outcomes
- Use assessment measures that fit the learning outcomes
- Use both direct and indirect assessments
- Make use of what faculty are already doing in their classrooms (i.e., assignments)
- Make use of what students are already expected to do (i.e., clinical placements, internships, capstone projects)
- Allow for flexibility and change as needed
Assessment of student learning should include both direct and indirect measures. Direct measures are those that require students to demonstrate knowledge, skills, or behaviors. Indirect measures reveal students' perceptions of their own learning or are a proxy for learning achievement, rather than a demonstration of it. Examples of each type are listed below.
| Direct Measures | Indirect Measures |
|---|---|
| Course assignments | Course evaluations |
| Exams or quizzes | Reflection essays |
| Papers or reports | Focus group interviews |
| Presentations or performances | Job placement rates |
| Case study analysis | Graduate school placement rates |
| Licensure exam scores | Employer, alumni, or exit surveys |
Choosing Effective Assessment Methods
The methods chosen to assess learning should match the learning outcome. To find appropriate measures, consider the verb: what should students do? If they are expected to analyze or describe, a multiple-choice exam is likely not the best choice; a paper or oral presentation might better. If they are expected to collaborate or contribute, a group project (and evaluation of students' work within the group), is likely better than a project student completes alone.
There is no need to create a separate assignment for assessment - it is better use assignments or projects that students are already doing. Using existing assignments is less intrusive for both faculty and students than, say, an externally developed or exam or activity that is unrelated to regular program activities.
Assessment Plan Resources
Rubrics
Rubrics allow faculty and students to better understand where students are - and are not - achieving learning goals.
Rubrics should be shared with students to ensure they understand what is expected of them. Students might also have ideas for what they want to learn or gain from an assignment or experience - these ideas can be incorporated into the rubric for faculty, peers, or the student to evaluate.