In today’s blended learning environment, colleges and universities are constantly challenged to find a balanced and effective way of improving the assessment process while improving academic integrity.
Assessing student knowledge lets colleges and universities gather information on student performance, their progress, and the overall learning process. However, in the current hybrid learning environment old formulas do not work any longer. Appropriate, innovative assessment helps to reduce learning gaps while continuing to improve and measure students’ learning progress.
Higher education and education technology leaders have recently discussed the state of assessment at Fierce Technology’s virtual event, Higher Education: Technology Profiles in Success — Spring. The session, sponsored by Labster and Honorlock, focused on the implementation of strategies including more weekly engagement mechanism, social media applications, chats, and a variety of assessment tools in order to better measure how students have understood and assimilated the course material.
Leading the interactive session discussion, Assessing Assessment: Evaluating Learning while Maintaining Academic Integrity, T.J. Rains, Vice President for Information Technology and CIO at Lindenwood University, walked an audience of faculty members, administrators, and information technology officers through some of the challenges and lessons Lindenwood University went through and how they came up with their assessment model, experience that could help other institutions.
According to Rains, Lindenwood University went through a strategic realignment process through formalized initiatives to support quality and growth imperatives in on-campus, online, and hybrid offerings. The university adopted a strong set of strategic initiatives and a supportive organizational structure in order to align programs and services with learner expectations.
Many of these changes took place as a result of the impact caused by the pandemic and the need to move to a remote learning setting for some time. “Lindenwood University took this time as a dedicated effort to build up the next generation strategic plan for the institution, really focusing on online growth and hybrid growth opportunities but also identifying new initiatives that would help build and strengthen our program quality and approach assessment management in the long run,” Rains said.
The new generation of students expect colleges to anticipate what they need and deliver it when and how they need it. It is a generation characterized by a demand for instant gratification. Lindenwood University is building a strategy that adapts to meet the students’ needs and expectations. “We build what is missing to make sure they are well served and we are meeting their expectations,” says Rains.
So, to support remote learning impacts on current and future student expectations Lindenwood University leveraged digital learning environment (LMS + Lecture Capture + Live Video + Integrated Content Distribution Services), added academic and student support services, and created a new service adoption to support remote learning which includes:
- Virtual Lab infrastructure
- Enhanced proctoring tools and OER resources
- Administrative collaboration software
- Video conference capable spaces for hybrid flexibility
- Equip faculty/staff with necessary software and tools to teach anywhere
- New assessment strategies supported by instructional designers, technology, and faculty development
Strategy and innovation best practice
Rains explains how Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory (ELT), one of the best known educational theories in higher education, positions experience as paramount in disseminating knowledge and reinforcing development.
Lindenwood University is taking some elements from the Experiential Learning Theory and incorporating them into their organizational model. “The Authentic Assessment model really ties well into the Experiential Learning Theory model as well,” Rains said. He describes the Experiential Learning cycle (see graph above), and summarizes by saying that in essence, students are getting engaged in the learning process at a deeper level rather than using just memorization.
According to Rains, Authentic Assessments are more in line with real-world scenarios. Authentic Assessment applies judgment, skills, and critical thinking capabilities. Some examples of Authentic Assessment include:
- Project or task-based
- Portfolios
- Scenario Reflection
Rains shared some of the components that Lindenwood University learned during the process, which include:
- The importance of backward design
- Design courses and programs with checkpoints and build an accountability structure
- Faculty buy-in, and academic/instructional design support
- Leverage program and course revisions as an opportunity to introduce Authentic Assessments
- Use OER content as an opportunity to refocus on learning design
- Bounded autonomy: Give as much autonomy to learners to guide the learning process
Register to watch this session on-demand here.
For other sessions from the event see:
Technology Critical to Facilitate Higher Education Decision-Making