By: Joe Lipsett
In recent months, the EDC has been offering “themed” programming months (January was Teaching with Technology, February was Learning Outcomes). March will be themed Assessment and for a number of reasons, we expect that there will be a great deal of interest from faculty and contract instructors in exploring this topic.
Assessment is one of those central elements of teaching and learning. First and foremost assessment is an institutional expectation – a requirement used to determine student grades. More importantly, assessments are the most assured way to evaluate not only your students’ knowledge, but also the impact and range of your teaching. In this way there is a close connection to learning outcomes. Even if they have not been explicitly stated, your assessment strategies are likely aligned with the outcomes you want your students to demonstrate.
There is also a logistical element at work in assessment. It is a determining factor in how we structure our course design, and can be significantly impacted by factors such as large classes/high enrollment, online vs in-class courses, required courses vs electives, and the level of teaching support (team teaching, multiple or no teaching assistants). These are all, whether we like them or not, factors that shape and structure our assessment strategies.
One of the EDC’s goals is to explore the diversity of available assessment opportunities with faculty to ensure that the best assessments are available, regardless of the barriers that those logistical considerations may raise. It is for this reason that we’re working to offer a diverse number of sessions to encompass the range of assessments that Carleton’s instructors may be considering.
So look for these opportunities throughout the month of March. Whether you come out to confirm the best practices in your preferred method of assessment, or you want information on a new assessment that you’ve been considering but have held off introducing, we want to hear about your experiences. This is an opportunity to engage in a dialogue with colleagues from around the university about the work we’re doing with students and our successes (and challenges) as we strive to improve the quality of teaching and our students’ educational experiences.
We look forward to seeing you in March for Assessments month!