BACKWARD DESIGN AND ASSESSMENTCourse Design Intensive ~ Dr. Catherine D. Rawn

June 2014

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Learning Objective

By the end of this morning, you will be able to plan one forward-looking and one backward-looking assessment for your course that is integrated with a learning objective or course goal.

What makes a learning assessment good (or bad)?

Backwards Design

Once you have identified the learning goals you hope to achieve, jump to how you want to measure them.

What does successful student performance look like?

Fink (2004)

Components of Integrated Course Design

Learning Goals

Feedback and Assessment

Teaching and Learning Activities

Situational Factors (Context)Fink (2004)

Assessments: Think Big!

Forward-Looking

Assessment

Backward-Looking

AssessmentLife beyond your course

Within boundary of your course

Replicate future relevant context

Did students understand material?

Meaningful now

Quantitative Research Methods

Forward-Looking Assessment

Backward-Looking Assessment

In a group design a study, gather data, write report. (Term assignment)

Find and read a journal article. Summarize the take-home message of the article, as if explaining to a friend. (Brief assignment)

Find and read a journal article. Identify the independent and dependent variables, and how they were operationally defined. (Brief assignment)

Imagine you want to measure anxiety in a study. Generate three different ways you could measure it. (Exam)

List and define the general three ways to operationally define a dependent variable. (Exam)

80-90 2nd year Arts Psychology MajorsRequired for majors, Prerequisite for

statisticsFor many, the only course on methods

they get

Applied Social Psychology

Forward-Looking Assessment Backward-Looking Assessment

Identify a learning challenge you face. Find and compare popular versus research-based advice for dealing with this challenge. (Part of term assignment)

Imagine you have been selected to present to the incoming first year class about the role of beliefs in academic performance. What kind of belief do you recommend they develop? Why? (Exam)

… In your answer, thoroughly explain to them the differences between entity and incremental theories of intelligence. (Exam)

Drawing on your understanding of how memory works, explain why active learning is more effective than passive learning. (Exam)

100-180 students from all over campus (mostly Arts)

Not a prerequisite for anything; has no prereqs

Formally called “Special Topics”

Teaching of Psychology

Forward-Looking Assessment

Backward-Looking Assessment

Deliver two lessons to your peers

Give and receive peer feedback

Write a teaching statement Revise your teaching statement

Develop a syllabus you could use

Self-assessment: What have you learned?

Self-assessment: What have you learned?

4-8 Graduate Students in Psychology

Varied levels of classroom experience

Fulfills no requirements

Identify one of each

Forward-Looking

Assessment

Backward-Looking

Assessment

How would you know if these are “good” assessments?

Criteria to Consider

Validity Accurate appraisal of learning, given learning goals?

Reliability Measured consistently? Rubrics, clear criteria, standards

Transparency Communicated to students?

Feedback Formative and summative?

Workload Reasonable, given role of this course, students’ load?

Components of Integrated Course Design

Learning Goals

Feedback and Assessment

Teaching and Learning Activities

Situational Factors (Context)Fink (2004)

Three Column Course Planning for Integrated Course Design

Components of Integrated Course Design

Learning Goals

Feedback and Assessment

Teaching and Learning Activities

Situational Factors (Context)Fink (2004)

Components of Integrated Course Design: 3 Column Version

Goal Assessment Learning Activity

By the end of this course, what should students be able to

do?

What does successful

performance look like? How will you

measure performance?

What will you do to help the students learn so they can

succeed?

Dis-integration Example

Memorize content.

Think critically about content.

Exam?Lecture

Situational Factors (Context)Fink (2004)

X

Dis-integration Example

Memorize content.

Think critically about content.

ExamMemorize only

Lecture

Situational Factors (Context)Fink (2004)

X X

Dis-integration Example

Memorize content.

Think critically about content.

ExamMemorize &

Think CriticallyLecture

Situational Factors (Context)Fink (2004)

XX

Components of Integrated Course Design

Learning Goals

Feedback and Assessment

Teaching and Learning Activities

Situational Factors (Context)Fink (2004)

Apply your Knowledge of Integrated Course Design

In pairs, generate 1 forward-looking and one backward-looking assessment idea to measure one of the learning objectives (your choice).

Be as specific as you can. Both people need a copy. Ok to specify assumptions

about the course, refine LO

Explain four implications of cultural sensitivity in the business world.

Develop your team leadership skills.

Identify requirements of academic writing.

Task Learning Objective

Apply your Knowledge of Integrated Course Design

Switch pairs, present your assessment ideas.

Offer feedback Does each

assessment align with LO?

How could the LO or assessment altered to enhance integration?

Explain four implications of cultural sensitivity in the business world.

Develop your team leadership skills.

Identify requirements of academic writing.

Task Learning Objective

Options for Working on Your Course

Start the 3 column worksheet. Handout of examples

Consider your existing course goals and generate potential forward-looking and backward-looking assessments for your course.

Continue working on your DACUM (course goals, learning objectives)

Integrated Course Design

Build Strong Primary

Components

Assemble Components into Coherent Whole

Finish Important Remaining Tasks

Initial Design Phase Intermediate Design Phase

Final Design Phase

1. Situational factors

2. Learning goals3. Feedback and

assessment procedures

4. Teaching/learning activities

5. Ensure integration

6. Structure for course

7. Instructional strategy

8. Overall schema of learning activities

9. Grading system10.Possible

problems11.Syllabus 12.Course and

teaching evaluation plan

Fink (2004)

Integrated Course Design: Monday

Build Strong Primary

Components

Assemble Components into Coherent Whole

Finish Important Remaining Tasks

Initial Design Phase Intermediate Design Phase

Final Design Phase

1. Situational factors

2. Learning goals3. Feedback and

assessment procedures

4. Teaching/learning activities

5. Ensure integration

6. Structure for course

7. Instructional strategy

8. Overall schema of learning activities

9. Grading system10.Possible

problems11.Syllabus 12.Course and

teaching evaluation plan

Fink (2004)

Integrated Course Design: Today

Build Strong Primary

Components

Assemble Components into Coherent Whole

Finish Important Remaining Tasks

Initial Design Phase Intermediate Design Phase

Final Design Phase

1. Situational factors

2. Learning goals3. Feedback and

assessment procedures

4. Teaching/learning activities

5. Ensure integration

6. Structure for course

7. Instructional strategy

8. Overall schema of learning activities

9. Grading system10.Possible

problems11.Syllabus 12.Course and

teaching evaluation plan

Fink (2004)

Integrated Course Design: Friday

Build Strong Primary

Components

Assemble Components into Coherent Whole

Finish Important Remaining Tasks

Initial Design Phase Intermediate Design Phase

Final Design Phase

1. Situational factors

2. Learning goals3. Feedback and

assessment procedures

4. Teaching/learning activities

5. Ensure integration

6. Structure for course

7. Instructional strategy

8. Overall schema of learning activities

9. Grading system10.Possible

problems11.Syllabus 12.Course and

teaching evaluation plan

Fink (2004)