Lunch Discussion Notes: Assessment techniques (Regardless of Technology)

Here are the notes from one of the lunch discussion groups at our recent Putting Assessment into Practice: A Library Instruction Workshop.

The topic of this discussion was: Assessment Techniques (regardless of technology) Thanks to Deb Raftus for moderating this discussion!

Some assessment techniques our group has made use of:

• In-class worksheets with exercises
• Clickers
• End of session satisfaction surveys
• Clear/muddy questions
• End of quarter online form (low response)
• One-minute papers
• Zoho is helpful to provide structure for reporting instruction assessment to administrators (for departmental reporting of assessment results, including stats, strategies used, and informal notes)
• Reflection: one minute papers, research log
• Pre and Post testing -Serves to learn what students know, as well as clue them in that there are things they don't know
• Pre - class surveys of resource knowledge or research strategies: should be anonymous to encourage honesty, also reassure students that you aren't looking for a "right answer."

Individual Challenges:

• Finding assessment techniques that are appropriate for returning students (or graduate students) -- don't want to come off as condescending or insulting.

• Getting students to recognize value of Reference materials...how to assess use? Solution: Mark books and count for use as they are photocopied through Libraries photocopy services.

• If you use a lot of informal assessment strategies, how do you measure and report the results? Recommendations: Incorporate solutions where you can collect results (WebQ, have students email an article citation to you, get bibliographies and/or final projects from faculty, follow up with faculty to see if students found appropriate sources)

• How to find out what students own approach is to research, before teaching them, for the purpose of learning where they start. (How to ask in away that they will be honest?) This will help understand where they are coming from, but could also impact our reference and instruction services.

• How to change mid-class based on evaluation/assessment?

• How to assess students' comfort with technology before the course, in the case of an online course where technology has proven to be a barrier to student learning. Students were reluctant to ask for help during the course, so it would help to find out where students are stumbling before the class, to find alternative ways to provide the information, and assist users in a way that they are comfortable with. (Perhaps survey could also address their learning styles, how they like to learn new technologies?)