Assessments

Welcome to the Assessments page of the Sauder Teaching Playbook.

Assessing learning is an integral part of the teaching and learning process. Learning assessments are used to evaluate students’ knowledge, skills, and abilities, and to provide feedback that can help improve their learning outcomes. Sauder Learning Services offers assistance with a wide range of assessment tools and strategies to support faculty and students in their pursuit of academic excellence. We are committed to providing guidance and resources that will assist instructors in designing effective assessments that align with course learning objectives, while also helping students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Explore our resources and services to learn more about how we can support your teaching and learning goals

Formative and Summative Assessments

Formative assessment and summative assessment are two different types of assessments used in education.

Formative assessments are used during the learning process to evaluate students’ understanding and progress toward learning goals, a continuous process that provides ongoing feedback to both students and instructors. They can take many forms, including quizzes, homework assignments, classroom discussions, reflective writing, and feedback from peers. The primary purpose of formative assessment is to provide students with feedback that they can use to improve their understanding and performance.

Summative assessments, on the other hand, are used at the end of a learning period or course to evaluate students’ overall learning achievement. They help determine the extent to which students have achieved the learning outcomes or objectives of the course. Examples of summative assessments include final exams, standardized tests, and end-of-unit assignments. Their primary purpose is to provide an overall evaluation of students’ learning and to determine whether they have met the expected learning outcomes.

Types of Assessments

At their best, assessments are “authentic.” That is, they should measure students’ understanding of real-world tasks or problems relevant to their learning. In this way, authentic assessments evaluate not only students’ knowledge but also their ability to apply that knowledge to authentic, real-world situations that are relevant to their future lives and careers.

Examples of authentic assessments include performance-based assessments such as oral presentations, projects, case studies, and portfolios. These assessments typically involve students demonstrating their understanding and ability to apply their knowledge and skills in a practical context. Authentic assessments are designed to assess not only the content knowledge of students but also their ability to think critically, solve problems, communicate effectively, and collaborate with others. They provide a more accurate representation of students’ ability to apply their learning in real-world contexts and also encourage students to take ownership of their learning and provide a more engaging and meaningful learning experience.

Discussion Forums

Online discussion forums are virtual spaces where students and instructors engage in conversations and share ideas about course-related topics. They can take various forms and are accessed via UBC’s learning management system, Canvas, or other online platforms and can play an important role in assessing university student learning. They provide an excellent, easy-to-use platform for students to express their thoughts and ideas while promoting active learning. Through participation in online discussions, students can demonstrate their understanding of the course material, critical thinking skills, and their ability to articulate their thoughts in writing. Instructors can use online discussion forums to evaluate students’ learning progress by reviewing their contributions to the forum, including the quality of their responses, their level of engagement with their peers, and their ability to provide constructive feedback that broadens classmates’ understanding of course concepts. This information can be used to provide students with feedback on their learning progress, identify areas where they need additional support, and adjust teaching strategies as needed to better meet the needs of their students.

Discussion Forums are, typically, asynchronous. That is, not live. They can be created as an assignment for grading purposes (seamlessly integrated with Canvas Gradebook), or simply serve as a forum for topical events. They are also a great way to establish social interaction among peers, instructors, and TAs in an online course. They allow for an ongoing dialogue while providing the flexibility of participants not having to respond right away (though due dates and other timing parameters are recommended when used as an assessment). Online discussions also offer an opportunity for students to engage more deeply with the content in a (usually) low-stakes way.

For more information on how to setup Discussion Forums in Canvas, please see this page: Setting Up Discussion Forums in Canvas. Or, contact our team in Learning Services.