CIT Teaching & Learning Unit

Formative Assessment

Using formative assessment is a great way to keep students on track, especially during the current disruption to their learning - the following are some general tips for implementing formative assessment:

• Embrace short quizzes: Creating short quizzes in Canvas can be a great way to keep students engaged with module concepts, particularly if they are interspersed with small chunks of video lecture. They can be used to spot check student learning, identify misconceptions and to hold students accountable. If using short quizzes for accountability purposes, consider using very-low-stakes quizzes to give students practice at applying concepts—just enough points to hold them accountable, but not so many that the activity becomes all about points.
• Check for publishers' test banks : If you are already using a publisher's textbook in your course, check to see whether the publisher has question banks that can be loaded into Canvas– these can be useful for creating short quizzes..

Summative Assessment

Providing high-stakes summative assessments online can be challenging, as they place extra stress on students, and academic integrity can be difficult to ensure. However, the following are some general tips for implementing summative assessment:

• Embrace quizzes that move beyond simple facts: Quizzes in Canvas can be used for both formative and summative purposes. However, if it is for the latter, it is best to move beyond factual answers that students can quickly look up. Instead, write questions that prompt students to apply concepts to new scenarios, or ask them to identify the best of multiple correct answers.
• Use assignments but be prepared to change assignment expectations as appropriate: Students' may have limited access to resources they need to complete assignments, and team projects may be harmed by a team's inability to meet. Be ready to change assignment expectations based on the limitations this crisis may impose. Possible options include allowing individual rather than group projects, having groups record presentations, or adjusting the types of resources needed for research papers. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
  • Require only common software: Students may not have access to specialty software located in on-campus computer labs so unless the students have permissions to load software onto a computer they can access, they may be unable to use these tools. Be ready with a backup plan for such students.
  • Collect assignments using Canvas: Use assignments in Canvas to collect assignments rather than email as it’s better to adopt a standard approach that is both easier for students and for you to manage.
  • State expectations but be ready to allow extensions : Some students will undoubtedly have difficulties meeting deadlines. Make expectations clear but be ready to provide more flexibility than you normally would in your class.
• Consider alternate assessment approaches: Delivering a secure exam online can be difficult without a good deal of preparation and support, so consider giving open-book exams or other types of exams. These can be harder to grade, but easier to implement and are at the end of the day how a lot of people function in their day to day working life. The following resources may prove useful in helping you decide on suitable alternative:
  • TLU:
    • Guide 5 - Alternatives to traditional exams
    • Guide 6 – Essays and Alternatives to Essays
  •  Irish Higher Education institutions and organisations
    • Selecting Online Alternatives to Common Assessment Methods a resource from the National Forum for the Enhancement for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education containing case studies and resources from the Irish context.
    • Guidance for Designing Alternative Assessment Methods COVID 19 Contingency - a useful resource produced by University College Dublin containing some core principles to consider when designing alternative assessment
    • Exemplars and Case Studies of Technology-Enhanced Assessment in FE and HE Institutions - a guide developed by DCU Teaching Enhancement Unit as part of the Irish Universities Association Enhancing Digital Teaching and Learning Project that contains a bank of technology-enhanced assessment exemplars across a range of disciplines.
    • The Hitch-hiker's Guide to Alternative Assessment - an excellent resource by Damien T. Gordan Computer Science Lecturer, and Educational & Disability advocate, TU Dublin.
  • International Higher Education institutions:
    • Advice from Prof Sally Brown (Emerita Professor of Higher Education Diversity in Teaching and Learning at Leeds Metropolitan University, Visiting Professor at University of Plymouth, Adjunct Professor at University of the Sunshine Coast, and James Cook University) and Prof Kay Sambell (Professor of Higher Education Pedagogy, Department of Learning and Teaching Enhancement, Edinburgh Napier University)
      • Contingency-planning-exploring-rapid-alternatives-to-face-to-face-assessment
      • Fifty tips for replacements for time-constrained, invigilated on-site exams
    • Alternatives to Traditional Exams and Papers Resources from Indiana University Bloomington listing many alternative assessment options

However, advice from the following resources should be kept in mind when considering alternative assessment approaches:

• UCD: Assessment Workload and Equivalences
• UCD and IADT: Inclusive Assessment & Feedback Universal Design Case Studies from IADT and UCD
• National Forum for the Enhancement for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
  • 10 Points to Consider in Choosing Alternative Assessment Methods for the Online Environment
  • 10 ways to ensure online assessment is accessible and inclusive