School of Science
Assessments
Washington State University
- Program-level Outcomes Assessment is explained in terms of its purposes and processes. at Washington State University
https://my.wsu.edu/portal/page?_pageid=177,268268&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment
- Toolkit - they provide information on commonly used tools that university uses for assessment, i.e. Tests, Surveys and Portfolio
http://www.learningoutcomeassessment.org/ToolKit.html - The NILOA 2009 national survey report, "More Than You Think, Less Than We Need: Assessment in Higher Education"
http://www.learningoutcomeassessment.org/NationalSurvey.html
Association of American Colleges and Universities
- VALUE (Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education)
Fifteen institutional-level draft rubrics were created through the VALUE project. Each of them contains the most common and broadly shared criteria or core characteristics for judging the quality of student work.
http://www.aacu.org/value/rubrics/index_p.cfm?CFID=36459341&CFTOKEN=67099616 - Critical Thinking Assessment provides examples and further resources on assessing critical thinking
http://www.aacu.org/resources/assessment/critical_thinking.cfm
Assessment Resource Center, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- The useful links page is a resource hub containing articles and examples of assessments shown by skill, subject or type of assessment.
http://www.polyu.edu.hk/assessment/arc/links/reference_e_criteria.htm
ASKe at Oxford Brookes University
- ASKe is the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning being recognized for good practice based on pedagogic research into aspects of assessment carried out by staff in the Business School and the Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development.
http://www.brookes.ac.uk/aske/
Tools
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
- Program and Courses Outcomes System (PACOS) is a free web-based system designed for departments to use as a centralized web system, which manages the course and program information in regard of OBE, e.g. ILOs and mapping.
http://www.cse.ust.hk/obe_software/
Example of Program Learning Outcomes
/files/public/eplo_science.pdf
The examples here describe what graduates of a program should be able to do as a result of learning experiences within that program. Some of them are written according to the criteria set by accrediting and professional bodies.
Example of Aligning Learning Outcomes and Assessments
Department: Biology, University of Minnesota
Full text: http://www.mrs.umn.edu/committees/asl/biology.shtml
Annotated summary: /files/public/u_minnesota_biology.doc
The Biology Department of University of Minnesota uses both summative and formative assessment as well as sustainable assessment tasks (e.g. portfolio) to measure students' attainment of learning in different areas which show a very strong alignment between the learning outcomes and the assessment.
Examples of Programs
Constructive Alignment
The University of Manchester provides Undergraduate Programme Specifications for School of Chemistry, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, School of Mathematics, and School of Physics and Astronomy. Under each school, you can see the intended learning outcomes of the programme(s) are clearly defined under a) Knowledge & Understanding, b) Intellectual Skills, c) Practical Skills, and d) Transferable Skills and Personal Qualities. Both the teaching and learning activities and the assessment are aligned with the intended learning outcomes.
- School of Computer Science
http://intranet.cs.man.ac.uk/Study_subweb/Ugrad/ProgSpecs/cs-spec/ - School of Mathematics Programme Specifications
http://www.eps.manchester.ac.uk/tlc/resources/programme-specifications/mathematics/index.htm - School of Chemistry Programme Specifications
http://www.eps.manchester.ac.uk/tlc/resources/programme-specifications/chemistry/index.htm - California State University Channel Islands Chemistry Program
http://www.csuci.edu/academics/catalog/2007-2008/15_programsanddegrees/07_chemistry.htm
The Chemistry Program at CSUCI is based on a "Big Ideas*" approach to the discipline. Students will learn how to apply the "Big Ideas" skills to their analysis of concepts and problems. In addition to implementing the "Big Ideas" across the curriculum, students learn how to improve their analytical thinking, oral and written communication, and problem solving skills as individuals and in teams. The culmination of the degree involves a Chemistry Colloquium in conjunction with a service learning project, internship, or independent research experience. Writing skills are developed in all upper-division Chemistry courses.
Big Ideas*: Geometric Structure; Electronic Structure; Forces between Molecules; Thermodynamics; Kinetics and Reactions
Oregon State University (OSU) Biology Program
Students taking courses within the Biology Program represent diverse interests and skills. The program's intended learning outcomes match the Biology Program goals, and are reflected in the outcomes and assessments of the various courses Biology majors complete. A variety of assessment methods is use such as portfolios are used to assess skills development and exams are used to assess conceptual understandings.
Examples of Rubics
Science lab report
- http://www.schreyerinstitute.psu.edu/pdf/ScienceExperimentsRubric1.pdf (Penn State University)
Oral presentation
- http://www.schreyerinstitute.psu.edu/pdf/OralCommRubric3.pdf (Penn State University)
Others
Student Assessment of Learning Goals web site
Contact Point
Prof CHOW King Lau
Email: bokchow@ust.hk
Telephone number: 2358 1559
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