26 Module 2: Creating and modifying assessments and feedback to reflect cultural and linguistic diversity
Course Design
The modules in this micro-credential are designed following the 4A‘s approach.
Activate prior knowledge – includes tasks that help participants make connections to existing schemata
Acquire new knowledge – presents foundational readings and tasks that introduce target concepts
Apply new knowledge – tasks to connect new knowledge to current practice
Assess the knowledge – formative assessment applications and summative assessment suggestions for individuals seeking a micro credential
Module 2 Delivery
Objective:
Re-design an existing assessment following UDL and CSP principles, clear instructions, and a detailed rubric that aligns with the expectations for the assignment.
Outcomes:
- Revise an assessment, including the rubric, with annotations that explain the principles applied.
Framing the Training
Asset-Based Pedagogy
If you did not complete Module 1, we recommend that you start this unit by framing it with the section from Module 1 that is intended to introduce or review concepts of Asset-Based Pedagogies. These concepts underpin the information in this module, so we encourage participants to complete this section first.
In order to decide if you should direct participants to this section, you can ask yourself the following questions:
- Are participants familiar with the concepts of deficit approaches, difference approaches, and asset-based approaches?
- Are participants familiar with the concepts of Culturally Relevant and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy?
If participants are not familiar, or only somewhat familiar with these concepts, we advise that this section be completed before progressing to other parts of the module.
Learner Diversity and Assessment
Learner Linguistic and Cultural Diversity
Activate
What: Recognizing unique prior cultural and linguistic experiences that may influence learners’ output.
How: Personal notes
Acquire
What: Cultural and linguistic differences that may be transferred to learners’ English language academic output.
How: Read about aspects of cultural and linguistic differences that may be evident in learners’ course work. Listen to a video where students explain how their educational background influences their writing style.
Apply
How: Identify potential linguistic and cultural influences that are evident in a learner’s assignment that faculty have graded. Identify ways that prior learning experiences that differ from North American expectations can be an asset.
Grading and Feedback
Activate
What: Acknowledging personal beliefs and practices around grading and the extent that cultural and linguistic differences are accommodated.
How: Notes
Acquire / Apply
What: Understanding of the perceptions and impact of various grading practices on post-secondary ELLs.
How: Watch video of university students talking about how the feedback they received was or was not effective and how it made them feel.
What: Effective and ineffective strategies for assessing ELLs
How: Read the questions and then listen to a podcast describing strategies for assessing ELLs that are effective and cautions against ineffective strategies. This podcast is not targeted specifically to post-secondary; however, most of the points are transferable. Read the responses to the questions with additional tips. [H5P Accordion]
More Effective Strategies Q & A: S2 More Effective Strategies Q & A [Word] S2 More Effective Strategies Q & A[PDF]
What: Grading Multilingual Students Issues
How: Read the suggested approaches by Leora Freedman from U of T which are written in response to faculty questions around grading. Answer specific questions based on the reading. [H5P Questions]
S2 Grading Multilingual Students Comprehension Check [Word] S2 Grading Multilingual Students Comprehension Check.docx[PDF]
Apply
How: Apply guidelines to your next assessment and reflect on success in supporting ELLs.
Designing Equitable and Inclusive Assessments
Activate
What: Reflect on personal experiences with assessments and how they relate to one’s worldview. Think about assessments taken while studying another language.
How: Personal notes
Acquire
What: Connect guidelines and practical applications of UDL (Universal Design for Learning) in higher education and CSP (Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy) with assessment practices. Tips and strategies outline how assessments can be inclusive of learners in both form and content.
How: Read about a variety of reasons that different types of assessments may not be value and culture-free and read specific guidelines and tips from CAST to create assessments that support and value diversity and meet UDL guidelines, including co-creating assessments. Read aspects of CSP that connect to assessments. [H5P Accordion]
S2 UDL Tips for Writing Assessments [Word] S2 UDL Tips for Writing Assessments [PDF]
Assess
How: Complete a self-check quiz to evaluate grasp of module concepts related to UDL and CSP approaches to assessment. [H5P presentation]
S2 UDL and Assessment Knowlege Check [Word] S2 UDL and Assessment Knowlege Check[PDF]
Apply
How: Participants evaluate assessments used in their courses to determine changes that can be made to include multiple means of action, representation and engagement as well as inclusion of more diverse form or content.
Challenges with Assessments
Apply
What: Identify what aspects of multiple choice, true false and essay-type questions can be challenging for ELLs.
How: Read about specific types of question and reflect on why it can be challenging for ELLs. [H5P presentation]
S2 Challenging Assessment Questions [Word] S2 Challenging Assessment Questions [PDF]
Writing Clear and Concise Instructions
Acquire
What: Guidelines to writing clear and concise instructions.
How: Read the drop-downs for each main guideline for writing clear and concise instructions. [H5p Accordion]
S2 Writing Clear and Concise Instructions [Word] S2 Writing Clear and Concise Instructions [PDF]
Apply
How: Evaluate a current set of instructions used in an assessment against the tips for writing clear and concise instructions and modify accordingly.
Developing & Using Rubrics to Support Learner Success
Activate
What: Reflect on personal experience with rubrics. Question the clarity and usefulness of the rubrics, how participants used them and whether they had input into the content.
How: Personal Notes
Acquire:
What: The benefits of rubrics for students and instructors, the different types of rubrics, and best practices.
How: Read about the benefits of rubrics for students and instructors. Examine the different types of rubrics and read the hotspot information on the rubrics to learn more about each type of rubric.
Holistic Rubrics: S2 Holistic Rubrics [PDF] S2 Holistic Rubrics.docx [Word]
Analytic Rubrics: S2 Analytic Rubrics [Word] S2 Analytic Rubrics [PDF]
Single Point Rubrics: S2 Single Point Rubrics [Word] S2 Single Point Rubrics [PDF]
Assess
How: Complete a short quiz to self-check understanding of the different types of rubrics. [H5P presentation]
Rubric Knowledge Check: S2 Rubric Knowledge Self-Check [PDF] S2 Rubric Knowledge Self-Check [Word]
Apply
How: Participants review rubrics currently used in their courses for rubric type, use of clear and accessible language, and inclusion of ways to actively include learners in the assessment process.
Assess
What: For participants completing this module as part of a micro-credential badge, assign a summative assessment that incorporates the concepts covered in the module.
How: SP2 Summative Assessment & Rubric
SPELL 2 Assessment: SPELL-2-Fnl-Assessment [Word] SPELL-2-Fnl-Assessment [PDF]