Intro
Indicators
Canvas Tools
Examples
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Introduction

The purpose of this standard is to encourage you to reflect on the types of assessments and assessment methods used in your course. In addition to providing a measure of how well students have met the stated learning goals, assessments can also provide useful feedback to both instructors and students. A well-balanced assessment strategy will include a combination of diagnostic, formative, summative, and/or performance assessments types. The content, concepts, and assessments in your course should be sequenced and varied in a manner that provides scaffolding to build larger skills and create multiple ways in which students can practice and demonstrate their learning. Varying the methods of assessment used within your course can help keep you and your students engaged.

Why it Matters to Students ...

H is taking an online business class. The topics are interesting and H is learning a lot but is anxious about earning a passing grade in the course because there are only two tests during the quarter - one at midterm and one at finals, plus a final project. (3.3.a) There have been a few small homework assignments and a few quizzes but H is starting to get really concerned about completing the final project. (3.3.b, 3.3.c) Writing a business plan is a very large project with a lot of parts and it’s worth a lot of points. (3.3.b, 3.3.c) H wants to do well but isn’t sure how to do everything and really needs to practice new skills and get feedback before turning it in. (3.3.a, 3.3.b, 3.3.c)

Consider This ...

How do the assessments in your course help students identify their strengths and define target areas that need work?
How have you ensured that the low and high stakes assessment opportunities in your course are balanced and scaffolded for student success?
Where and how do you provide opportunities for student choice in demonstrating their mastery of course learning outcomes and module objectives?

Indicators Explained

The Indicators for Standard 3.3 are organized by Essential, Best Practice, and Exemplary. Click the menu bars below to expand and read about the Indicators in each section.

Essentials

Meeting all Essential Indicators demonstrates that your course design includes the basic foundational elements that must be present for students to succeed in an online course.

3.3.a - Course includes a combination of diagnostic, formative, summative, and/or performance-based assessment opportunities.

Assessments come in many forms and different types are more effective for measuring specific types of learning. Using a mix of assessment types and methods provides opportunities for students to excel in different ways. Your course probably already includes a combination of two or more of the following types of assessments: diagnostic, formative, summative, and performance. If not, consider how you might add a more balanced mix of assessment types to your course. Also, be careful not to confuse the type of assessment with the method of assessment. For example, self-assessment is a method of assessment that, depending on how it is applied, can be used to measure diagnostic, formative, summative, or performance-based learning.

Diagnostic Assessment

Diagnostic assessment happens before instruction and is used to gauge learner attitudes or to measure a student's existing knowledge level. Pre-assessment results can help identify gaps in learner knowledge and can help you tailor lesson plans more closely to the specific learner population in your course. An example of diagnostic assessment is asking students to complete a survey about a topic before instruction on the topic begins.

Formative Assessment

Formative assessment occurs during instruction and is used to monitor a student's progress toward a learning goal. This type of assessment helps students improve their learning by highlighting their strengths and areas they may need to focus on. Formative assessment can also help you improve your teaching by highlighting areas where students may be struggling and would benefit from additional resources, review, or a different way to understand the content.

Formative assessments are typically low-risk and low-stakes having minimal impact on the student's grade. Some may even be practice or self-check opportunities that have no impact on grades at all. And, because formative assessments involve the ongoing practice of new skills, they are frequently left open for multiple attempts. If/when these assessments are counted toward a grade, often only the highest score is preserved. An example of formative assessment is offering frequent low-stakes practice quizzes or other review activities that can be completed multiple times. Other examples are a muddiest point style discussion, submitting a rough draft for instructor or peer feedback, simulation-based practice games, scenarios, or weekly reflections.

Summative Assessment

Summative assessments frequently appear at the end of a unit of study or at the end of a course and are used to determine the extent to which the student successfully met the learning goal(s). Summative assessments are typically higher-risk and higher-stakes, focus on the outcome of the student's learning, and give students the opportunity to sum up their learning. Summative assessments usually have a significant impact on the student's grade. However, the student should have had multiple opportunities for formative assessment to practice both mastering the format and recalling the content or concepts on which the summative assessment is based. An example of summative assessment is giving a final exam or assigning a cumulative paper or project.

