An exam or assignment can serve as a learning device and as an assessment tool. These tips can help you design tests and activities that do both.
Assessment isn’t just about figuring out a final grade; there are many ways that feedback and assessment can be used to increase student learning. Here are a few ideas you might be interested in. To see the rest of each list, click the "read more" links below.
Assessment Ideas
| Categorizing Grid |
Students are given an incomplete table with super-ordinate concepts and a scrambled list of subordinate terms, equations, or other items that belong in the various categories. Students have a limited time to sort the subordinate items into their correct categories on the grid. |
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Defining Features Matrix
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Students analyze and list defining features or characteristics of given concepts. This technique helps students distinguish characteristics and critical defining features between concepts. |
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Pro/Con Grid
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A quick list of pros and cons that correspond to a decision, theory, etc. This technique forces students to explore at least two sides of an issue and to weigh the value of competing claim |
For other ideas, read more.
Tips on Helping Students Learn from Exams
- At the start of the next class give a short quiz with the 5 questions most students missed on the exam. You can do this activity for learning only or you can also count the quiz points toward grading.
- On the test, let students write a test question or problem they were well prepared to answer, yet were not asked on the exam. They also need to answer their proposed question. You can grade students’ added test questions on their answer to the question and/or on the quality of the question (appropriateness, difficulty level).
For other ideas, read more.
Related Documents
This article discusses the advantages of giving timely feedback to students as well as some practical ways to do it.
