Effective Assessment Includes Direct Evidence of Student Learning

By: Rob Kelly in Educational Assessment

http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/educational-assessment/effective-assessment-includesdirect-evidence-of-student-learning/
Learning outcomes assessment is a critical part of a programs success. It can affect a programs
reputation, enrollment, funding, and even its continued existence. Therefore, its essential to get
useful assessment data without creating an overwhelming burden for busy faculty members. In
an interview with Academic Leader, Lisa Shibley, assistant vice president for Institutional
Assessment and Planning at Millersville University of Pennsylvania, discussed effective programlevel assessment methods.
What are some characteristics of effective program-level assessment?
Shibley: You need to do something with the results. Oftentimes, data is collected and reported,
but whats being done with it? So often assessment is focused on improving students learning,
but theres also an opportunity to showcase what a department or program is doing as well. It
could be used to help improve the learning opportunities for students. It could also be used to
promote the program to incoming students.
I think its important that faculty work collaboratively to define learning outcomes so that theyre all
on the same page. And I think thats a great faculty development opportunity. Sometimes with
assessment initiatives, just having the conversation is valuable. Assessment helps faculty see
how their course is connected to the overall program. At another level, it may help faculty help
students understand why they might need a particular course as part of their program.
Effective assessment needs to include direct evidence of student learningwhat skills, abilities,
knowledge, and attributes are they exhibiting as a result of participating in the program? Direct
evidence could include embedded test questions, portfolios, or standardized tests. There can be
a combination of direct and indirect evidence, which is typically measured by instruments such as
surveys and exit interviews.
I think you have to be realistic in terms of resources. I think one of the things that makes an
assessment program successful is being cognizant of faculty members other responsibilities.
How can programs coordinate their assessment efforts?
Shibley: One of the things thats important is that there are opportunities for faculty to share
information. If theyre not working together on a particular assessment initiative at the department
level or theyve divided it up depending on the research that is available, they need to share so
that theyre aware of the implications of the assessment. I also think that just by having those
conversations you might be able to help faculty understand that theyre doing assessment already
and that all they need to do is formalize it and share it so that benefits the program as a whole.
Who should be in charge of assessment?
Shibley: The obvious answer is faculty, particularly a faculty member who has been participating
in or who has expressed an interest in assessment. I think more and more departments are
finding that new faculty coming in have some kind of assessment experience or they have
knowledge of the scholarship of teaching and learning. So take advantage of that, but dont
burden the new faculty members with that as they go through the promotion and tenure process.
You need to bring in other faculty who are tenured because when senior-level faculty support the
initiative you gain respect for it.
Reaction:
Effective assessment is assessment for learning purposes. A culture and a strategy for gathering
information on students learning and achievement and at the same time, helping them learn and

self-assess through useful feedback at the outset of the course. Students need teachers
comments early enough to develop throughout.