Performance Assessment

Performance assessment, also known as authentic assessment, requires students to apply the knowledge and/or skills they've gained by completing relevant real-world tasks. With performance assessment, students must demonstrate mastery of the required knowledge and skills. You may decide to use this type of assessment to ensure students have mastered the specified learning outcome(s) because summative testing alone does not guarantee a student can “do” something. For example, a student passing a driving knowledge test vs. passing the actual driving road test to get their driver’s license. An example of performance assessment is a final project in a language class that asks students to record themselves having a conversation in that language.e includes a combination of self-assessment, diagnostic, formative, summative, and/or performance-based assessment opportunities.

Combine here 3.3.c (V3)- Course includes a balance of low risk/low stakes and high risk/high stakes assessments.

Low-risk/low-stakes assessments typically have minimal impact on a student's grade. An example of a low-stakes assessment is a practice quiz that is left open for unlimited or multiple attempts and that does not count toward the student's grade or that preserves only the student’s highest score. High-risk/high-stakes assessments on the other hand, like a cumulative final exam, typically have a significant impact on the student's grade and depending on how the grade is weighted, can sometimes make the difference in whether a student passes a course or not. Students can experience increased levels of stress and anxiety when their grades are determined by only one or two high-stakes assessments. Providing opportunities for practice and dividing larger high-stakes assessments into smaller components that are due throughout the quarter can help alleviate this stress, help spread the workload out over the term to keep students on pace, and also has the added benefit of decreasing the pressure to cheat. Using a balanced mix of low-stakes and high-stakes assessments in your course will benefit both you and your students. Formative, low-stakes assessments provide opportunities for students to master new skills through deliberate practice and to receive feedback on their progress while helping you identify gaps where students may need review or additional resources.

Content in this section is a derivative of "SPSCC Rubric Review Workshop" by South Puget Sound Community College licensed under CC BY 4.0

3.3.b - Course incorporates a variety of assessment methods.

There are many methods of diagnostic, formative, summative, and performance assessments and it’s up to you to determine which of those methods will most effectively measure the learning of students in your course. It can be challenging to make these choices and reach a balance between appropriately measuring the learning, scaffolding skills, keeping students engaged, and planning for the different interests and abilities students will bring to your class. Providing opportunities for students to demonstrate their learning in multiple or different ways throughout the term creates a more equitable assessment experience for students. Repeating similar learning tasks over time can help create a rhythm in your course, but too much of a good thing can get boring so think about how to change up those required weekly activities to increase student engagement. For example, varying discussions by using a creative prompt or by switching the discussion out with an entirely different activity like a social media post, journal entry, or storytelling assignment.

Next Steps

Applying all Essential Indicators for this Standard combined with one or more of the following Next Steps Indicators demonstrates that your course design includes the basic foundational elements necessary for students to succeed in an online course plus additional elements that are intentionally designed to increase student success in your online course.

3.3.c - Assessments offer students topic and format choices.

Planning a variety of ways for students to demonstrate their learning is important because there is no single method of assessment that can meet every student's needs. For example, a student with anxiety may not perform well on timed, multiple choice exams but may excel in a different format, such as writing. If the entire course includes nothing but timed, multiple choice tests, the student may get discouraged, feel frustrated, and disengage with the course. A student experiencing a permanent or temporary physical disability may appreciate the opportunity to submit via audio or video rather than in writing while a student with a learning disorder, like dyslexia, may excel in verbal communication, or another form of creative expression like drawing but be unable to share the same thoughts in writing.

