How can I improve assessment in my classes?
These quick tips from the Faculty Teaching Institute can be used to improve assessment in your classes.
Discuss the role of assessment in your course and institution, so that students may see assessment as beneficial to their learning by giving feedback to them, and to you.
Communicate your expectations to your students about how to study, what success on the assessment looks like, etc. This can support a positive class climate and norms, reduce student anxiety and support success. Let students know you believe they can succeed.
Solicit student feedback on your assessments to learn their perspective and build trust.
Facilitate student learning with assessment. Tests should facilitate learning for you and your students.
For more information on summative and formative assessment, check out these Expert Recommendations: "How can I develop homework and quizzes to help learn about student thinking?" and "How can I develop exams that help me fairly assess student learning?"
This Expert Recommendation is based in part on W. McKeachie & M. Svinicki, McKeachie’s Teaching Tips (Cengage Learning, 2014), K. Hogan & V. Sathy, Inclusive Teaching: Strategies for promoting equity in the classroom (West Virginia University Press, 2022), and S. Chasteen, How can I set clear expectations and motivate students, so that they engage in active learning? (PhysPort, 2017).
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under grants DUE-2141678, 2141745, 2141769, 2141795, and 2142045. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
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