Assessment

Provide Students with Options on Assignments

Students appreciate the opportunity to choose assignments they will find most useful or interesting. Offering choices about course assignments provides students with a sense of control and promotes the role of active learner, rather than a role of passive receiver of learning. Provide a list of activities or assignments from a menu.

Clearly Define Grading Criteria

Grades are disputed when student expectations are not matched by the assignment criteria. Clear descriptions of expected performances and grading criteria provide direction for students and make the evaluation process more efficient.

Provide Examples of Good Work

A description of an assignment can leave students wondering about what the finished product should look like. Finished work by the class may be quite variable, as students may interpret the assignment quite differently. Provide examples of exemplary work to give students an idea of how a good finished product will look. Old tests can serve as relevant practice. Sample work may include:

• Exemplary reports-excellence in content, format and style.
• Examples of excellence in format or style -clearly labeled as such.
• High quality portfolios.
• Assignments of high quality that meet criteria, posted with criteria.
• Creative approaches that meet objectives in a novel way, or show a new insight into the problem or assignment.