Having an opportunity to show what they’ve learned in a way that suits them best will help students feel successful and contribute to their sense of belonging in the course. Planning some variety in activity and method of expression into your course also infuses equity into your assessment strategy and creates opportunities for students to explore and develop skills across a wider range of mediums. Having choice creates student agency and encourages students to take ownership in their learning experience while offering students a choice of topic or format shows that you trust them with their learning.

Creating choice can be as easy as altering a discussion prompt to allow students to pick their own topic or article from a list or to find their own resource, allowing students to select from two or more assignments that meet the same learning goals, or allowing students to choose whether to write a paper, create a slides presentation, or make a video to demonstrate their learning. Variety and choice create opportunities for students to shine in different ways, but when offering topic and format choices always be sure to provide a basic option for assessment completion as most students need guidance and some may be overwhelmed by lack of structure or too many choices. Some variety in topic and format can also be engaging for you as the instructor, especially if you’re tired of grading the same old assignments over and over each quarter.

3.3.d - Course includes opportunities for students to co-create their own demonstrations of learning.

To engage students beyond just memorizing facts and empower and motivate them to experience learning in a way that is truly authentic to them, consider where and how you can incorporate opportunities for students to create their own demonstrations of learning. Assignments conceived and designed by students will reflect their individual needs and interests, create opportunity for metacognition and independence, and create enthusiasm and joy for learning, all while highlighting individual strengths and allowing for creative expression. Turning your class loose to create their own assessments might sound scary but if you start small and are purposeful in your design, it can be a rewarding experience for both you and your students. Be sure to provide some structure, like clearly explaining the purpose of the assessment and clearly defining the learning objective(s) that must be met. Asking students to propose their idea and possibly include a rubric provides space for fine-tuning and creates an opportunity for collaboration with you and depending on how it’s structured, possibly also with their peers.

Students that contribute to producing information and content rather than simply consuming it, feel an increased sense of ownership over their learning. The process of content creation and knowledge construction has the added benefit of increasing intrinsic motivation and helping students make deeper and more personal connections to the material. Personally relevant content and activities can ignite passion and curiosity for learning so look for ways to include authentic learning experiences based on active exploration and reflection in your course. To increase the relevance and value for students, be sure to connect the learning objective(s) and content to practical applications outside of the classroom, to state a clear purpose for each activity, to allow for variation in expression, and to invite a personal or imaginative response from students

Empowering students to learn through creation is a learner-centered, rather than instruction-centered, approach to teaching. Collaborating and co-creating with students to build a learning partnership requires intentional design and a shift away from the more traditional teaching role of “sage on the stage” to an exploration of the role of “guide on the side” where you teach “with” students instead of “to” students. Making this shift positions both students and teachers as learners and has the potential to transform teaching practices as teachers learn from their students about what is most relevant and valuable to students' lives. Even small changes to your course activities or assignments can give students an increased stake in their learning and help to foster deep learning by providing choice and autonomy. Consider asking students to work individually or in groups to teach a class on a chosen topic or to contribute to the course content for future classes by creating videos or editing wiki style pages.

Canvas Tools

These Canvas tools can help you apply this standard and make your work easier:

Course Settings: Use the features on the More Options menu in Course Details to aid with student authoring. For example, check the Let students create discussions box to allow students to author and facilitate their own discussion topics.
Assignment Groups: Apply a lowest score rule to an Assignment Group. For example, to drop the lowest quiz score in a group.
Module Settings: Use Module Requirements to allow students to choose between assessments. For example, to choose which assessment to complete from a list of options.
Quiz Settings: Use the options in Quiz Details to create formative assessment opportunities. For example, by choosing Allow Multiple Attempts on quizzes or selecting the Practice Quiz quiz type.
Mastery Paths: Use Mastery Paths in Canvas to allow students choice. For example, to choose from a list of topics to explore or assessments to complete.

Examples of Standard 3.3

Want to see how other instructors have applied this Standard in their course? Check out these examples!

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Example 2

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Example 5

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Ways to Apply Standard 3.3

Need some ideas for how to apply this standard to your course? Try one of these!

