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The Online Activity & Assessment modules will detail each of the levels of Blooms, and other aspects of the taxonomy worth noting (various assessment goals within, types of knowledge represented, etc). I’ve broken down the levels in to three sub-modules… though learning is more fluid and messy then this. Each sub-module has a separate section for activity, and for assessment… though learning is more fluid and messy than this;-) You will connect with some of what is suggested and provided here. Try adding them in your own course to create complex and exciting learner experiences that engage, and challenge your learners.

There is no ‘one path’ through this workshop. Jump around as your interest directs…. pick your own adventure. To meet the minimum requirement of the workshop assure that you complete all elements presented in the workshop checklist.

NOTE: For those who would like to build a foundation on activity and assessment as a starting point, I strongly advice that you review the linked overview before you begin your journey through the rest of the workshop modules.

Activity as an ‘in-process’ tool

We are all very familiar with graded tests, lab work, academic papers, etc. When taking a course we all go to the course outline to see how to pass the course, what parts of the course make up this grade, and what detail must be involved in getting us those grades. This is an important part of the process of formalized (academic) assessment/rigor.

Less overt is the variety of ways that learners must practice, practice, practice. They must memorize the terminology of a discipline, challenge their world view, connect with experts to expand upon course readings, and connect elements in to processes / procedures worth testing.

Activities are (unstable) processes that help learners move from the introduction of new knowledge/abilities through to (stable) ‘checkpoint’ testing.

These are critical to the process of learners receiving feedback for improvement.

Assessment as a ‘checkpoint’ tool

Assessment happens to check if learning has occurred, by including different ‘markers’ in the course where learners show us what they know.

Generally we assess to grade. What we ask them to do can actually be (in general) to gather data for 1 of 3 different reasons;

1. Assessment FOR learning: We will build in assessment points here in order to gather data that we can use to gauge if what we are doing (our teaching methods) are working. We look to see if learners have achieved the level of learning we had planned, and adjust our future teaching accordingly.
2. Assessment OF learning: We will build in assessment points here in order to gather data that we can use to compare student performance/mastery, and to report out (issuing a resulting grade).
3. Assessment AS learning: We will build in assessment points here in order to help learners gather data that they can use to gauge where they are (on track/off track). We help learners to determine if they have achieved the level of learning we had planned, so that we can help them to adjust for any needed corrections in their performance/mastery.

These are critical to determine the degree to which a learners has achieved a course outcome.