Learner-Centered Assessment on College Campuses, Huba & Freed, 2000

Learner-Centered Assessment on College Campuses, Huba & Freed, 2000

Proposed Framework for ES&D Workshops Regarding Learner-Centered Assessment

Please consider the following for a series of workshops on learner-centered assessment. These workshops would be based on the book Learner-Centered Assessment on College Campuses, Huba & Freed, 2000. Each chapter below would provide the framework for a specific aspect of learner-centered assessment. The objectives are listed as well as a set of directed questions. The workshops would involve pre-reading of the selected material from the book. Within the workshop, small group discussion would revolve around the guided questions as well as any issues relevant to attendees and their own teaching situations.

Learner-Centered Assessment on College Campuses, Huba & Freed, 2000

Chapter 1: Experiencing a Paradigm Shift Through Assessment

Objectives:

  1. Articulate the need for a change toward a learner-centered paradigm in College teaching and assessment.
  2. Explain the two main purposes of assessment, the connection to objectives, and common critiques of MCQs.
  3. Describe the changes necessary in individual instructors, as well as entire systems, needed to shift to a learner-centered educational paradigm.
  4. (Continue to) feel wildly enthusiastic about teaching and learning!

Questions for directed reading: (SKIP pp. 15-24)

  1. Why is the traditional lecture not the most effective way to help students learn? (pp. 3-4)
  2. Comparing student-centered with teacher-centered learning, how do they differ in terms of:
  3. Teacher role/practice
  4. Student role
  5. Role of assessment
  6. How learning takes place
  7. Learning environment/culture (pp. 4-5)
  8. Why is there a need for systems thinking? (p. 6-7)
  9. What are the two main purposes of learner-centered assessment? (p. 8)
  10. How are intended learning outcomes of institutions or entire programs (i.e. competencies) tied into learning goals of courses and classes (i.e. objectives)? (p. 10)
  11. Evaluate the common critiques of objective tests like MCQs and true-false. (pp. 11-13)
  12. How might an instructor’s use of time in a learner-centered educational system be different compared with the traditional teacher-centered approach? (pp. 25-26)

Chapter 2: Understanding Hallmarks of Learner-Centered Teaching and Assessment

Objectives:

  1. Describe the various components of effective learning environments.
  2. Describe how the role of instructors and students changes in a learner-centered approach to education.
  3. Analyze (parts of) the current medical school curriculum for these components.

Questions for directed reading:

  1. Given the theory of constructivism, what is it about lecturing that promotes the learning of PROFESSORS? (p. 35)
  2. To what extent and in what ways is comparison of college education to performance-based learning (arts and sports) justified? (pp. 35-36)
  3. What does it mean to teach “gray” to students (as opposed to black and white) using ill-defined problems, and why is this important? (pp. 37-38)
  4. What is the central question of authentic assessment (and how does that related to medical education)? (p. 42)
  5. Briefly describe the relationship between basic knowledge and process skills? (p. 42)
  6. Analyze the writing and statistics example. What are the three main problems with the curriculum organization? (pp. 44-45) How does this situation compare with the medical school curriculum?
  7. How do errors ultimately help lead to excellence? How can instructors facilitate an environment of continuous improvement and what role do scoring rubrics play? (pp. 46-47)
  8. What is the importance of prior learning and experience? (p. 49)
  9. What is generative knowledge? (p. 50) What is the importance of this concept for medicine?
  10. In terms of teaching and assessment, describe how the role of instructors changes with a learner-centered approach. (pp. 53-55)
  11. How can instructors assess their own performance? Why is it important for students to see instructors as learners? (pp. 56-57)
  12. What are the learning benefits of respect and the problems with fear in learning environments? (pp. 58-60)

Chapter 4: Setting Direction with Intended Learning Outcomes

Objectives:

  1. Articulate the importance of intended learning outcomes for educational institutions and instructors.
  2. Describe the characteristics of effective learning outcomes.

Questions for directed reading

  1. In learner-centered instruction, how does the focus on teaching goals change? (p. 93)
  2. What are the main purposes of assessment? How is assessment linked to learning outcomes? (pp. 94-96)
  3. Describe the link between intended learning outcomes of institutions and those of individual instructors. (pp. 96-97)
  4. Explain the benefits of sharing intended learner outcomes with students. (pp. 97-98)
  5. Using the first two criteria of effective learning outcomes, create two intended learning outcome statements. (p. 99)
  6. How do educational institution’s mission and values statements shape intended learning outcomes of individual instructors? (pp. 100-106)
  7. Explain the importance of an entire systems approach to intended learning outcomes. (pp. 107-111)
  8. Discuss the benefits of moving from “subject matter” objectives or “content” outcomes toward “process” outcomes or “developmental” objectives. (pp. 112-115)
  9. Given the final criteria (pp. 116-117), compose one intended learning outcome that might occur at the program level in your area of specialty and one that would help accomplish it at the individual lesson level.

Chapter 6: Using Rubrics to Provide Feedback to Students

Objectives:

  1. Describe how rubrics, shared with students, increase learning.
  1. Describe the role rubrics play in providing effective feedback to learners.
  1. Be able to construct quality, useful rubrics to use in your teaching.