3.3.a - Balancing variety of assessments types

(3.3.a) Review the types of assessments in your course to determine if you have achieved a good balance of diagnostic, formative, summative, and performance-based assessments. Identify places where you may need to make changes. Add new or modify existing assessments as needed to achieve a better balance.
(3.3.a) Add a diagnostic assessment opportunity for one or more topics or learning units in your course.
(3.3.a) Add a formative assessment opportunity for one or more new skills in your course. For example, by offering frequent low-stakes quizzes, creating a simulated game-based practice activity, adding a scenario-based activity,using weekly reflection questions, or breaking a larger exam or project down into shorter assessments.
(3.3.a) Add a summative assessment opportunity for one or more learning units in your course.
(3.3.a) Add a performance assessment for one or more skills in your course. (3.3.b) Review the methods of assessments used in your course to determine if you have used a balanced variety. Identify places where you may need to make changes. Add new or modify existing assessments as needed.

3.3.b - Variety of assessment methods

(3.3.b) Review the number and type of discussions in your course. Are they all read, reply and respond to two classmates? If so, look for ways to change them up. Consider changing the frequency in order to have more meaningful discussions every few weeks instead of every week and/or investigate different ways to write discussion prompts to make them more engaging and authentic.
(3.3.b) Review the flow of assessments in your course. Are students doing the same thing every week … reading, taking a quiz, participating in a discussion, and doing a homework assignment? If so, think about how you might be able to add some variety.
(3.3.b) Review the assessments in your course to determine if you have achieved a good balance of low-risk/low-stakes and high-risk/high-stakes assessments. Identify places where you may need to make changes. Add new or modify existing assessments as needed.
(3.3.b) Review the lower-stakes assessments in your course to identify any larger more complex skills that may need to be broken down and scaffolded to create additional opportunities for practice. Identify places where you may need to make changes. Add new or modify existing assessments as needed.
(3.3.b) Review the high-stakes assessments in your course to identify any larger more complex skills that may need to be broken down and scaffolded to create opportunities for practice. Identify places where you may need to make changes. Add new or modify existing assessments as needed. For example, break a final project down into its component parts that students submit over the course of the term allowing them to practice skills and receive feedback over time.
(3.3.b) Review your grading policy. If high-stakes assessments make-up the majority of the final grade or one assessment can make or break a student’s final grade, consider how you can more effectively scaffold the assessments in your course. Modify your existing assignment(s), grading policy, or assignment group weights as needed to help balance low and high stakes opportunities.

3.3.c - Offering topic and format choices on assessments

(3.3.c) Review the assessments in your course to determine where/how you might be able to offer students topic and/or format choices. Add new or modify existing assessments as needed.
(3.3.c) Revise one or more assignments and allow students to choose from a list of preselected topics and/or preselected submission formats.
(3.3.c) Revise one or more discussion prompts and allow students to choose which question(s) to answer or which article to read and respond to.
(3.3.c) Revise one or more exams and allow students to choose which short-answer or essay question(s) to answer. For example, ask students to answer 3 of 5 short-answer questions or to select one of several longer essay prompts to respond to.
(3.3.c) Edit the Module settings in Canvas to allow students to choose one assessment from a list of assessments that meet the same learning goal(s).
(3.3.c) Use Mastery Paths in Canvas to allow students to choose from a list of topics to explore or assessments to complete.

