This document discusses assessment methods used to evaluate student learning outcomes. It explains that assessment methods are strategies to collect information on how well students demonstrate desired learning. Using multiple methods is important because no single method can fully reflect student achievement. Direct methods ask students to demonstrate learning while indirect methods ask students to reflect on their own learning. Examples of direct methods include capstone projects, exams, interviews, performances, portfolios, pre/post-tests, and rubrics. Indirect methods include surveys, focus groups, observations, and reflective essays. Rubrics are scoring guides that clearly define criteria and quality levels to measure student work.

2. WHAT ARE ASSESSMENT METHODS?
THESE ARE THE STRATEGIES, TECHNIQUES, TOOLS, AND INSTRUMENT FOR COLLECTING
INFORMATION TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH STUDENTS DEMONSTRATE DESIRED
LEARNING OUTCOMES.

3. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO USE MULTIPLE
METHODS?
•RELYING ON ONLY ONE METHOD TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM WILL
ONLY REFLECT A PART OF STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT.

4. WHAT ARE DIRECT AND INDIRECT
METHODS OF ASSESSMENT?
•DIRECT METHODS OF ASSESSMENT ASK STUDENTS TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR LEARNING.
•INDIRECT METHODS OF ASSESSMENT ASK STUDENTS TO REFLECT ON THEIROWN
LEARNING.

5. EXAMPLES OF DIRECT METHODS OF
ASSESSMENT
•CAPSTONE PROJECT OR COURSE- INTEGRATES KNOWLEDGE, CONCEPTS, AND SKILLS
THAT STUDENTS ARE TO HAVE ACQUIRED DURING THE COURSE OF THEIR STUDY.
•CERTIFICATION OR LICENSURE EXAM- ASSESS GENERAL KNOWLEDGE IN A DISCIPLINE
•ENTRANCE/EXIT INTERVIEWS- DESIGNED TO MEASURE STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOME,
BUT CAN ALSO BE USED TO LEARN ABOUT STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS, GATHER
FEEDBACK, ON VARIOUS DISCIPLINES. THE EXAM CAN BE WRITTEN, ORAL,OR A
COMBINATION.

6. EXAMPLES OF DIRECT METHODS OF
ASSESSMENT
• PERFORMANCE- CAN BE EVALUATED ON PARTICIPATION IN CAMPUS AND/OR COMMUNITY
EVENTS, VOLUNTEER WORK, PRESENTATIONS, CLINICAL, INTERNSHIPS, MUSICAL OR ART
PERFORMANCES, ETC.
• PORTFOLIO- STUDENTS’ WORK IS COLLECTED THROUGHOUT A PROGRAM WHICH IS ASSESSED
BY FACULTY USING A COMMON SCORING GUIDE/RUBRICS.
• PRE AND POST TESTS- TYPICALLY AN EXAM IS ADMINISTERED AT THE BEGINNING AND AT THE
END OF A COURSE OR PROGRAM IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE PROGRESS OFSTUDENT
LEARNING

7. EXAMPLES OF DIRECT METHODS OF
ASSESSMENT
•RUBRICS/ SCORING GUIDES- IT OUTLINE IDENTIFIED CRITERIA FOR SUCCESSFULLY
COMPLETING AN ASSIGNMENT AND ESTABLISH LEVELS FOR MEETING THE CRITERIA.
THEY CAN BE USED TO SCORE EVERYTHING FROM ESSAYS TO PERFORMANCES.
•STANDARDIZED TESTS- A TEST IS DEVELOPED OUTSIDE THE INSTITUTION FOR USE BY A
WIDE GROUP OF STUDENTS USING NATIONAL OR REGIONAL NORMS.

8. EXAMPLES OF INDIRECT METHODS OF
ASSESSMENT
• ALUMNI SURVEY- PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT PROGRAM SATISFACTION, PREPARATION,
EMPLOYMENT STATUS, SKILLS FOR SUCCESS.
• COURSE EVALUATION SURVEY- ASSESS STUDENT EXPERIENCE AND SATISFACTION WITH AN
INDIVIDUAL COURSE AND ARE GENERALLY ADMINISTERED AT OR NEAR THEEND OF THE
SEMESTER.
• EMPLOYER SURVEY- PROGRAMS CAN SURVEY EMPLOYERS TO DETERMINE IF THEIR GRADUATES
ARE SATISFACTORY SKILLED.