Questions for directed reading:

  1. What is the most important aspect of feedback for students which they often do not receive? (p. 153)
  2. Describe the role of “revelation” in giving effective feedback. (pp. 154-155)
  3. How do rubrics function as a feedback tool? (p. 155)
  4. What are the two types of criteria to consider when designing a rubric? (p. 166)
  5. Describe the benefits of grouping criteria into categories. (p. 167)
  6. Describe why detailed commentaries, including consequence descriptions, are so useful for learners. (pp. 167-169)
  7. Describe how rubrics educate students. (pp. 169-172)
  8. Describe the link between rubrics and intended learning outcomes. (p. 173)
  9. How can rubrics be used to provide intermediate feedback (i.e. before the end of a project or assignment)? (pp. 174-175)
  10. What do you need to consider when creating the criteria for your rubric? (pp. 178-179)
  11. What are the advantages of using clear, objective descriptions, as well as qualitative differences, in your achievement level rubric areas? (pp. 180-183)
  12. How do intended learning outcomes help guide your rubric construction? (pp. 186-187)
  13. What factors might cause your rubric to change over time? (pp. 188-189)
  14. Sum up the characteristics of effective feedback in a learner-centered environment. (pp. 193-195)

Chapter 7: Assessing Students’ Ability to Think Critically and Solve Problems

Objectives:

  1. Articulate the importance of using ill-structured problems for College students, including undergraduates.
  2. Describe how three types of knowledge – declarative, procedural, and metacognitive – are integrated and used to improve students’ ability to think critically and solve problems.
  3. Create appropriate and effective assessment tasks in your area of expertise.

Questions for directed reading:

  1. What are the advantages of ill-defined problems over typical “textbook” problems? (pp. 202-205)
  2. Do these advantages apply to the field of medicine? Explain.
  3. Describe how working to solve ill-defined problems benefits students. (pp. 212-213)
  4. Describe the three types of knowledge needed to think critically and solve problems. (pp. 215-220). Include the following:

a) How can instructors help students learn facts and concepts?

b) How is expert problem-solving automaticity a barrier when teaching students how to use knowledge?

c) What are some examples of “domain specific procedural knowledge” in your field? Which heuristics are used? Which algorithms or reasoning strategies?

d) How can instructors explicitly teach metacognition to their students?

  1. How do “true tests” differ from traditional objective assessments? (pp. 221-222)
  2. Describe how ill-defined problems help meet some of the “characteristics of an exemplary assessment task”. (pp. 225-227)
  3. Using the three types of knowledge discussed in this chapter, describe how instructors can use their intended learning outcomes to create effective assessment tasks. (pp. 227-229)
  4. Using #7 (p. 230) and figure 7-10 (p. 223), which assessment formats would work the best in your area of expertise?

Chapter 8: Using Portfolios to Promote, Support, and Evaluate Learning

Objectives:

  1. Describe the factors involved in designing a portfolio system to promote student learning and evaluate programs.
  2. Articulate the benefits of using portfolios, for both students and professors, to promote and support learning.

Questions for directed reading:

  1. What are two benefits of using portfolios to assess students? (p. 234)
  2. Describe advantages and disadvantages of all-inclusive portfolios. Of electronic portfolios. (pp. 235-36)
  3. How can portfolios help in the development of metacognitive skills? (p. 238)
  4. Describe how portfolios can be used to gain a deeper understanding of typical student achievement in a program. (pp. 239-240)
  5. List some advantages of the portfolio method in program evaluation. (p. 241)
  6. Describe the metacognitive benefits of portfolios. (p. 244)
  7. Describe the link between active learning in a student-centered environment and portfolios. (pp. 244-245)
  8. What are the benefits when students select entries for their portfolios? (p. 247)
  9. Describe some obstacles in the process of student self-evaluation/reflection. (pp. 248-252)
  10. How can instructors help students deal with emotional issues that may result from self-reflection? (pp. 253-254)
  11. How does the professor-student relationship differ from the traditional dynamic to a learner-centered environment using portfolios? (pp. 255-256)
  12. What role do rubrics play in portfolios? (p. 256)
  13. Explain how multiple perspectives, normally a sign of unreliability, actually enhance the feedback students receive regarding their portfolios. (pp. 258-259)
  14. What is the fundamental difference between using portfolios in assessment compared with most other methods? (p. 259)
  15. Describe the benefits of portfolios to professors. (pp. 259-262)
  16. Describe the benefits of using portfolios for students. (p. 262)

Chapter 9: Shifting the Paradigm: Individual and Organizational Implications

Objectives:

  1. Describe the obstacles in shifting from a teacher-centered to learner-centered educational approach.
  2. Describe the steps to overcome these obstacles.

Questions for directed reading:

  1. Describe the difficulties involved with being a “lone reformer” in educational paradigm shifts. (pp. 272-274)
  2. What needs to happen for educational institutions to transform and adopt a new learner-centered paradigm? (pp. 275-276)
  3. Describe how an individual instructor can help create an “assessment mindset”. (pp. 276-280)
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