formative & summative assessment techniques

1. formative & summative assessment techniques carol hurney janetbranchaw patriceludwig krisobom

2. my journey gbio103 – contemporary biology non-science majors 35 different majors freshman, sophomores, juniors, seniors general education 60-75 students per section

3. course objectives • Objective 1: (the portion concerned with science) Describe the methods of inquiry that lead to mathematical truth and scientific knowledge and be able to distinguish science from pseudoscience. • Objective 4: Illustrate the interdependence between developments in science and social and ethical issues. • Objective 5: Use graphical, symbolic, and numerical methods to analyze, organize, and interpret natural phenomena. • Objective 6: Discriminate between association and causation, and identify the types of evidence used to establish causation. • Objective 8: (the portion concerned with science) Evaluate the credibility, use, and misuse of scientific and mathematical information in scientific developments and public-policy issues.

4. formative adjective of and relating to a person’s development synonyms developmental growing malleable Impressionable determining influential shaping

5. before – during – after in-class activities projects out-of-class activities exam preparation

6. before – during– after lectures small groupactivities individual activities in-class activities case studies exams

7. before– during – after readings in-class activities projects out-of-class activities exam preparation

8. i graded everything i expected them to read

9. beforeduringafter in-class activities out-of-class activities

10. 1 2 3 4 5 a balanced approach readings warm – ups tutorials review warm-ups customize class opening activity clicker questions class activities interactive lectures clicker questions exams closing activity customize warm-up readings warm – ups projects

11. the possibilities are endless… class discussions reflection journal reading journals in-class writing homework sets discussion questions interactivelectures wiki small groupactivities out-of-class observations blogs demos peer instruction read cats individual activities peer critique tutorials case studies online quizzes reflection tasks

12. designing formative assessments there are no rules

13. before the exam before the paper what do you want to know about your students’ learning? what do your students want to know about their learning? you try – add something to your grid

14. types of writing assignments Source: http://www.umuc.edu/ewc/faculty/index.shtml

15. scientific types of writing assignments • lab report • research paper • grant proposal • thesis • essay questions • journal entry • lab notebooks • others...

16. common issues • minimal guidance • problems with organization • over-engineering

17. characteristics of effective writing assignments • assignments are provided and explained in writing • writing assignments are linked to significant course/unit objectives • specify the purpose for writing, the audience, the mode or form of the writing, and length • assessment criteria are specified • due dates are specified • longer writing projects are organized in stages source: http://www.umuc.edu/ewc/faculty/index.shtml

18. more tips try your assignment connect with a librarian define web resources discuss academic integrity with your students explore options for promoting academic integrity

19. aligning with learning objective

20. assessment criteria rubrics

21. before the exam before the paper designing effective exams

22. how do you write exams? Consider the following: • How often do you do summative assessment of your students’ learning (give an exam) during the course of a semester? • When do you write the exams? • How do you ensure that your exams reflect what was actually taught? • How do you determine how much time it will take for students to complete your exams? • How do you know if the questions you’ve written are clear and not prone to misinterpretation? • What is your greatest challenge in writing exams?

23. exam writing guidelines/tips • examine early and often (low  high stakes) • compose exam questions immediately after you cover material in class to ensure appropriate “coverage” • use learning objectives to guide the writing of exam questions • start the test with some warm-up questions • ask a colleague (ta) to evaluate the exam for clarity, content and alignment with your learning objectives • proofread! • give detailed instructions and allow students sufficient time to complete each question (instructor time x 4) • use a variety of question types

24. exam question types Objective Constructed • Multiple Choice • True / False • Matching • Short Answer • Completion • Essay • Problem Solving • Advantages, Disadvantages and Construction (handout)

25. example • Learning Objective Students will be able to predict and explain changes in nervous system activity in response to drugs that alter the function of nervous system proteins. • Set up Smoking cigarettes introduces nicotine into the blood stream via the respiratory epithelium. Nicotine is a nicotinic acetylcholine (N-Ach) receptor agonist. • Questions: • Where in the autonomic nervous system are nicotinic Ach receptors located? (Know, SA) • How will nicotine affect activity (the generation of electrical signals) in the parasympathetic (& sympathetic) division of the autonomic nervous system? (App, MC)a) increase activity b) decrease activity c) no effect • People smoke cigarettes in the morning to help them wake up, and also after stressful events to help them relax. Explain how the nicotine in cigarettes can produce these apparently opposing effects with regard to the autonomic nervous system. (Syn, Essay)

26. taxonomies and question types

27. your turn • Pick one of your learning objectives • Categorize it in a learning taxonomy framework (e.g. Bloomit, Fink it) • Identify (or write) an exam question to assess that learning objective • Rewrite your question in at least two other formats