Week 5 - Online Presentations

Well, we have officially crossed the half-way mark for the course!!

I haven't received journals from a few of you...if you could please make a habit of submitting them on a weekly basis (by Tuesday), it would be appreciated.

In terms of your portfolio, you can continue working on the items listed last week...and, if you have time, start on #17 and #21.

This week, the course content is online - view these audio presentations (you need your speakers on):

Mastery Learning

Integrating Testing and Teaching

Differentiated Instruction (**Optional - this presentation is optional...but you may find the importance of teaching in differentiated manner to provide some insight into providing varied assessment options for learners - i.e. we can give learners options of completing an essay, a project, or some other option to communicate that they have mastered the key concepts).

Powerpoint files - week 4

This weeks powerpoint files:

Essay Items

Multiple Choice

Short Answer

Outcomes and Standards

Creating a professional portfolio

Reading...Week 4

This week, we will continue exploring different methods of evaluation. Our exploration of true/false items last week will be augmented through this week's exploration of multiple choice, short answer, portfolio, and essay items...as well as a focus on learning outcomes and standards.

Reading: Overview of Key Evaluation Concepts. This file is best viewed as a resource that you can refer to when you are completing items in your own portfolio. It doesn't make for smooth, sit down in one session, type of reading :).

Powerpoint files - week 3

I've posted the powerpoint files from today's lecture:

True-False Items

Good Evaluation

Constructing Tests and Test Items

Week 3: Test Writing

This week, we begin to focus on the specific aspects of writing and creating test questions. The previous several classes have been focused more broadly on the theory or underpinnings of evaluation. The role of Fink's, Wiggins, and Bloom's in assessment will become more apparent this week.

Consider, for example, when writing a test questions such as "describe, name, and recall" require a different level of thought than questions such as "criticize, evaluate, and draw conclusions". Quite often, the first several modules in a course address lower level cognition. As the course continues, we move learners from simple to complex understandings of subject matter, so our emphasis shifts to higher levels of thinking.

This week, we will focus on writing basic test questions...here are a few resources as we get started:

Types of evaluation tools (also includes information on test plans and specification)

Mind map of Bloom's cognitive taxonomy

Mind map of Wiggin's facets of understanding

Mind map of Fink's taxonomy of significant learning

Week 2: powerpoint file

PowerPoint file from our session this week is now available. In the next few days, I will be posting additional readings for our session next week.

Week 2: Getting Started with Evaluation

This week will be exploring purposes and types of test. I've posted an introductory reading introducing some basic principles behind evaluation...as well as Bloom's, Wiggins, and others. The file is here.

Tomorrow (on Tuesday, depending on when you read this), we will start our class by exploring the portfolio to be used as a basis for your work. I've also posted the file on how you will be evaluated in this course....

Testing and Evaluation - Week 1

Welcome to Testing and Evaluation. Over the next eight weeks, we will explore different models for assessing learners. As mentioned in class this week, assessment is a part of the teaching process. We need to recognize the learning that occurs when we provide feedback to learners...or when we guide learners into a point of reflection. Traditional assessment includes essays, testing (multiple choice, T/F), and skill demonstrations. A big focus in this course is the adoption of authentic assessment techniques - assessment that mirrors real life situations and skills.

As educators, we are play a balancing act - ensuring our assessment activities are effective, but recognizing that the time needed is not always available. For example, one on one discussions with learners can result in much more effective assessment of their understanding...but also takes significantly longer than a typical test. As we move through this course, we'll highlight advantages and disadvantages of different techniques, equipping you with a tool set you can use as a guide in balancing competing priorities in your teaching.

Files from our class on Tuesday are available:

Course Outline
Housekeeping/course overview powerpoint
Course concept mind map
Evaluation Overview powerpoint