Align Assessments, Objectives, Instructional Strategies ...

www.cmu.edu › assessment › basics › alignment

Why should assessments, learning objectives, and instructional strategies be ... kinds of tasks will
reveal whether students have achieved the learning objectives I ... can be used to assess different
types of learning objectives (adapted from the ...
Missing: MELC | Must include: MELC

The MELC Statement: reimagining learning as intercultural ...

www.education.sa.gov.au › minister-education › melc-s...

The MELC Statement describes an orientation and goals for education in linguistic and cultural
diversity. The statement comprises a vision; goals for learners ...
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Module 1: Learning Assessment & Alignment

www.ucdenver.edu › module1 › course_alignment

1. An aligned course means that your learning objectives, activities and assessments match

up so students learn what you intend and you accurately assess what ...
Missing: MELC | Must include: MELC

Constructive Alignment - Teaching & Learning | University of ...

www.teaching-learning.utas.edu.au  › ... › Unit Design

1. Teaching is then designed to engage students in learning activities that optimise their

chances of achieving those outcomes, and assessment tasks are ...
Missing: MELC | Must include: MELC

Web 2.0 How-to for Educators - Page 126 - Google Books Result
books.google.com.ph › books

So I did consider the #1 reason to use tech as being “time on task” or “connectivity”. ...
BlC/MElC Middle School Teachers in action The Maryland Electronic ... and content organized by
topic that is also aligned to the Maryland learning outcomes. ... It is searchable, so that you can
find other teachers' recommendations and ...
Gwen Solomon, Lynne Schrum - 2014 - Education

Vibal Group - As we embrace the #NewNow, learn more about ...

www.facebook.com › posts
3 days ago - As we embrace the #NewNow, learn more about the tools you can use for
hybrid learning. Watch this video to know how you can monitor ...

Vibal Group - Posts | Facebook

www.facebook.com › vibalgroup › posts
 Our first topic will tackle the alignment of different learning tasks to MELC. What
are the steps and tips to align the students' tasks with your learning targets?

Constructive alignment - Division of Learning and Teaching

www.csu.edu.au › assessment-resources-and-information

1.
In constructive alignment, assessment is aligned to the intended learning outcomes ... This video
is a 19 minute demonstration of two different types of students we often ... HOW the assessment
meets the learning outcomes, not the actual task).
by S Theobald - 2018 - Related articles
Missing: MELC | Must include: MELC

How teacher beliefs about teaching and learning are reflected ...
www.cs.umd.edu › hcil › blc › fulton-thesis

1.
2.
All were participants in the Maryland Electronic Learning Community, (MELC) ... Since I want them
to move through a task, go through different activities, they have ... constructivist viewpoint
(facilitator) and Ann somewhat aligned with that view.
by KL Fulton - Cited by 71 - Related articles
Searches related to Alignment of Different Learning Task to MELC
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aligning teaching and assessment to curriculum objectives
constructive alignment

Why should assessments, learning

objectives, and instructional
strategies be aligned?
Assessments should reveal how well students have
learned what we want them to learn while instruction
ensures that they learn it. For this to occur,
assessments, learning objectives, and instructional
strategies need to be closely aligned so that they
reinforce one another.
To ensure that these three components of your course
are aligned, ask yourself the following questions:
o Learning objectives: What do I want students to know how to do when they
leave this course?
o Assessments: What kinds of tasks will reveal whether students have achieved
the learning objectives I have identified?
o Instructional strategies: What kinds of activities in and out of class will
reinforce my learning objectives and prepare students for assessments?

What if the components of a course are misaligned?

If assessments are misaligned with learning objectives or instructional strategies, it can
undermine both student motivation and learning. Consider these two scenarios:
Your objective is for students to learn to apply analytical skills, but your assessment
measures only factual recall. Consequently, students hone their analytical skills and are
frustrated that the exam does not measure what they learned.
Your assessment measures students’ ability to compare and critique the arguments of
different authors, but your instructional strategies focus entirely on summarizing the
arguments of different authors. Consequently, students do not learn or practice the skills
of comparison and evaluation that will be assessed.

What do well-aligned assessments look like?

This table presents examples of the kinds of activities that can be used to assess
different types of learning objectives (adapted from the revised Bloom’s Taxonomy).

