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In this section we’ll focus on designing assessments that are appropriately aligned with the learning objectives and instructional activities we reviewed in the previous section.
Quality Matters Assessment and Measurement
In Module 1, we introduced the Quality Matters Standards for online course design. These standards emphasize alignment between course and module learning objectives, assessments, and the learning objectives. The third General Standard in the Quality Matters Rubric focuses on Assessment and Measurement. There are five specific standards in this category.
QM General Standard 3 – Assessment and Measurement
3.1 The assessments measure the stated learning objectives or competencies.
3.2 The course grading policy is stated clearly.
3.3 Specific and descriptive criteria are provided for the evaluation of learners’ work and are tied to the course grading policy.
3.4 The assessment instruments selected are sequenced, varied, and suited to the learner work being assessed.
3.5 The course provides learners with multiple opportunities to track their learning progress.
You should keep these standards in mind as you make decisions about the general types of assessments you will use.
Purposes of Assessment
An assessment will typically fulfill one of two general purposes.
- Formative assessments are designed to help you receive and give feedback that will promote further student learning (e.g., a low-stakes reading quiz that gives students practice in recalling key concepts).
- Summative assessments allow students to demonstrate their achievement of the learning objectives at the end of the learning process (e.g., a high-stakes cumulative final exam overall course content). The following table further highlights the differences between formative and summative assessment:
INSERT TABLE
| Factors for Comparison | Formative Assessment | Summative Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | To gauge and improve quality of student learning | To provide evidence for evaluating or grading students |
| Characteristics |
|
|
| Emphasis | Giving students useful feedback for improvement | Grading |
| Examples |
|
|
A Note about Time
Please note that with formative assessments, instructors typically seek to maximize the amount of immediate feedback to students while minimizing the effort involved in grading the assessments. For example, self-checks and selected response quizzes can be automatically graded, and students receive immediate feedback. Also, in the case of peer reviews, students can provide one another with immediate feedback during the instructional activity. However, with summative assessments, instructors will often spend more time grading the assessment and writing delayed feedback that students will receive several days after completing the assessment.
To calculate the amount of time you might spend grading, think about the average number of students you will have in your class. Then think about the average amount of time you want to spend per w