Teaching and Learning Resources

Assessment Design

• Principles of Effective Assessment Design
• Strategies for Effective Assessment
  • Scaffolded Assignments
  • Process-Based Assignments
• GenAI and Assessment Design
• Additional Assessment Resources
  • Case-Based Learning
  • Problem-Based Learning
  • Inquiry-Based Learning

Principles of Effective Assessment Design

Assessment, at its core, is the practice of evaluating student learning. It can be summative, looking to assess whether or not students have achieved the relevant learning outcomes at an appropriate standard, or formative, itself a part of the learning process.

Effective assessment will have the following characteristics:

• Aligned: assessment tasks will target the relevant learning outcomes of a course and will be consistent with teaching methods, as well as course expectations and rubrics.
• Valid: the assessment measures what it purports to.
• Reliable: assessments are graded consistently.
• Fair: effective assessment will avoid unnecessary busywork or complications, and distribute workload evenly and consistently for students.
• Create opportunities for feedback: Feedback is one of the most powerful components of teaching and is a critical tool for supporting student learning.
• Authentic: assessment that challenges students with complex and real-world problems and questions is more likely to motivate and engage students.

Strategies for Effective Assessment

Scaffolded Assignments

Dividing large projects and assignments into smaller chunks allows opportunities for students to engage with more complex problems and questions, as well as for instructors to provide feedback to help students develop higher-level skills and complete higher quality final products.

Some Examples of Scaffolded Assignments

The following table identifies some complex projects broken down into possible steps.

General Tips for Effective Scaffolding

• Begin with complex higher order problems or tasks, with no one easy or right answer.
• Clarify the role that students will play, an authentic audience for the final product, and a specific genre (or choice of formats!), to accompany the task.
• Where possible, build in variety in the steps in terms of process and format (and ease for relying on AI for completion).
• Provide formative feedback on early stages that guides students to effective completion of later stages.
• Emphasize inclusion of specific details, contexts, considerations.

Process-Based Assignments

Focusing on learning processes is a strategic way to embed both formative and summative assessment into assignments, and to ensure that assessment is not just about judging students, but also directing and fostering their learning. Through process-based assessment students become more aware of the varied skills and abilities required to be successful in a discipline, and to become more strategic in identifying their strengths, weaknesses, and pathways to improvement. Some examples of process-based assessment:

• Brainstorming
• Concept-Mapping
• Outlining
• Reflection Assignments
• Editing and Revision

GenAI and Assessment Design

Designing assessments in the age of artificial intelligence involves a few more considerations that are explained on the AI in Assessment page.

Additional Assessment Resources

Case-Based Learning

• A checklist to evaluate the effectiveness of a case (Kustra)
• How to design a case
• The HBS case method defined (Harvard Business School)
• Take a seat in the Harvard MBA Case Classroom (Harvard Business School)

Problem-Based Learning

• Problem-Based Learning Resources (McMaster)
• Problem-Based Learning Links (McMaster)
• Problem-Based Learning in Large Classes (Kustra)
• Reflection Exercises: Challenges and Solutions (Skene, Raffoul)
• Using Problem-Based Learning (Kustra, Liddle)
• Writing Problems (Rangachari)
• Using Problem Based Learning for Assessment in Large Classes: Triple-Jump (Kustra)

Inquiry-Based Learning

• What is Inquiry-Based Learning? (McMaster )