Type of learning Examples of appropriate assessments

objective

Objective test items such as fill-in-the-blank, matching, labeling, or

Recall
multiple-choice questions that require students to:
Recognize
o recall or recognize terms, facts, and concepts
Identify

Interpret Activities such as papers, exams, problem sets, class discussions, or

Exemplify concept maps that require students to:
Classify o summarize readings, films, or speeches
Summarize o compare and contrast two or more theories, events, or
Infer processes
Compare o classify or categorize cases, elements, or events using
Explain established criteria
 o paraphrase documents or speeches
o find or identify examples or illustrations of a concept or principle

Apply Activities such as problem sets, performances, labs, prototyping, or

Execute simulations that require students to:
Implement o use procedures to solve or complete familiar or unfamiliar tasks
o determine which procedure(s) are most appropriate for a given
task

Analyze Activities such as case studies, critiques, labs, papers, projects,

Differentiate debates, or concept maps that require students to:
Organize o discriminate or select relevant and irrelevant parts
Attribute o determine how elements function together
o determine bias, values, or underlying intent in presented
material

Evaluate Activities such as journals, diaries, critiques, problem sets, product

Check reviews, or studies that require students to:
Critique o test, monitor, judge, or critique readings, performances, or
Assess products against established criteria or standards

Create Activities such as research projects, musical compositions,

Generate performances, essays, business plans, website designs, or set designs
Plan that require students to:
Produce o make, build, design or generate something new
Design

This table does not list all possible examples of appropriate assessments. You can
develop and use other assessments – just make sure that they align with your learning
objectives and instructional strategies!

The MELC Statement: reimagining learning as intercultural engagement

The MELC Statement: reimagining learning as intercultural engagement (PDF 2.26MB) was
developed in 2017 and has been endorsed by the education sector heads. It builds on
the scoping paper – towards a position statement and strategy (2016, PDF  332KB), and
describes an orientation and goals for education in linguistic and cultural diversity. The process
of development was collaborative and informed by current research, with strategic input from
educational sectors and a broad range of professional educational and community
organisations.

The statement comprises:

  a vision;  goals for learners outlining the intercultural capabilities and dispositions that all
children and young people need to develop
 an elaboration of two key ideas about learners and learning as intercultural engagement
 suggested approaches for teachers, leaders and education sectors to realise this vision.

The MELC believes that work in this area requires a shift in understanding and that it is this
conceptual shift that will lead to change in practice. The shift is towards an orientation to
teaching and learning that positions students as participants engaging in diversity rather than as
observers of diversity. The statement recognises the crucial role of languages, as well as
reinforcing a whole of curriculum perspective that involves all educators.

The MELC Statement has resonated with principals, who are key contributors to the process of
change. The statement is being seen as a focal resource for teacher professional learning.


Intro
 Module 1
 Module 2
 Module 3
 Module 4
 Module 5
 Resources

page 2 of 3

Learning Assessment & Alignment

Course Alignment
What is course alignment?
Alignment is the connection between learning objectives, learning activities and
assessment. An aligned course means that your learning objectives, activities and
assessments match up so students learn what you intend and you accurately assess
what students are learning.

 Objectives are the expectations for student performance: they specify what you
want student to be able to do when they finish your course.

 Activities are the experiences that students engage in that prepare them to

achieve the intended learning objective.

 Assessment is a system for collecting evidence about student learning that we

can use to improve and make judgments about learning.
Why is alignment important? Proper alignment keeps you going in the right direction.
When learning activities relate directly to learning objectives and assessments
accurately measure what students are learning, it is easier to hit your targets. If
objectives, activities and assessments are not in alignment:

 the course may be fragmented and ineffective

  students receive mixed messages about what they should learn

 students spend time on activities that do not lead to intended goals

 you may overestimate or underestimate the effectiveness of instruction


Intro
 Module 1
 Module 2
 Module 3
 Module 4
 Module 5
 Resources

page 3 of 3 
Learning Assessment & Alignment
An aligned course is not a rigid one: re-align as needed.
When we plan a course, it does not always go the way we plan. Sometimes our initial
learning objectives do not reflect what we intend to teach or assess and they may not
be realistic; activities that provide the best learning experiences may lead us to rethink
our objectives or assessment methods; and feedback from assessments may show
that, although students are learning, they may not have learned the objectives we
originally intended.

It is okay to adjust objectives, activities or assessments as you go. Just be sure to keep
the connection between what you teach and assess as parallel as possible so students
will progress toward the ultimate learning goals of the course.

