No problem! We recorded the sessions so you can watch them when you have time.
The assessment sessions cover a wide range of topics related to assessment in higher education and bring a unique perspective from each of the EDC’s educational development, educational technology and instructional design groups. From planning and implementing to feedback and grading, we hope these sessions answer some questions you many have about assessment and spark some ideas that you can incorporate into your teaching practice. If you have any questions or would like help implementing something in your courses, please follow up with us.
1. Assessment Planning: Why, When, What?
In this first of four sessions, EDC instructional designer Maristela Petrovic-Dzerdz tackled the fundamentals of this complex topic from a course design perspective, while answering the following questions:
- Why assess?
- When in the process of course design should we design assessment?
- What should we consider when designing assessment?
- When in the course should we perform assessment and for what purpose?
- What type of learning should we assess?
You’ll finish the session with refreshed ideas on a range of assessment categories, principles and purposes based on the most widely used strategies in course design.
Download the PowerPoint slides.
2. How To Assess? Live and Online Assessment Strategies
In this second of four sessions, EDC Educational Technology Consultant, Kirk Davies, analyzed several assessment strategies that can be implemented both in live and online courses, including:
- Formative in-class assessment (clickers)
- Group projects
- Peer review
- Submitting assignments
- ePortfolios and blogs
We also discussed possible challenges and concerns attributed to online assessment, including plagiarism, timing and technology.
Download the PowerPoint slides.
3. Digital Feedback: For Students and Instructors
In this third session on assessment, EDC Educational Technology Consultant, Ryan Kuhne, looked at digital strategies for providing feedback, by both students on the course and by instructors on submitted assignments. Providing feedback helps instructors improve their teaching and helps students improve their learning. Topics covered include:
- The purpose of and motivation behind feedback
- Dimensions: timing, amount, mode and audience
- For students
- Providing digital feedback on assignments (text, drawing, audio, video)
- Creating course checkpoints
- For instructors
- Learning analytics
- Midterm feedback evaluation
Rich feedback opportunities can be integrated into your course without adding to your workload. Find out how digital feedback can positively impact your courses.
Download the PowerPoint slides.
4. Grading: The Final Stage of Assessment
This final session on assessment is designed to promote an understanding of grading along with providing strategies and examples to enhance your grading skills. EDC Senior Teaching Development Associate and 3M award winner, Dr. Anthony Marini, explored the role grading plays in communicating student learning and highlighted techniques that can make that communication clear and accurate. We also explored the role of feedback within the grading process and discussed methods for determining pass/fail or credit/no credit decisions.
A general outline for the session is as follows:
- Identify and address key issues related to grading
- Explore alternative models to current grading practices
- Discuss how to communicate grading results clearly and accurately
Download the PowerPoint slides.
Upcoming Events
The EDC offers a variety of events year-round, from workshops and roundtables to training sessions, as well as an annual teaching and learning symposium. Please check the EDC event page regularly to see what new events we have to offer.
Best Practices in Community Engaged Teaching and Research at Carleton
Monday, June 22 – 9:00 AM
In this roundtable, you’ll learn what a partnership with community-based organizations looks like in practice, the benefits and challenges of these partnerships and much more! Meet Carleton faculty members, and some of their community partners, who practice community-based teaching and research within the private, public and non-profit sector. Find out more or register for this event.
Summer Institute: Teaching First-Year Courses
Monday, July 27 – 9:30 AM
During this hands-on four-day summer institute, you’ll hone your ability to elaborate on the impact of the first-year experience for teaching and learning, create learning outcomes suitable to an introductory-level course, build assessments that promote deeper learning, create teaching activities and assignments with a focus on formative feedback and more! Find out more or register for this event.
You be the judge: What workshops should we offer?
Teaching and Learning Services is developing new workshops and needs your help. Email oavptl@carleton.ca and let us know which topics or themes you’d be interested in exploring so that we can better understand your needs. Your responses will help guide our future offerings.