A3. Reduce dependence of final grades on high stake, end-of-semester assessments by offering multiple assessments/assignments through the semester and scaffolding large project/assignments.
Performing poorly on high-stakes assessments (i.e., one midterm and one final) can have a negative cascading effect on various learning objectives. Using multiple assessments throughout the semester gives students ample opportunities to demonstrate learning and growth. Moreover, dividing a large final project into smaller achievable milestones over the semester prompts students to focus and master discrete tasks before students integrate the tasks in the final project (Ambrose et al, 2010).
Strategies & Examples
- Incorporate various formative assessments into your assessment plan that evaluate student learning over time. Formative assessments as low-stakes assessments that provide feedback to the student on what they do and do not know, or their strengths and weaknesses, and provide the instructor with information on which concepts may need reteaching. An example assessment plan for a large enrollment course that contains both formative and summative assessments might include: Journal (15%), Discussion (25%), Quizzes (20%), In-Class Activities/Participation (15%), Midterm Exam (10%), and Final Exam (15%).
- Consider incorporating self-assessment and peer review into your assessment plan. High-stakes summative assessments like exams, projects, or papers are assessments of learning and used as evidence of achievement. Low-stakes formative assessments like discussions and homework are assessments for learning and provide students with feedback on how to improve. But assessments as learning allow students to self-regulate and judge their work. Such assessments can include, facilitating in-class or online activities where students judge how well they’re doing, giving students opportunities to compare their work with other exemplars in order to critically evaluate their work, and support multiple opportunities for peer review so students build skills judging standards.
- Scaffold a large project by breaking it down into achievable tasks that add up to a whole. By breaking a large project down into discrete tasks, instructors are giving students opportunities for feedback on how they should proceed. For example, a final research project may be broken down into the discrete tasks of final project topic, annotated bibliography, outline and thesis, and peer feedback on a draft before students submit their final project.
Considerations
It’s helpful to sequence your assignments by creating a series of assignments—either a combination of formative (lower stakes) and summative (higher stakes) assessments or scaffolded projects—that build on each other over time. As you add more assignments to your assessment plan, consider your own schedule and ensure that you have enough time to grade and/or provide feedback before the next assignment is due.
Resources
Ambrose, S.A., Bridges, M.W., DiPietro, M. Lovett, M.C., & Norman, M.K. (2010). How learning works: 7 research-based principles for smart teaching. Jossey-Bass. Permalink.