Traditional assessment strategies such as exams and quizzes are not always the most impactful way to measure student learning. Equitable assessment strategies provide students with opportunities to express their learning and growth in more than one way. This ultimately results in a more holistic approach to assessing student learning.
Some ideas to consider:
Portfolios: Over a specific period of time, students collect pieces of work that demonstrate their learning and growth. They compile them into portfolios. Instructors can provide a specific rubric with work they would like to see (such as: an autobiography, annotated papers, revised work, journal entries, etc.) or students can independently decide. This can be modified to work through an online ePortfolio format as well. See also: advantages of portfolio assessment, portfolios for assessment, ePortfolios
Rubrics: Instructors can collaborate with students to create a rubric. This allows students to analyze and prioritize learning outcome goals. These goals can include both content knowledge and attitude. Overall, students have the ability to personalize their own rubrics according to their personal skills which results in them having more independence and accountability. See: Rubrics, Co-creating rubrics with students
Self-Evaluation: This approach allows students to assess their own performance and reflect on their personal strengths or areas that need growth. This process helps them acknowledge gaps in their learning and encourages them to make goals to improve. Some ideas include having students keep journals, dissect or annotate their work, answer reflection questions after exams, and more. See: 4 Steps of Student Self-Assessment
Peer Review: Provide opportunities for students to review and critique others’ work. Through this approach, they build stronger communication skills, better understand the guidelines/rubrics, and reflect on and assess their own work. See also: Peer Review and Evaluation in the Classroom
Opportunities for Revisions: Using the 0-100 grading scale, students are more at a risk to fail if they receive any low or 0 scores. This grading approach doesn’t allow for revisions or improvement and cause students to lose motivation. Instead, instructors should avoid giving 0 scores and include opportunities for students to revise their work. See also: How Teachers Can Create an Equitable Grading System, How Teachers Are Changing Grading Practices With an Eye on Equity
See also:
- Assessment goals and methods – WWU Teaching Handbook
- Grading tips – WWU Teaching Handbook
- Classroom assessment strategies – The University of Tennessee Chattanooga
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