READ | TEACHING @ | ASSESSING TEACHING
what | why | when | how | feedback
WHEN SHOULD YOU ASSESS TEACHING?
The easy answer to the question, "When can teaching be assessed?" is, "Whenever you can, as long as you still can make sense of the data." Much of the formal assessment usually will take place during the middle or end of the academic term, in the form of questionnaires or focus groups--whereas informal assessment can take place throughout the quarter. As soon as you start teaching, you can give your students opportunities for checking their own understanding, while at the same time giving you feedback, about what they are learning. At other times, you may want to know if students have retained concepts that you have taught, even beyond the time they are enrolled in your class.
A good approach is to not collect data from your students unless you plan to do something with it. When students take the time to fill out a questionnaire or participate in a focus group, they are giving of themselves to help you improve yourself. Make sure that you honor their gift by taking what they say seriously and using it to make instructional decisions.
See Table X and the next section for a list of times for assessment and the methods appropriate for those times.
Type of Assessment |
When to Use It |
How to Use It |
Feedback on Your Instruction (FYI) |
Anytime you want, but it is especially helpful at the midterm or end of quarter |
Construct questionnaire from the database, print it out, administer to students, and analyze results. |
Small Group Instructional Diagnosis (SGID) |
Most often used for midterm evaluation |
Conducted by an FTAD instructional consultant, analyzed collaboratively by you and the consultant |
Peer Review of Teaching |
Repeatedly throughout the term or multiple terms |
Review peer's observations with the peer |
Student Evaluation of Instruction (SEI) |
End of term |
Students complete in class or online. Analyze the results sent to you individually or with the help of an instructional consultant. |
Classroom Assessment Technique (CAT) |
Ongoing |
Consider your context, the amount of student effort, and the amount of instructor effort when selecting a CAT. Analyze the results to determine student achievement. |
Assessment embedded in normal practice |
Ongoing |
Use student achievement on exams, quizzes, and assignments to determine how well students are responding to the instruction. |
Classroom observations and videotapes |
Throughout the quarter |
An instructional consultant visits your class to observe or videotape, and takes notes on both the instructor and students. Review and analyze the notes with the consultant. |
 previous page |