Continue to Module 2: Using a Learning Taxonomy to Align Your Course. >>>


Intro
 Module 1
 Module 2
 Module 3
 Module 4
 Module 5
 Resources

page 1 of 8


Intro
 Module 1
 Module 2
 Module 3
 Module 4
 Module 5
 Resources
 page 1 of 8
Using a Learning Taxonomy to Align Your Course
What is a learning taxonomy? A framework for instruction and assessment.
We know alignment is important, but how do you align a course? One way is to use a
learning taxonomy. Its purpose is to help you classify your course learning objectives
and select learning activities and assessments that are aligned toward those learning
objectives. There are many learning taxonomies, but the one we present here is
Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy.

What is Bloom’s Taxonomy? A classification system of thinking and learning.

Benjamin Bloom
was an educational theorist and teacher who studied the nature of thinking. His
taxonomy has been widely used in the field of education since the 1950’s. You may
recognize the cognitive domains in Bloom’s pyramid, which illustrates that thinking
occurs at different levels of complexity.

You may notice that the wording in the pyramid is slightly different from Bloom’s
original taxonomy. Bloom’s Taxonomy was revised in the 1990’s by a group led by Lorin
Anderson, one of Bloom’s former students. The revised version is a more useful tool for
planning curriculum, instruction and assessment. Let’s look at Bloom’s Revised
Taxonomy and see how it works. >>>

Note: Many concepts in modules 2, 3 and 4 related to the taxonomy table come from the
book, “A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing: A revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy of
Educational Objectives,” edited by Lorin W. Anderson and David R. Krathwohl. Concepts here
are simplified and generalized. For more detailed explanations and examples, please refer to
this book.
Using a Learning Taxonomy to Align Your Course
What is the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy? A matrix with types and levels of knowledge.
Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy is a tool for defining learning objectives, planning
instruction and choosing assessments. It combines the original levels  of learning
(across the top) with types  of knowledge (on the left).

Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy

 How does the taxonomy table help me? It helps you plot a good course.
We mentioned that an aligned course helps students achieve learning goals by
matching learning activities to learning objectives and assessments to student learning.
The taxonomy table gives you a framework for plotting objectives, activities and
assessments and helps you:

 approach your course systematically and effectively

 focus your learning efforts on your learning objectives

 select assessments that correspond to student learning

Using a Learning Taxonomy to Align Your Course

The Cognitive Process Dimension
The Cognitive Process Dimension reflects Bloom’s categories or levels of learning, going
from simple to complex.

1. Remember: recognizing or recalling relevant knowledge, facts or concepts

2. Understand: constructing meaning from instructional messages

3. Apply: using ideas and concepts to solve problems

4. Analyze: breaking something down into components, seeing relationships and

overall structure

5. Evaluate: making judgments based on criteria and standards

6. Create: reorganizing diverse elements to form a new pattern or structure

Cognitive Process Dimension
Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy Table
 Let’s look at the cognitive process in more detail. These examples and verbs for each
cognitive process level (printable PDF for future reference) can help you determine
where specific learning objectives may fit.

 Intro
 Module 1
 Module 2
 Module 3
 Module 4
 Module 5
 Resources

page 4 of 8
Using a Learning Taxonomy to Align Your Course
The Knowledge Dimension
The left side of the table lists types  of knowledge in the Knowledge Dimension. These
categories range from concrete to abstract, but do not necessarily range in complexity.
For example, learning a procedure or skill does not require a mastery of all related facts
and concepts; and metacognitive knowledge (knowing how well you understand
something) can be done at any level of learning.

Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy Table

Types of knowledge include:

Factual: the basic elements used to communicate, understand, organize a subject such Knowing that
as terminology scientific terms or labels, vocabulary, jargon, and symbols or
representations; and specific details such as knowledge of events, people, dates, sources
of information.
 Conceptual: the knowledge of principles and generalizations; classifications, categories Knowing what and
and theories; and models or structures of a subject. why

Procedural: includes knowing how to do something such as performing specific skills Knowing how

and algorithms, techniques and methods.

Metacognitive: a knowledge of cognition (the process or strategy of learning and Knowing how to know
thinking), an awareness of one’s own cognition, and the ability to control, monitor, and
regulate one’s own cognitive process.

