Explore New Approaches to Assessment

Monday, May 13, 2024

By Christine Sandella

Student's hand typing on a laptop Join the Teaching, Learning and Technology Center on Thursday, June 6, for an immersive and dynamic day focused on new approaches to assessment. The remote, full-day workshop series will delve into various topics, including the art of designing engaging video and digital story assignments; harnessing the power of ePortfolios to showcase student learning; exploring how to incorporate AI engineering into assessments for deeper learning and student engagement; and crafting assignments that foster digital literacy, creativity, communication, collaboration, and presentation skills.

Through interactive sessions, hands-on activities, and collaborative discussions, participants will gain practical insights and actionable techniques to enrich their teaching practices and enhance student learning outcomes. By the end of the series, participants should be able to:

Summarize the principles of authentic assessment and its importance in fostering deeper student engagement and learning
Develop alternative authentic assessment strategies tailored to their specific courses and disciplines, integrating principles of digital literacy, creativity, communication, collaboration, and presentation skills
Design effective video and digital story assignments that align with course objectives and promote creativity, critical thinking, and communication skills
Create and assess ePortfolio assignments that support the development of digital literacy skills and showcase student learning progress
Incorporate AI prompt engineering in assessments for deeper learning and student engagement.

Session Schedule

Welcome and Overview of Authentic Assessment
9:15 - 9:45 a.m.

In this session, we will discuss authentic assessment principles and practices, exploring how to design assessments that authentically reflect real-world skills and competencies while enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes.

Integrating Digital Storytelling into Dynamic Assessments

10 - 11 a.m.

In this interactive session, participants will discover innovative approaches to incorporating video elements into their assessments. Learn how to design compelling assignments that harness the power of storytelling and visual communication to engage students and promote critical thinking, creativity, and effective digital literacy skills.

ePortfolio and Creative Multimedia Assignments
11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

This session will focus on incorporating digital literacy skill development into existing courses by creating a multimedia assignment using Adobe Creative Cloud. First, we will discuss a process, including a prompt and rubric, for replacing an assignment with an Adobe Express assignment. Then, we will explore how students can display their work and promote themselves using Adobe Portfolio.

Gradescope Demo Led by Professor Jason Hemann

1 - 2 p.m.

This session will provide insights into the practical application of Gradescope, an online platform for grading exams and assignments that allows instructors to upload assessments in various formats, such as PDFs, and then grade them digitally. Associate Professor Jason Hemann, Ph.D., will share his firsthand experience using Gradescope’s technology to simplify and improve the grading process for electronic and handwritten assessments. Topics covered will include AI-assisted answer grouping, a best-in-class speedy grading system, flexible and dynamic rubrics, seamless Canvas integration, and unified course management across multiple sections.

Harnessing AI Prompt Engineering in Assessments
2:15 - 3:15 p.m.

In this session, participants will learn how AI can revolutionize assessment design, fostering deeper learning and increased student engagement. We will discuss how AI technologies can be used to craft prompts that challenge students to think critically, apply knowledge, and demonstrate mastery of complex concepts.

Categories: Science and Technology