ELI Webinar | Assessment for Learning Improvement: Comparing Two Universities' Approaches to Reveal Key Principles and Strategies

A collaboration between programs at Carnegie Mellon and James Madison led us to identify commonalities that underlie our two contexts. Although quite different on the surface, the two programs share the common goal of assessment for learning improvement. Both employ a backwards design process, in which all phases are tightly aligned to desired student learning outcomes. Following a brief description of each program, we will explain the core principles of assessment that are common to our work. Case studies will be used to illustrate how we apply each principle in practice. Participants across a wide range of backgrounds and contexts should gain a basic understanding of the student learning assessment cycle and the importance of alignment across each stage. These principles and approaches are transferable to numerous contexts, regardless of whether courses, programs, or instructional technologies are the objects of evidence-based learning improvement.

Outcomes

• Explore the iterative steps in the assessment cycle that facilitate learning improvement
• Articulate the utility and efficiency of using theory to build programming
• Understand the importance of alignment across stages in the assessment cycle and the time required to build alignment
• Understand that different institutions can successfully engage in assessment for learning improvement while working at different levels (courses vs. programs) and with programs/innovations at different stages of maturity