Using a Learning Taxonomy to Align Your Course

Plotting Your Course on the Taxonomy Table
Plotting your course on the taxonomy table means finding where your learning
objectives, activities and assessments line up on the matrix. Play the animation below
to see what it looks like when the elements are aligned and when they're not.

Learning Objectives, Activities and Assessment Plotted on the Table

In theory, simple. In practice, not always so simple.

Alignment may seem simple, but it is more difficult than it appears. To think about
where to plot each objective, activity and assessment, you do some “complex cognitive
process thinking” of your own. Generally, when objectives, activities and assessments
are in the same cell, alignment is achieved; however, in practice they do not—and
should not—always line up in the same cell. We’ll talk about aligning your objectives,
activities and assessments in the next three modules and show you when and why they
will not always occupy the same cell.

Taxonomy Table Worksheet

Before you begin the next module, you may want to print this taxonomy table
worksheet with short descriptions and examples to help you plot your own course. (You
can also save this Word document to your own computer for future use.)

ps for the Taxonomy Table

Note the Natural Associations
Some cognitive processes have natural associations with types of knowledge.
Associations include:

 the Remember cognitive process and Factual Knowledge

 the Understand cognitive process and Conceptual Knowledge

 the Apply cognitive process and Procedural Knowledge

Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy Table

If you are teaching one of these dimensions, you should also assess its cognitive
process. Other cognitive processes (Analyze, Evaluate and Create) are more
generalizable. So, if students are learning factual knowledge, you should assess the
students’ ability to remember that knowledge; if they learn concepts, assess their
understanding.

For example:

If students are expected to: Assess their ability to:

Remember important dates of the Civil War Make a timeline of key events

Understand different political perspectives of an Defend one point of view on the issue

energy policy

Apply lab safety procedures Construct a decision chart that illustrates correct

procedures to follow in the event of an accident or
emergency

Taxonomy Table Tips

Think About Metacognitive Knowledge
Metacognitive knowledge is an awareness of your thinking and learning. It is extremely
important because it involves the mental strategies we use to learn and to solve
problems. Metacognitive knowledge is also self-knowledge of our mental strengths and
weaknesses: how we learn best, how well we take tests and what motivates us to
learn.
Metacognitive knowledge is critical to the learning process. Discussing learning
strategies with students and making learning more “visible” is beneficial and
constructive.

Please Note: because metacognitive knowledge is difficult to define and assess, and

because it is a broad topic in itself, it will not be covered in detail in this course. To
learn more about metacognitive knowledge, see the Anderson, Krathwohl book
referenced in the Resources page.

Taxonomy Table Tips

Incorporate Complex Cognitive Processes
Try to incorporate objectives, activities and assessments for the complex cognitive
processes of analysis, evaluation, or creating. These processes facilitate the retention of
other cognitive processes. For example, having a student evaluate a procedure
facilitates their recall and understanding. Teaching them to analyze a fact or concept
has the same effect.

Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy Table

Now that you have an idea of how the taxonomy table works, let’s talk about writing
good learning objectives and how to plot them in the taxonomy table. Go to Module 3:
Learning Objectives. >>>

earning Objectives
Every program of instruction, course, or training activity begins with a goal. This goal
can be broken down into specific goals, or learning objectives, which are concise
statements about what students will be able to do when they complete instruction.

Why are learning objectives important? They guide your choices.

 The philosopher Seneca once said, “If one does not know to which port one is sailing,
no wind is favorable.” When you know where you are headed, you can more easily get
there. Well-defined and articulated learning objectives are important because they:

 provide students with a clear purpose to focus their learning efforts

 direct your choice of instructional activities

 guide your assessment strategies

What’s the difference between a learning goal  and a learning objective?

Learning Goals  are what you hope to accomplish in your course: the overall goals that do not
necessarily result in products of observable and measurable behavior.
Learning Objectives are brief, clear statements about what students will be able to do when
they complete instruction.
Starting with a well-written learning objective is important, so let’s review how to write
them. >>>

hat do good learning objectives need to be? Specific, observable and measurable.
The most important and challenging aspect of writing good learning objectives is
defining observable behavior that can be measured. “Learning” and “understanding”
are laudable instructional goals, but they are not observable or measurable. You cannot
measure learning or understanding; but you can measure how well a student can
organize, label, explain, or create.

What do I include in learning objectives? Condition, behavior and degree.

