Assessment Methods
In their work, Jay McTighe and Steve Ferrara emphasizes four assessment methods: selected response, constructed response, authentic project or performance-based assessments, and process focused.
Selected response
Selected response assessment components assess learner knowledge of factual information, concepts, and the application of basic skills - typically in isolation and out of context.
Examples: multiple choice, T/F, matching, rank order questions.
Constructed response
Constructed response assessment components assess declarative knowledge (factual knowledge) and procedural proficiency (skills). An "answer-and-explain" constructed response format can provide insight into conceptual understanding, while an argument supported by evidence or rationale format can provide insight into reasoning.
Examples: fill-in-the-blank, short answer, paragraph, label a diagram, social media post, show your work, flow chart, concept map.
Authentic project or performance-based assessments
Authentic assessments present learners with a genuine (authentic) challenge, a target audience, and realistic constraints that produce tangible products or performances that allow learners to apply knowledge and skills outside of the classroom and in the larger real (or simulated) world. For example, tangible products can include an essay, poem, blog, report, infographic, portfolio, model, video, podcast, exhibit. Example performances can include an oral presentation, demonstration, debate, recital, theater performance.
In their book, The Understanding by Design Advanced Guide to Advanced Concepts in Creating and Reviewing Units, Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe offer the GRASPS framework for developing a genuine context for an authentic assessment.
G = goal, R = role, A = audience, S = situation, P = product and/or performance, and S = success
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- A real-world goal,
- A meaningful role for the learner,
- An authentic (or simulated) audience,
- A contextualized situation that involves real-world application,
- Learner-generated culminating product and/or performance, and
- Success criteria by which the learner products and performances will be evaluated as evidence of learning.
Example: In a computer science course, instead of a traditional coding exam, learners are tasked with developing a functional mobile app to address a real community need. Working in small teams, learners must research local issues, design a user-friendly interface, write the necessary code, and present their finished product to a panel of local stakeholders and/or tech industry professionals. Throughout the project, learners receive feedback from their peers, instructors, and potential users, allowing them to refine their app. This assessment not only evaluates learners' coding skills and theoretical knowledge but also develops their problem-solving abilities, teamwork, communication skills, and understanding of real-world application development processes. The authentic nature of the task, coupled with ongoing feedback and real-world relevance, makes this an effective evaluative/summative assessment with an educative focus that goes beyond evaluating existing knowledge by preparing learners for challenges they may face in their future careers.
Process-focused
Process-focused assessments provide information on a learner's learning strategies and thinking processes - rather than focusing on a tangible product or performance. This method focuses on gaining insights into underlying cognitive processes used by the learner.
Example: In a psychology course, learners are asked to maintain a journal throughout a semester-long project. This journal focuses on capturing their thought processes and decision-making rather than just final results of the project. At several points during the semester, learners submit portions of their journal for faculty review. Faculty provides feedback on the learners' reasoning, critical thinking, and approach. The final assessment involves completing a self-analysis of their final project process. To complete this component of the final project, learners review their journal entries, identify key decision points, areas where their thinking evolved, and lessons learned.
Supplemental resources
Authentic Assessment by Indiana University Bloomington offers a description and examples of this method of assessment.
What Happens When You Close the Door on Remote Proctoring? Moving Toward Authentic Assessments with a People-Centered Approach web article by the POD Network.
Creating Wicked Students: Designing Courses for a Complex World (an Excerpt) Faculty Focus blog post by Paul Hanstedt, PhD.
Repeated, Cumulative, Spaced, and Incremental: The Secret Recipe for Improving Assessments? Dr. Jeffrey R. Stowell, Professor of Psychology at Eastern Illinois University, published an article detailing a successful assessment strategy he has implemented in his courses. The full text article is available through the EBSCO permalink provided.
Multiple-Choice Testing in Education: Are the Best Practices for Assessment Also Good for Learning? Dr. Andrew C. Butler, Professor of Education and Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, published an article where he explores whether best practices for assessment align with best practices for learning. Dr. Butler was the keynote speaker at the 2024 EIU Pedagogy Day organized by the FDIC. The full text article is available through the EBSCO permalink provided.
References
McTighe, J., Ferrara, S., & Brookhart, S. M. (2021). Assessing student learning by design : principles and practices for teachers and school leaders. Teachers
College Press.
Wiggins, G. P. (1998). Educative assessment : designing assessments to inform and improve student performance (1st ed.). Jossey-Bass.
Wiggins, G., McTighe, J. (2012). Understanding by Design Guide to Advanced Concepts in Creating and Reviewing Units. United States: ASCD.
The written information and resources are developed or curated by the
Faculty Development and Innovation Center
Contact the FDIC:
Phone Number: (217) 581-7051
Email: fdic@eiu.edu
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The FDIC can be contacted for instructional design related questions or to schedule a consultation appointment. The FDIC staff can recommend instructional design strategies for your online, hybrid, and face-to-face courses.
Last updated: December 12, 2024