This article presents a general overview of student learning assessment in higher education while suggesting how assessment techniques and activities can help you, your students and faculty groups support continuous improvement of learning at the course, program and university levels. I especially liked the comments posted by “Dan” that focus on the need for assessment to be collaborative within a department.
From: Inside Higher Ed
If you’ve read the latest of the Teaching Professor circulated to many faculty, you already know this: Where learning is concerned, active learning beats lecturing. A recent meta-analysis of 225 studies published in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences (PNAS) provided overwhelming evidence that active learning (of many kinds) both increases exam scores and lowers failure rates. For more details, read the article below, the piece it references in the Teaching Professor, or the study itself. (Note: If you are an instructor at Tech and don’t currently get a copy of the Teaching Professor, just let us know…we can fix that!)
More Evidence That Active Learning Trumps Lecturing
From Faculty Focus – Higher Ed Teaching Strategies from Magna Publications
By Maryellen Weimer, PhD
This article from the Faculty Focus e-newsletter explores the intersection of computer-based testing and an open-book, open-note approach to focus on higher level Bloom’s taxonomy assessment. It’s definitely worth a read!
Why Open Book Tests Deserve a Place in Your Courses
Faculty Focus – Higher Ed Teaching Strategies from Magna Publications
By: Matt Farrell and Shannon Maheu
Brandon Martinez is 4th year double Major studying Scientific and Technical Communication and Business Marketing. This is his third year as an IGSC3 Coach. He has a Minor in International Spanish and is a fluent Spanish speaker. His other Minors include Global Business, and Journalism. Also a Media and a Spanish consultant in the Humanities Digital Media Zone, he spends most of his time in Walker. On the weekends you can usually find him playing tennis or out on an adventure.
Excellent article on using frequent assessments:
Note that the article is honest about how much work is involved, though with experience and technology, I think a balance can be found.
Another very good blog post. MaryEllen really knows how to speak to current issues….
May 6, 2015 Faculty Focus
By Maryellen Weimer, PhD
From Faculty Focus – Higher Education Teaching Strategies from Magna Publications:
An article from Faculty Focus, which publishes articles on effective teaching strategies for the college classroom — both face-to-face and online.
From eCampus News, Technology News for Today’s Higher-Ed Leader:
http://www.ecampusnews.com/top-news/time-online-course-281/3/
Global Literacy Learning Goal Luncheon – April 8
During the next academic year, Michigan Tech will focus on assessing and improving the way Global Literacy (learning goal #3) is taught, both in general education and across all disciplines. This event is designed to get faculty ready. Participants will be asked to do some preparation about one week before this event. The goal committee will then lead discussions on assessment criteria, sample assignments and other ideas to weave Global Literacy skills into any program. Sign up here.
Plagiarism Education Week 2015
Turnitin’s 2015 Plagiarism Education Week conference, Copy/Paste/Culture, examines how current global trends are affecting our values, especially those related to education, and proposes strategies on how we can address these challenges. The Office of Academic and Community Conduct is partnering with the Center for Teaching & Learning to host 45-minute webcasts devoted to sharing ideas and best practices with educators and students about plagiarism and academic integrity. Premier thought leaders will include educational experts, passionate educators and Turnitin All-Stars, all of whom will share their perspectives, lessons, and research. These webcasts will be recorded and a link will be made available at a later date. All faculty, staff and students are invited to attend! For more information please contact Rob Bishop via email (rmbishop@mtu.edu) or phone (487-1964).
Monday, April 20, 2015 at 1 pm, Admin Bldg – Room 404
Changing Culture to Promote Integrity: Why Progress Is Possible
David Callahan, author of The Cheating Culture: Why More Americans Are Doing Wrong to Get Ahead
Monday, April 20, 2015 at 4 pm, Admin Bldg – Room 404
A Student-Centered Culture: Promoting Integrity One Conversation at a Time
Michael Goodwin, Academic Integrity Coordinator at Kennesaw State University
Tuesday, April 21, 2015 at 1 pm, Admin Bldg – Room 404
Narcissism and Extrinsic Values: Understanding Student Trends that Impact Plagiarism and Cheating
Jean Twenge, author of The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement
Tuesday, April 21, 2015 at 4 pm,, Admin Bldg – Room 404
Wikipedia in the Classroom: Authority, Trust, and Information Literacy
LiAnna Davis, Director of Programs at Wiki Education Foundation
Wednesday, April 22, 2015 at 1 pm, MUB – Alumni Lounge
Improvisation and Plagiarism: Fostering a Culture of Creativity
Teresa Fishman, Director of the International Center for Academic Integrity (ICAI)
Wednesday, April 22, 2015 at 1 pm, MUB – Alumni Lounge
The Cultural Implications of Contract Cheating
Tricia Bertram Gallant, Director of Academic Integrity at UC San Diego
Thursday, April 21, 2015 at 1 pm,, Admin Bldg – Room 404
Decisions on Deadline: A 21st Century Gaming Approach to Teach Plagiarism and Ethics
Samantha Grant and Brittney Shepherd, co-producers of A Fragile Trust