3.3.d - Student created assessments

(3.3.d) Review your assessments and determine where you might be able to offer students opportunities to create their own demonstrations of learning by choosing their own format and/or creating their own assessment. Add new or modify existing assessments as needed.
(3.3.d) Explain the assignment purpose and outcomes/objective to students and add an opportunity for them to work collaboratively to create their own assessment of learning. For example, writing a discussion prompt for a specified topic, writing questions for an upcoming exam, or proposing an assignment for the class.
(3.3.d) Explain the assignment purpose and outcomes/objective to students and ask them each to propose an individual assignment that measures the desired learning.
(3.3.d) Revise one or more assignments and allow students to choose a topic of their own.
(3.3.d) Revise one or more assignments and allow students to choose a submission format of their own.
(3.3.d) Ask students to collaboratively design a class activity to help learn or practice a new skill.
(3.3.d) Ask students to select a course topic, module objective, or relevant article on a chosen topic and create a lesson to “teach” the class. This could be done individually or as a group presentation. Be sure to build in the necessary supports for defining group roles and successful student collaboration.
(3.3.d) Ask students to write exam or quiz questions, answer questions written by classmates, and then give feedback on responses to questions from classmates. Choose a subset of student-generated questions to include on your exam or quiz.
(3.3.d) Ask students to contribute to writing a rubric for an assignment in your course. Have them determine what success looks like for various levels of mastery.

Resources

Recommended Reading

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References

3.3.a - Balancing combination of assessment types

Carnegie Mellon University. (2021). Concrete Strategies for Frequent, Low-Stakes Assessments/Practice. Eberly Center. Retrieved June 14, 2021, from https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/online/designteach/strategies/lowstakespractice.html
Carnegie Mellon University. (2021). Formative vs. Summative. Eberly Center. Retrieved April 7, 2021, from https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/assessment/basics/formative-summative.html
CAST. (2018). Checkpoint 5.3 Build fluencies with graduated levels of support for practice and performance. UDL Guidelines. Retrieved 5 April, 2021, from https://udlguidelines.cast.org/action-expression/expression-communication/fluencies-practice-performance
CAST. (2018). Checkpoint 6.4 Enhance capacity for monitoring progress. UDL Guidelines. Retrieved April 7, 2021, from https://udlguidelines.cast.org/action-expression/executive-functions/monitoring-progress/monitoring-progress
CAST. (2018). Checkpoint 7.2 Optimize relevance, value, and authenticity. UDL Guidelines. Retrieved April 7, 2021, from https://udlguidelines.cast.org/engagement/recruiting-interest/relevance-value-authenticity
Centre for Innovation in Teaching & Learning Memorial University. (n.d.). High Stakes and Low Stakes Assessment. Instructional Resources. https://blog.citl.mun.ca/instructionalresources/high-stakes-and-low-stakes-assessment/
Indiana University Bloomington. (2021). Alternatives to Traditional Exams and Papers. Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. Retrieved March 16, 2021, from https://citl.indiana.edu/teaching-resources/assessing-student-learning/alternatives-traditional-exams-papers/index.html
Mueller, J. (2018). What is Authentic Assessment? Authentic Assessment Toolbox. Retrieved June 15, 2021, from http://jfmueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/whatisit.htm
South Puget Sound Community College. (n.d.). Types of Assessment. SPSCC Rubric Primer Public Canvas Shell. Retrieved 5 April, 2021, from https://sbctc.instructure.com/courses/1664130/pages/types-of-assessment?module_item_id=28874781

Tinto, V. (2012). Completing college: rethinking institutional action. University of Chicago Press. http://depaul.worldcat.org/title/completing-college-rethinking-institutional-action/oclc/756577659

3.3.b - Variety of assessment methods

CAST. (2018). Checkpoint 5.3 Build fluencies with graduated levels of support for practice and performance. UDL Guidelines. Retrieved 5 April, 2021, from https://udlguidelines.cast.org/action-expression/expression-communication/fluencies-practice-performance
CAST. (2018). Checkpoint 7.2 Optimize relevance, value, and authenticity. UDL Guidelines. Retrieved April 7, 2021, from https://udlguidelines.cast.org/engagement/recruiting-interest/relevance-value-authenticity
Thomas, J. A. (2022, April 1). Don't Stress This Test!”: Inclusive Assessment Strategies That May Reduce Test Anxiety and Expand Success - Online Network of Educators. ONE. Retrieved September 23, 2022, from https://onlinenetworkofeducators.org/2022/04/01/dont-stress-this-test/docs.google.com/document/d/1J02IuLn6lAXmxa1b2Tg1g8psPV-pxlsivvQm5XL66Dw/edit#heading=h.og6t4dh9o7fo

