Author Archives: takins2

There have been several articles published recently about the usefulness and efficacy of assessment in higher education. I won’t join the debate, partly because so much is dependent on the system of assessment that the culture of the institution has established. Assessment by its very nature is not monolithic. I will however, share some thoughts on how to make assessment meaningful here at JCCC: in your program and in your classroom.   To make Assessment meaningful and not a matter of compliance, I recommend focusing on three things:   Focus on the good it can provide students, rather than the work it generates. I am not denying assessment can take additional time to implement and evaluate, but a good assessment can help identify places in the curriculum where students are struggling and can lead faculty to develop additional resources and teaching practices to support student learning. Additionally, a strong assessment can fully integrate into the curriculum plan of the course; it shouldn’t and doesn’t have to stand Continue reading Assessment Debate→

Somethings are worth revisiting – frequently!  We have previously done posts in the blog about Bloom’s Taxonomy, but I recently gave a presentation on using Bloom’s to build test questions on the appropriate learning level to a great group of CTE instructors. I thought it would be helpful to share again, both with those who are familiar with Bloom’s and those who may be unfamiliar with Blooms.  Below are some of the informational highlights.  What is Bloom’s Taxonomy? Simply speaking, a tool used to define and distinguish different levels of human cognition –  thinking, learning, and understanding.  How does Blooms Work? Before you can understand a concept, you must remember it. To apply a concept, you must first understand it. To evaluate a process, you must have analyzed it. To create an accurate conclusion, you must have completed a thorough evaluation.  What can you do with Bloom’s? Educators have typically used Bloom’s taxonomy to inform or guide the development of assessments (tests and other evaluations of student learning), curriculum (units, lessons, projects, and other learning activities), and instructional methods.  For example, if you are teaching an introductory course which is designed to build student’s foundational knowledge of a subject, your test questions should remain in Continue reading Down & Dirty with Bloom’s Taxonomy→

The start of a new year is always an exciting time; the beginning of something fresh and new.  At least as of New Year’s day I hadn’t done anything yet to mess up my new year – I count that as success. In the new year we make resolutions and promises to ourselves of things we will do “right” this year.  I’m going to clear out my attic and make more healthy home-cooked meals.  I did not make a resolution about losing 15 pounds; that’s like a lifelong commitment! However, thinking about new year resolutions makes me wonder what types of resolutions might be made about assessment practices.  Below are a few of the ones I thought about, what can you add to the list? I resolve to take a look at my assessment results and do a trend analysis of all the data I’ve collected and ignored for the last 3 years. I resolve to align my assessment instrument Continue reading New Year, New Day, New Assessment→

Growing up in Florida, theme parties were all the rage.  I attended lots of water themed parties – often dressed as a sea creature or mermaid.  In high school we would have themed days for service to the community or activities like Grandparents day, Band Parent Day, and Super Hero Day (you can guess who I dressed up as). I don’t see much emphasis on themes now, but I would like to bring back this proud tradition from my youth and propose one for the January Assessment World Café – Reporting Our Assessment!  Now there is a theme I can really support.  You’ve heard me say repeatedly that assessment reports provide a roadmap for curriculum decision and changes made in your courses/classroom, while providing my office with data to tell the story of student learning at the College. So as you are working on your assessment plans this Fall and Spring semester; plan now to attend the World Café and Continue reading Reporting Your Assessment→

Although the summer season is not officially over until September, it might as well be for anyone working in education. Children everywhere will be getting on buses or parents will brave the drop off lanes in the coming days and weeks, while also preparing to return to syllabi, lesson plans, and more. The Kansas summer was hot, windy, wet, and busy. While we, the office formerly known as Outcomes Assessment, have gone through an official name change; it will not hinder our drive to provide exceptional service to the faculty of JCCC. We have a plethora of sessions being offered during Professional Development Days starting August 14, 2017: Assessment by Design Administrative and Service Area Review Process Assessment By the Book (Club) Program Review Reports Updates Ask a Peer Reviewer – Preparing for the HLC Site Visit From Good Grades to Good Learning World Café Look for times, locations, and session descriptions in your PDD calendar. If you are just Continue reading Welcome Back, Welcome Back→

Ah June. The first month of the summer season: outdoor concerts, swimming pools, the smell of sunscreen and bug spray, frozen treats, epic road trips, and summer camps. As adults, we have replaced summer camps with summer workshops. It’s a fabulous way to get together with colleagues from other institutions to network and get ideas for the upcoming fall term. Assessment by Design, a one day workshop, offers our colleagues an opportunity to learn about the Cycle of Assessment with the goal of developing an assessment plan for the upcoming academic year. Build your assessment toolbox with formative, summative, direct, and indirect assessments. Learn how to design a rubric and more. There are still a few openings for Friday, June 16th. The cost is $135 for the day and includes lunch, refreshments, a workbook, and lots of hands-on activities. Say “Hello” to June with us.