9. EXAMPLES OF INDIRECT METHODS OF
ASSESSMENT
• FOCUS GROUPS- A SERIES OF STRUCTURED DISCUSSIONS WITH STUDENTS WHO ARE ASKED A SERIES
OF OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS DESIGNED TO COLLECT DATA ABOUT BELIEFS, ATTITUDES, AND EXPERIENCES.
• GRADUATE SURVEY- AN ASSESSMENT OF A STUDENT’S OVERALL SATISFACTION WITH HIS OR HER
COLLEGIATE EXPERIENCE AND LEARNING.
• “MAPS” AND/OR MATRICES- A MAP/MATRIX IS A GRID OF ROWS AND COLUMNS THAT ORGANIZES
INFORMATION THAT CAN BE USED FOR ASSESSMENT PURPOSES BY SUMMARIZING RELATIONSHIPS
BETWEEN GOALS, SLO, COURSES, SYLLABUS OUTCOMES, COURSE WORK, ASSESSMENT METHODS ETC.

11. EXAMPLES OF INDIRECT METHODS OF
ASSESSMENT
• OBSERVATIONS- INFORMATION CAN BE COLLECTED WHILE OBSERVING “EVENTS” SUCH AS
CLASSES, SOCIAL GATHERINGS, ACTIVITIES, GROUP WORK, STUDY SESSIONS, ETC.
• REFLECTIVE STUDENT ESSAYS- CAN BE USED AS AN ASSESSMENT METHOD TO DETERMINE
STUDENT UNDERSTANDING OF COURSE CONTENT AND/OR ISSUES AS WELL ASSTUDENTS’
OPINIONS AND PERCEPTIONS.

12. WHAT IS A RUBRIC?
• A RUBRIC IS A SCORING GUIDE.
• TOOL THAT DISTINGUISHES TEACHING AND LEARNING BY CLEARLY STATING CRITERIA AND
DESCRIBING LEVELS OF QUALITY.
• A RUBRIC IS AN AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT TOOL USED TO MEASURE STUDENTS' WORK.
• A RUBRIC IS A WORKING GUIDE FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS, USUALLY HANDED OUT BEFORE
THE ASSIGNMENT BEGINS IN ORDER TO GET STUDENTS TO THINK ABOUT THE CRITERIA ON
WHICH THEIR WORK WILL BE JUDGED.

13. GOAL OF A RUBRIC
“THE PURPOSE OF THE RUBRIC IS NOT ONLY TO EVALUATE
BUT ALSO TO HELP STUDENTS INCREASE THEIR LEVEL OF
PERFORMANCE BY OUTLINING A VISION OF SUCCESS.”
(M. STEIN, ETC., 2006, DESIGNING ASSESSMENTFOR MATHEMATICS)

14. WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF RUBRICS?
1. ANALYTIC RUBRICS
oARTICULATES LEVELS OF PERFORMANCE FOR EACH CRITERION SO THE TEACHER CAN ASSESS
STUDENT PERFORMANCE ON EACH CRITERION.
oTEACHER SCORES SEPARATE, INDIVIDUAL PARTS OF THE PRODUCT OR PERFORMANCE FIRST, THEN
SUMS THE INDIVIDUAL SCORES TO OBTAIN A TOTAL SCORE (MOSKAL, 2000; NITKO, 2001).
oWHEN SCORING WITH AN ANALYTIC RUBRIC EACH OF THE CRITERIA IS SCORED INDIVIDUALLY.

18. HOLISTIC RUBRICS
• IT REQUIRES THE TEACHER TO SCORE THE OVERALL PROCESS OR PRODUCTAS A WHOLE, WITHOUT
JUDGING THE COMPONENT PARTS SEPARATELY.

21. WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF RUBRICS
TO INSTRUCTOR?
• OBJECTIVE AND CONSISTENT AMONG ALL STUDENTS
• LEADS TO INSIGHT CONCERNING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INSTRUCTION
• CLARIFIES CRITERIA IN SPECIFIC TERMS
• DATA ANALYSIS BECOMES EASIER
• SHOWS AREAS IN NEED OF IMPROVEMENT
• ESTABLISHES “GROUND RULES” TO RESOLVE POTENTIAL ACADEMICDISPUTES

22. WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF RUBRICS
TO STUDENTS?
• HELPS DEFINE “QUALITY”
• INSTRUCTORS EXPECTATIONS ARE CLEAR
• MANNER IN WHICH TO MEET THE EXPECTATIONS ARE CLEAR
• STUDENTS CAN BETTER JUDGE AND REVISE THEIR OWN WORK AND ASSIST THEIR PEERS
• VEHICLE FOR STUDENT FEEDBACK – PROMOTE STUDENT/FACULTY