This document discusses student assessment of video projects in the Broadcasting Department at Western Illinois University. It outlines the department's program with 200 majors across 3 tracks. The Provost's office requires departments to develop and revise plans for assessing student learning in their major. The document then discusses moving from narrative evaluations of student projects to using rubrics, with the benefits being easier assessment, identifying student strengths and weaknesses, and informing curriculum improvements. It provides an example rubric used with 10 scoring categories to holistically evaluate various elements of student video projects. Results are analyzed to track individual student and whole class progress.

1. Sam Edsall, Professor
Department of Broadcasting
Western Illinois University
Assessing Video Projects
BEA Assessment Workshop

2. About Our Program
 Department of
Broadcasting
 200 majors, 35 minors
 3 tracks
 News & Performance
 Production
 Sports Production

3. Student Assessment
 From the Provost:
 “Plans for the assessment of
student learning in the major
are developed, reviewed and
revised as needed by the
departments, reviewed by
college deans, and submitted
to the Office of the Provost.
Approval of major
assessment plans rests with
the Provost's Office.”

4. Student Assessment
 Identify learning outcomes
 Course/Assignment objectives
 Assess the students'
achievement of those outcomes
 How are they doing?
 Analyze the results of learning
assessment
 What are they missing?
 Use those results to enhance
curriculum and the teaching-
learning process
 Make adjustments

5. Before the Rubric
 Narrative evaluations
 “This is good”
 “That needs work”
 Strengths
 Thorough
 Checklist on what
needs fixing
 Tended to be long

6. Narrative Weaknesses
 Assessing at a glance
difficult to do
 What was good?
 What was not so good?
 Linear evaluation
 Similar items discussed at
different points within the
narrative
 Hard to track patterns

7. Rubric Development
 Break it down
 Divide the project into measureable
subcomponents
 Good for the student
 Better assess specific strengths and weaknesses
within their production
 Good for the instructor
 Easier to gauge individual student growth
 Identify class-wide proficiencies and deficiencies
that can be addressed in course pedagogy

8. Rubric Development
 What’s out there?
 What can I learn from others?
 What do I need to make this
work?
 Make a mash-up
 Mix it all together into something
that will work for the instructor and
student

9. The Result
 Ten categories
 0-10 point scale
 Room for comments
 No secrets
 Rubric discussed in
syllabus
 Copy available online
 Each project uses the same
form

10. The Result
 Project Objectives
 Does the end result match their project proposal?
 Knowledge & Resources
 Level of research into the project

11. The Result
 Creativity
 Does the project attract and maintain viewer
interest?
 Organization
 Does it make sense?

12. The Result
 Videography
 Camera skills
 Lighting
 Control of lighting inside and outside, coloring

13. The Result
 Audio
 Control of primary and secondary audio sources
 Editing
 Pacing, use of B-roll, bad edits

14. The Result
 Video Graphics
 Color, size, placement, consistent and SPELLING 
 Overall Quality
 How does this compare to other student competition
entries

15. The Result
 Deductions:
 Late Submission
 20-point penalty for each school day late
 DVD Submission
 Saved in proper format
 Labeled and in a protective sleeve

16. Assessment by Rubric
 Check the Charts
 Individual
 Is the student improving in
areas they were weak at
before?
 Class as a whole
 Overall skill levels
 Any stubborn spots?

17. Looking Ahead
 Part of Blackboard
 Evaluate online
 Everything stays digital
 Analyze the results
 Student progress reports
 Track class performance as
the semester progresses

18. Sam Edsall, Professor
Department of Broadcasting
Western Illinois University
Assessing Video Projects
BEA Assessment Workshop