Well-written learning objectives include these three elements:

1. Condition - the condition under which the student will perform the described
behavior

2. Behavior - a description of a specific, observable behavior

3. Degree - the degree indicates the desired level or degree of acceptable

performance
Let’s look at an example

If students should The learning objective would be:

be able to do this:

Example Condition Behavior Degree

Business: Given a list and values student will create a within 90% of the correct asset
Create a balance of a company’s assets balance sheet values
sheet and liabilities

Research: Given a set of data student will calculate the within .01 of the correct
Calculate the standard deviation measure
standard deviation
 History: Using course notes and create a Venn diagram to with at least 5 characteristics
Illustrate the other references compare and contrast the for each president from
differences ideology and political the Encyclopedia
between early characteristics of two Britannica list
American early American presidents
presidents

Tip: Use the list of verbs in the taxonomy table worksheet to help you choose
observable behaviors for your course learning objectives.

Learning Objectives
Let’s Practice: Identify the correct verbs and wording.
1. Select which verb is the best choice when writing observable behaviors.

 Understand or

 Write

 Identify or

 Know
Feedback for question 1 will appear here after you make a choice.
2. From the three learning objectives below, identify the correct one.

 Student will write at least four correct learning objectives that contain an observable
behavior, condition and degree of performance.

 Given five desired behaviors, student will write at least four correct learning objectives that
contain the observable behavior, condition and degree of performance.

 Given five desired behaviors, student will write learning objectives that describe an
observable behavior, condition, and degree of performance.
Feedback for question 2 will appear here after you make a choice.
3. What is wrong with this learning objective: “The student will interview a patient for her
medical history and document at least three of the four Patient History elements (chielf
complaint; history of present illness; review of systems; and past, family or social history). ”

 no observable behavior

 no condition

 no degree
Feedback for question 3 will appear here after you make a choice.
Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives and the Taxonomy Table
Once you write your learning objectives, plot each objective on the taxonomy table,
matching each learning objective with the appropriate cognitive process and type of
knowledge. Most courses, whether introductory or advanced, should have learning
objectives plotted throughout the table (like in the example below).

Plotted Learning Objectives for a Course

 Are intro course objectives always plotted on the left and advanced courses plotted on the
right? No, because the level of the course does not determine the level of thinking.
It seems logical that introductory courses would have more lower-level objectives and
advanced courses have more upper-level objectives, but this is rarely the case. For
example, a math course at any level covers concepts that require analysis and
evaluation, but most math concepts also involve a series of calcuations, procedures, or
rules which require remembering, understanding and applying.

Go to Module 4: Choosing Learning Activities. >>>

Choosing Learning Activities

So far, we've looked at how to write learning objectives and how to plot them on the
taxonomy table. In this module we will look at choosing learning activities that support
your learning objectives.

Learning activities are unique to each course, and you have lots of options. It is beyond
the scope of this tutorial to talk about all the types of learning activities you could
choose, but we will give a few examples and show you how they would be plotted on
the taxonomy table.

What are some options for learning activities?

It can be a challenge to choose learning activities that effectively accomplish your
learning objectives. These examples of learning activities will give you an idea of
learning activities for each cognitive process. Also, it is important to understand that,
even though you are targeting a particular cell on the taxonomy table with an
objective, your learning activities do not necessarily need to match up one-to-one in
the same cell. In fact, using a variety of cognitive processes can be the most effective
way to achieve one learning objective.

Choosing Learning Activities

So far, we've looked at how to write learning objectives and how to plot them on the
taxonomy table. In this module we will look at choosing learning activities that support
your learning objectives.

Learning activities are unique to each course, and you have lots of options. It is beyond
the scope of this tutorial to talk about all the types of learning activities you could
choose, but we will give a few examples and show you how they would be plotted on
the taxonomy table.

What are some options for learning activities?

It can be a challenge to choose learning activities that effectively accomplish your
learning objectives. These examples of learning activities will give you an idea of
learning activities for each cognitive process. Also, it is important to understand that,
 even though you are targeting a particular cell on the taxonomy table with an
objective, your learning activities do not necessarily need to match up one-to-one in
the same cell. In fact, using a variety of cognitive processes can be the most effective
way to achieve one learning objective.

