Demonstrating Success through Assessment: Don’t Leave Outcomes to Chance – STS
With Dominique Turnbow, UCSD Librarian
1) Title: First write the learning outcomes, then plan the rest: assessment to make one shot sessions successful
2) Abstract (150-250 words):
Many librarians know that assessment should be a part of the planning process for instruction; however it is usually an afterthought. Well-written learning outcomes can lead to thoughtful, effective assessment and sound instruction. Learning outcomes that focus on goals that aren’t possible to measure during a one-shot workshop can lead to a feeling that assessment and instruction isn’t working. In these situations, outcomes likely focus on behaviors that should be assessed summatively and only after the learners have had practice (i.e. database searching techniques). Instead, most one-shot outcomes should focus on formative assessment, that is, behaviors that can be reasonably observed during the workshop.
This presentation will raise awareness about how to write formative learning outcomes for in-person instruction for large classes without computers and in computer labs, as well as for online instruction. The presenters will discuss concrete examples that have been used in science classes (primarily biomedical). This presentation will include best practices for:
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using different assessment techniques such as the “one minute paper,” “muddiest points,” and survey tools, such as Google Forms;
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employing clickers when you don’t have a computer lab; and
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creating assessment for online learning.
Participants will leave with a solid understanding of formative and summative assessment, concrete examples of outcomes that can be used in one-shot library sessions or online and assessment strategies to address them.