Classroom Assessment

“Classroom assessment” refers to assessments of teaching and learning conducted during the course of the semester for quick improvement or development. One of the classic problems in higher education is the length of normal improvement cycles—if we all wait until the end of the semester to assess our progress, change will be slow indeed. Classroom assessment techniques overcome this shortcoming by collecting valuable information throughout the semester, allowing faculty to make changes and adjustments as needed. Classroom assessment techniques may measure student learning or student opinion.

Each class at Olin should incorporate some form of classroom assessment into its plan for the semester. Before the start of each semester, faculty are asked to describe their plans for such assessments in their Course Plans (see Sidebar). For a standard Mid-semester Feedback Form developed by Dean Michael Moody, check the Sidebar.

There’s a lot of information on classroom assessment techniques available—including Minute Papers, Muddiest Point, Round Robin feedback, etc. Here are some ways to get started.

• Check out our Quick Tips on Classroom Assessment Techniques
• Talk to your Olin colleagues. If you’d like to see what other Olin faculty have done recently, take a look at our Classroom Assessment Charts for the 2003-2004 Academic Year on BlackBoard (Olin community only), go to Assessment, Data Bank.
• Contact Ann Schaffner if you’d like OIR staff or a member of the Student Feedback Corps to conduct a feedback session with your class.
• Stop by OIR to take a look at Classroom Assessment Techniques by Angelo and Cross, and other resources.