Preparing Your Course for Gen Ed Assessment

Gen Ed Assessment Checklist

Before the semster starts:

• Align Gen Ed area learning outcomes to your course-level outcomes
  • Identify the classroom activities (lectures, readings, demonstrations, experiences) that scaffold and support student mastery of the outcomes
  • Identify both formative and summative assessments you will employ.
  • Use this alignment worksheet to map out these items
  • What are your expectations for student performance? Write that down.
• Identify both your 'Big Question' and your 'Signature Assignment'.
  • Remember to post your Signature Assignment in your Canvas course. The words 'signature assignment' must appear contiguously somewhere in the assignment title.
• Determine how you will collect assessment results.
  • You can leverage the outcome tool in Canvas to automate data collection.
  • If not using Canvas, identify another way to collect data.

At the conclusion of the semester:

• For each General Education outcome your course addresses, consider the following:
  • Assessment results - how did students perform on the identified assessment(s)?
    • What percentage of students achieved the level of performance you identified at the beginning of the term?
  • Analyze and reflect on your results. Some questions to consider:
    • Do my assessments align to my activities?
    • Are my assessments appropriate for the level of learning I am trying to achieve (Bloom's Taxonomy)?
    • Are my assessments adequately scaffolded by class activities?
    • Are my expectations reasonable? Are they too high or too low?
  • Close the loop - what actions will you put in place to support improved student performance or experience?
    • Don't forget to follow-up on the changes you make.

Worksheets to help you document your assessment are available:

• Evidence of Learning Guides