3.3.c - Offering topic and format choices on assessments

CAST. (2018). Checkpoint 5.3 Build fluencies with graduated levels of support for practice and performance. UDL Guidelines. Retrieved 5 April, 2021, from https://udlguidelines.cast.org/action-expression/expression-communication/fluencies-practice-performance
CAST. (2018). Checkpoint 7.1 Optimize individual choice and autonomy. UDL Guidelines. Retrieved April 7, 2021, from https://udlguidelines.cast.org/engagement/recruiting-interest/choice-autonomy
Thomas, J. A. (2022, April 1). Don't Stress This Test!”: Inclusive Assessment Strategies That May Reduce Test Anxiety and Expand Success - Online Network of Educators. ONE. Retrieved September 23, 2022, from https://onlinenetworkofeducators.org/2022/04/01/dont-stress-this-test/docs.google.com/document/d/1J02IuLn6lAXmxa1b2Tg1g8psPV-pxlsivvQm5XL66Dw/edit#heading=h.og6t4dh9o7fo

3.3.d - Co-created demonstrations of learning

Barr, R. B., & Tagg, J. (1995). From teaching to learning—a new paradigm for undergraduate education. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 27(6), 12-25.
Briggs, S. (2013, September 4). 25 Ways to Cultivate Intrinsic Motivation. informED. Retrieved December 2, 2020, from https://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/intrinsic-motivation/
Briggs, S. (2014, September 20). Students As Creators: How To Drive Your Students To Be More Than Just Consumers. informED. Retrieved December 2, 2021, from https://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/students-as-creators/
CAST. (2018). Checkpoint 7.1 Optimize individual choice and autonomy. UDL Guidelines. Retrieved April 7, 2021, from https://udlguidelines.cast.org/engagement/recruiting-interest/choice-autonomy
CAST. (2018). Checkpoint 7.2 Optimize relevance, value, and authenticity. UDL Guidelines. Retrieved April 7, 2021, from https://udlguidelines.cast.org/engagement/recruiting-interest/relevance-value-authenticity
Cook-Sather, A., Bovill, C., & Felten, P. (2014). Engaging students as partners in learning and teaching: A guide for faculty. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass
Doktor, S. (2016, January 7). 5 Ideas to Shift Learning into a Co-created Teacher and Student Partnership. Pearson. Retrieved December 2, 2020, from https://www.pearsoned.com/5-ideas-to-shift-learning-into-a-co-created-teacher-and-student-partnership/
Grow, A., & Price, G. (2015, October 26). Using Student-created Assessments in the Class -or- How to Get Students More Into Their Own Learning. Noba Blog. https://nobaproject.com/blog/2015-10-26-using-student-created-assessments-in-the-class-nbsp-or-how-to-get-students-more-into-their-own-learning
Montenegro, E., & Jankowski, N. A. (2020, January). A new decade for assessment: Embedding equity into assessment praxis (Occasional Paper No. 42). Urbana, IL: University of Illinois and Indiana University, National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA). http://studentaffairsassessment.org/entries/blog/equity-minded-assessment-the-time-is-now%20
Peralta Community College. (2019). Online Equity Training - Template - Fall 2019. Canvas Commons. Retrieved 8 April, 2020, from https://lor.instructure.com/resources/f35cd7a09da64112aff13a98b7ddf0cd?shared
Ryan, R. M., Deci, E. L. (2020) Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a self-determination theory perspective: Definitions, theory, practices, and future directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 61. 101860 https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2020_RyanDeci_IntrinsicandExtrinsic.pdf
Spangler, S. (2015, June 15). Flipping Assessment: Making Assessment a Learning Experience. Faculty Focus. Retrieved December 2, 2021, from https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/blended-flipped-learning/flipping-assessment-making-assessment-a-learning-experience/

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