Plotting Activities for Understanding a Concept

Persuasive Writing of a Historical Issue
(example from Anderson & Krathwohl’s A Taxonomy of Learning, Teaching & Assessing)
For the learning objective of explaining the effects of England’s taxes on American colonists in
the 1760s and 1770s, students are asked to research the facts of the historical context and
write a persuasive editorial article from the point of view of either a British loyalist or a
Patriot.
Objective plotted as:
Understand conceptual knowledge: the effects of England’s taxes
Activities:
Student activities required to remember  related facts, analyze  the contrasting points of
view,  evaluate the historical context to make judgments, and create a product based on the
concepts learned.
Let’s see how this example would be plotted on the taxonomy table:

Remember, choosing a variety of learning activities can be the best way to support
learning for a cognitive process or knowledge dimension. This example also illustrates
that incorporating higher-level cognitive processes can facilitate student learning.

Now let's continue to the next module and learn how to choose assessments that are
aligned with your learning goals. >>>

Choosing Assessments
No single type of assessment provides a complete picture of student learning, but
choosing the right type or right combination of assessments will give you a more
accurate measurement of how closely students have achieved the learning objectives.

In this module, we will review some general assessment concepts and look at several
types of assessment. As you read about each type of assessment, think about choosing
assessments and creating alignment in your course. We will look at:

 objective tests

 essays

 concept maps

 projects & performances

 Before we go on, let's assess your assessment smarts:
1. Anita Beaker needs to assess her Basic Chemistry students’ ability to remember the Periodic
Table of Elements. The most efficient choice of assessment would be a(n):

 Objective test

 Concept map

 Essay

 Project
Feedback will appear here after you make a choice.
2. Dr. Fortran must assess his Computer Program Design students’ ability to create a flow chart
that illustrates the operations of a computer program. He should choose a(n):

 Objective test

 Concept map

 Essay

 Performance
Feedback will appear here after you make a choice.
3. If you were teaching a Business Communications course, which assessment would you choose
to assess students’ ability to give a persuasive business presentation?

 Objective test

 Concept map

 Essay

 Performance
Feedback will appear here after you make a choice.
Now that you've had a little practice choosing assessments, let’s reviewing a few
assessment concepts and look closely at your assessment options. >>>

eneral Assessment Concepts & Tools

What are two types of assessment? Formative and summative.
Assessments have either a formative or summative purpose:

 Formative assessment is done before or during instruction (a pre-test or mid-

term assignment) to determine where students are in relation to the learning goals.
It provides feedback that shows teachers where to make adjustments in instruction
and shows students where to focus their efforts.

 Summative assessment is done at the conclusion of instruction (a final test or

project) to judge the quality of student skills and knowledge. Summative
assessment provides evidence that helps us judge student learning and assign
grades.

Formative assessment improves instruction; summative assessment proves instruction.

Need a tool for grading essays, projects or performances? Use a rubric.
Rubrics are a tool that make assessment and grading easier. A rubric is a scoring guide
that lists the required elements or characteristics of a student product and describes
different levels of quality for each element (see an example).

Rubrics are best suited for assessments such as essays, projects or performances
because they make grading easier and give students more detailed feedback. Rubrics
also facilitate alignment because they can directly reflect the learning objectives.
 To learn more about rubrics, visit our Creating a Rubric course.

Now that we have defined a few assessment concepts, let’s look at types of assessment
and when to use each. >>>

Choosing Assessments
Objective Tests
Objective tests are a “tried and true” method of assessment. They can be used
for formative or summative assessment and may have selected response or
constructed response questions such as:

Selected Response Constructed Response

 multiple-choice  fill-in-the-blank

 true-false  short answer

 matching  show-your-work

Tests: The good, the bad and the ugly.

Objective tests are convenient because they are easy to administer and score and allow
you to focus on several specific topics. For example, if correct spelling is the objective,
an objective test can specifically target that objective better than an essay, because in
essays students will only choose words they can spell correctly.

The drawbacks of objective tests are that they tend to:

 focus on simple cognitive processes like remembering and understanding

 compartmentalize learning and require students to perform out of context

 be subjective: even though scoring may be objective, test creation is subjective,

based on the instructor perspective

Choosing Assessments
When are objective tests a good choice for assessment?
Objective tests are typically used to assess remembering and understanding. If
constructed properly, they can also assess complex cognitive processes such as
applying, analyzing and evaluating.

Writing test questions that assess complex cognitive processes requires time, skill and
creativity. For these questions, incorporate text, quotes, data tables, charts, maps or
equations that require students to interpret, draw conclusions or evaluate.

