Assessment Principles John J. Clementson Augustana College

Assessment In Practice Banta, T., Lund, J., Black, K., &Oberlander, F. Putting Principles to Work on College Campuses

Principle One Assessment begins with educational values (A vehicle for educational improvement) What do we value? Do we have a strong mission statement? –(Knowledge base)

Principle Two Assessment is most effective when it reflects an understanding of learning as multidimensional, integrated, and revealed in performance over time.

Assessment Assessment programs reflect imaginative &creative aspects of learning…not only to measure the breadth and depth of learning…but also contributes to the ongoing spirit of inquiry and growth.

Learning Occurs at 3 Levels “ Core Content”- facts, skills, competencies. “Integrative Reasoning”- processing knowledge into application. “Attitudes and Dispositions”

Assessment works best when the programs it seeks to improve have clear, explicitly stated purposes.

Principle Four Assessment requires attention to outcomes, but also and equally to the experiences that lead to those outcomes.

Principle 5 Assessment Evolves Assessment works best when it is ongoing, not episodic. This may mean tracking a cohort of students;it may mean collecting samples semester after semester.

6. A Collaborative Endeavor Assessment fosters wider improvement when representatives from across the community are involved.

7. Making Data Meaningful Assessment makes a difference when it begins with issues of use and illuminates questions that people really care about.

8. What to do with the data? Application of assessment data needs to be systematic and intentional. Assessment should become part of the fabric of any decision making process

9. Accountability-The train is leaving the station Through assessment, educators meet responsibilities to students and to the institution. We must inform the Augie community about our students and our work.

Principle Ten Assessment is most effective when undertaken in an environment that is receptive, supportive, and enabling