The development of high quality assessments is part of the next generation of course redesign for large classes that is being facilitated by the Center for Learning Enhancement, Assessment, and Redesign. CLEAR has in place a comprehensive assessment plan to address the QEP that includes support and training for faculty, development of a community of practice, program evaluation, and reporting.
UNT Assessment and Measurement Specialist, Dr. Ron Carriveau, is responsible for facilitating the assessment component of the course redesign project and the assessment components of the QEP. He is available to the QEP faculty fellows whose courses are part of the redesign process as well as to faculty across the campus. In addition to providing training and support for the QEP faculty fellows, CLEAR makes available campus-wide trainings on assessment.
Assessment Handbooks
Writing Outcome-Based Assessments Handbook is available to UNT faculty and staff by emailing Dr. Ron Carriveau at ronald.carriveau@unt.edu. It is available outside the UNT system at the cost of $5.00 (which includes shipping and handling) by ordering from Teresa Cox, teresa.cox@unt.edu, at CLEAR. The handbook was written by Dr. Carriveau and contains an overview of assessment, steps for developing assessments, and guidelines for writing student learning outcomes, selected response items, and constructed response items, plus a sample form for writing a multiple-choice item.
Also available is Using Question Shells for Writing Multiple-Choice Items Handbook. In this Handbook, Dr. Carriveau provides the rationale for using multiple-choice items (particularly in large enrollment classes) to measure a broad range of cognitive difficulty levels, including factual and literal, interpretive and inferential, and critical thinking. Lists of question shells that address these various levels are included and are recommended for writing learning outcomes as well as test items. This handbook is available to UNT faculty and staff by emailing Dr. Ron Carriveau at ronald.carriveau@unt.edu and is available outside the UNT system at the cost of $5.00 (which includes shipping and handling) by ordering from Teresa Cox, teresa.cox@unt.edu, at CLEAR.
Assessment Training Workshops
CLEAR will offer the following assessment training workshops during the 2008-2009 academic year. Training is conducted by Dr. Ron Carriveau, Assessment and Measurement Specialist for UNT. Each session is 60 minutes. Attendance is limited to no more than ten participants. For a list of dates and times for the workshops see the CLEAR home page. To make reservations, please contact Teresa Cox at teresa.cox@ unt.edu or
1. Writing Outcome-Based Assessments - An Overview
Dr. Carriveau provides an overview of writing outcome based assessments, including the development of learning outcomes and assessment plans, writing scoring rubrics, writing test items, and conducting test item validation.
2. Writing Measurable Student Learning Outcomes
Dr. Carriveau presents guidelines for writing measurable learning outcomes and demonstrates their relationship to test items, test specifications, and course design.
3. Developing an Assessment Plan.
Dr. Carriveau provides examples of the components of an assessment plan, including purpose, general description and design, and test specifications (blueprints). Cognitive difficulty level of items and steps for developing an assessment will also be covered.
4. Writing and Validating Multiple-choice Test Items
Dr. Carriveau provides guidelines for writing multiple-choice test items, shows how to use an item construction form, and explains the use of item analysis for validating items.
5. Constructing Scoring Rubrics That Improve Objective Scoring
In this 1-hour training, Dr. Carriveau presents guidelines for developing scoring rubrics. Samples of outcomes based scoring rubrics with holistic and analytic formats will be provided. Emphasis will be put on the use of scoring level descriptions.
6. Writing Multiple-choice Items to Measure Higher Level Thinking
Dr. Carriveau demonstrates the use of question shells for developing multiple-choice test items at various levels of cognitive difficulty. Examples of critical thinking items will be provided, including the use of prompts and item sets.
7. Constructing Surveys
Dr. Carriveau provides guidelines for developing surveys and presents types of survey scales. Scale dimensionality and the use of survey data to help interpret test scores will be discussed. Participants will be introduced to the survey development service provided by the Texas Center for Educational Technology on the UNT campus.
8. Evaluating Student Learning.
Dr. Carriveau discusses grading and student evaluation designs in the context of an assessment system that is anchored on learning outcomes.
9. Using Data for Making Instructional Decisions
Dr. Ron Carriveau and Dr. Allen Clark demonstrate how assessment and demographic data can be used to make decisions regarding instruction, evaluation, course design, and program evaluation.
10. Evaluating Program Effectiveness
Dr. Ron Carriveau and Dr. Allen Clark present variables that can be used to examine instructional and program effectiveness. The concepts of assessment and evaluation at the course, program, and department level will be discussed. Participants will be introduced to the survey development service provided by the Texas Center for Educational Technology on the UNT campus.