Tips for Objective Tests:

 Design objective tests that reflect:

o the range of cognitive processes outlined in your learning objectives

o what student have learned and not content that was “covered” in
lectures

 Use text, quotes, data tables, charts, maps or equations in your test items to help
assess complex cognitive processes.

 Incorporate a variety of assessments for a more complete picture of student

learning such as: essays, projects, portfolios and demonstrations and essays.
Choosing Assessments
Applying Tests to the Taxonomy Table
Objective tests can effectively assess remembering and understanding. (The blue
shading shows where tests are most frequently and effectively used.) If written
correctly, they can also assess complex cognitive processes such
as apply, analyze and evaluate.

Tip for Assessing Procedural Knowledge: To assess procedural knowledge (the ability to
perform a skill), objective tests can assess prerequisite knowledge (shown in blue), but they
generally do not assess skills unless the procedure is a cognitive skill or "paper-and-pencil"
procedure that involves a mathematical problem, spreadsheet or map.
Online Resources for Creating Objective Tests

 How to Write Better Tests: A Handbook for Improving Test Construction Skills ,
Indiana University, Bloomington

 Testing Higher Level Skills, University of Leeds

 Designing Effective Objective Test Questions, Loughborough University

 Multiple Choice Questions, University of Technology, Syndey

Choosing Assessments
Essays
Essays allow students to demonstrate their ability to understand, apply, analyze,
evaluate and create. They can vary in length from short paragraphs to lengthy papers
and incorporate different styles like:

 descriptive or informational

 persuasive or argumentative

 evaluative or critical
When are essays a good assessment choice?
Essays are a flexible tool because they can be tailored to assess almost any type of
knowledge or cognitive process. They can also be combined with objective tests (as
short-answer essay questions) or be in-depth, multi-page manuscripts.

Use an essay when you want students to be deeply engaged in a subject and apply
complex cognitive processes. To write an essay, students must evaluate information,
analyze concepts and present them creatively and logically.

Essay Assessment Tips

When you use an essay for assessment keep these things in mind:
  Be clear about your expectations and use a rubric

 Allow yourself plenty of time to score essays

 Provide meaningful feedback to students as they progress

 Incorporate essay questions with objective tests to assess complex cognitive

processes

Choosing Assessments
Applying Essays to the Taxonomy Table
The table is highlighted in blue to show the wide range of knowledge and cognitive
processes that can be assessed with essays. Procedural knowledge is highlighted in
grey because, although the performance of a skill is best assessed by direct
observation, an essay can demonstrate basic knowledge of the procedure when
students tell you how they would perform the procedure.

Resources for Creating and Using Essays

Concept Maps: Just picture it!
Like essays, concept maps can be used for learning or assessment. Also called graphic
organizers or mind maps, they help students visually represent concepts and
relationships.

Concept maps can vary in structure and purpose. They can illustrate hierarchical
structures, key concepts (spider chart), processes, or decision trees.

Concept Maps Encourage Deeper Understanding

Concept maps give students a deeper understanding of concepts, processes or events.
When students develop a concept map they must specify the interrelationships between
concepts which:

 encourages complex, critical thinking

 stimulates deeper understanding and long-term memory of concepts

 requires learners to identify, classify and organize concepts and see relationships

 integrates new knowledge into existing cognitive structures

When are concept maps a good assessment choice?

Concept maps are useful for formative or summative assessment in any subject area.
They give you a picture—literally—of how students understand, organize or interpret
concepts so you can
correct misconceptions in student understanding.
 Assessment Tip
We do not all mentally structure concepts the same way, so unless there is a specific
organization or relationships that students need to know, allow for individual interpretations
of concepts and relationships.
Choosing Assessments
Projects & Performances
Projects are products that students create and performances are presentations of a skill
or creative work. They are excellent ways to double up on learning and assessment by
allowing students to apply new knowledge and skills to a “real world” activity while you
determine how well students have met the learning objectives.

Examples of Projects & Performances

Engineering & Architecture Business Humanities

 designs and drawings  economic models  speech presentations

 scale models  business proposals  debates

 structural evaluation  financial statements  produce a news show

report

Arts & Media Science Education

 musical and dramatic  inventions  lesson plans

performances
 maps  storytelling
 artwork and
 experiments  web-based instruction
photography

 scripts and storyboards

en do you choose a project or performance?

Use projects and performances when you want students to cover a topic in depth and
engage in authentic, “real-world” tasks. Most projects and performances are
challenging and require initiative, planning and problem solving. This means that they
can be tailored to assess almost any type of knowledge and cognitive process.

Assessment Tip 1
Semester-long projects or performances can be time-consuming, so it is important to give
students meaningful formative feedback as they progress. Weekly or bi-weekly feedback
helps students focus on the process of creating the project or performance rather than only
on the final product.
Assessment Tip 2: Yes, we definitely recommend a rubric.
Projects and performances are multi-dimensional and complex and a rubric allows you to
clearly define expectations. They can also help ensure validity and alignment because they
can reflect the specific and observable goals defined in your learning objectives.
See an example rubric for a digital storytelling project or our Creating a Rubric course.
plying Projects & Performances to the Taxonomy Table
Project and presentation assessments are unique and complex. The complexity means
that they have the potential for assessing a wide range of knowledge and cognitive
processes. Presentations are the only type of assessment that truly assesses procedural
knowledge.
 Projects and Performance Resources

 Types of Assessments: Projects

Now that we've looked at several types of assessments, let's review them. >>>

Assessment Review: Applying the Taxonomy Table

In this module, we saw that each type of assessment focuses on different cognitive
processes and types of knowledge. Now compare each type of assessment side-by-side.

Objective Tests (blue shows the cognitive processes and types of knowledge that
are typically assessed with objective tests, grey shows where which cognitive processes
and types of knowledge can  sometimes be effectively assessed.)

Assessment Review: Applying the Taxonomy Table

In this module, we saw that each type of assessment focuses on different cognitive
processes and types of knowledge. Now compare each type of assessment side-by-side.

Objective Tests (blue shows the cognitive processes and types of knowledge that
are typically assessed with objective tests, grey shows where which cognitive processes
and types of knowledge can  sometimes be effectively assessed.)

Essays (blue shows the cognitive processes and types of knowledge that

are typically assessed with essays, grey shows where which cognitive processes and
types of knowledge can  sometimes be effectively assessed.)
Concept Maps (blue shows the cognitive processes and types of knowledge assessed
with undirected concept maps; grey shows where which cognitive processes and types
of knowledge assessed with directed concept maps.)

Projects & Performances (the shaded area shows the wide range of cognitive

processes and types of knowledge that can be assessed with projects and
performances.)

When you choose assessments for your course, think about which are aligned with your
learning objectives and activities. No single type of assessment provides a complete
picture of student learning, but choosing the right type and right combination of
assessments will give you a better understanding of how well students have achieved
the learning objectives.
 A Note About Metacognitive Knowledge
Metacognitive knowledge, the awareness of thinking and learning, is critical to the learning
process. Because it is difficult to define and assess (and is a broad topic in itself) it is not
included in these tables. To learn more about metacognitive knowledge, see the Anderson,
Krathwohl book referenced in the Resources page.
page 13 of 14

Choosing Assessments
Congratulations, you completed the Assessment course!
Now you know that learning assessment is more than testing students and assigning
grades. It is a system that you design at the beginning of a course to give you feedback
about student learning, feedback about instruction, and evidence to support your
decisions about grades.

As a framework for building a system of assessment, we looked at the Revised Bloom’s

Taxonomy. This taxonomy can help align objectives, activities and assessments so that
students learn what you intend and you assess what students have learned.

We also looked at each component of course alignment: objectives, activities and

assessments. You learned that:

 learning objectives need to be specific, observable and plotted throughout the

taxonomy table

 providing learning activities at a variety of cognitive levels can be necessary to

accomplish one learning objective

 choosing the right type of assessment is important for accurately measuring

student learning.
How do I learn more about assessment?
To learn more about assessment or to print the job aids and worksheets included in this
course, see the Resources module.
 Projects & Performances (the shaded area shows the wide range of cognitive
processes and types of knowledge that can be assessed with projects and
performances.)

When you choose assessments for your course, think about which are aligned with your
learning objectives and activities. No single type of assessment provides a complete
picture of student learning, but choosing the right type and right combination of
assessments will give you a better understanding of how well students have achieved
the learning objectives.

A Note About Metacognitive Knowledge

Metacognitive knowledge, the awareness of thinking and learning, is critical to the learning
process. Because it is difficult to define and assess (and is a broad topic in itself) it is not
included in these tables. To learn more about metacognitive knowledge, see the Anderson,
Krathwohl book referenced in the Resources page.