Assessment Resources
Assessment Guidance from OTEAR
At OTEAR, we support faculty and staff in enhancing teaching through effective evaluation methods and assessment strategies. Here you will find a variety of resources, tools, and best practices to help you design, implement, and improve assessment methods. If you have questions and would like to speak with a member of the OTEAR staff, please email us at otear@rutgers.edu.
Overview of Assessment
Assessment is an important process that is designed to enhance the student learning experience and evaluate the success of different instructional approaches. Through methodical data collection and analysis, we can measure students’ academic readiness, learning outcomes, and skill acquisition. This process helps us refine teaching methods and ensures that our courses and programs remain rigorous and aligned with industry standards.
Comprehensive assessment practices help instructors and departments identify areas where students may be underperforming. By pinpointing gaps in student learning, targeted frameworks can be introduced to strengthen instructional methods and improve overall student performance. After these strategies are implemented, the course or program is reassessed to measure the change in the originally identified areas. This process is referred to as “closing the loop” (Barkley & Major, 2016). By using an iterative, data-driven approach to assessment, instructors and departments can track whether their instructional approaches are delivering the intended learning outcomes of the course or program. This process creates a learning environment that is responsive to student’s needs and a curriculum that aligns with the university’s mission.
Furthermore, assessment plays a crucial role in overall program evaluation and institutional effectiveness. It enables departments and universities to demonstrate how well they are meeting established learning goals and preparing students for advanced studies or professional careers. This data is also essential for demonstrating program quality to accrediting bodies, potential students, and other stakeholders. University Academic Affairs leads the framework for continuous improvement and academic program review.
Key Steps of the Assessment Cycle
Resources Available through the Rutgers University Libraries
- Anderson, L. W., Krathwohl, D. R., & Bloom, B. S. (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing : a revision of Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives. Longman.
- Banta, T. W., & Palomba, C. A. (2014). Assessment essentials: planning, implementing, and improving assessment in higher education (Second edition.). Jossey-Bass.
- Barkley, E. F., & Major, C. H. (2016). Learning assessment techniques : a handbook for college faculty (First edition.). Jossey-Bass, A Wiley Brand.
- Brookhart, S. M. (2004). Assessment theory for college classrooms. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 2004(100), 5–14.
- Hanson, J. M., & Florestano, M. (2020). Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Critical Component for Effective Instruction. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 2020(164), 49–56.
- López-Pastor, V., & Sicilia-Camacho, A. (2017). Formative and shared assessment in higher education. Lessons learned and challenges for the future. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 42(1), 77–97.
- Mastrokoukou, S., Kaliris, A., Donche, V., Chauliac, M., Karagiannopoulou, E., Christodoulides, P., & Longobardi, C. (2022). Rediscovering Teaching in University: A Scoping Review of Teacher Effectiveness in Higher Education. Frontiers in Education, 7.
- Nieminen, J. H. (2024). Assessment for Inclusion: rethinking inclusive assessment in higher education. Teaching in Higher Education, 29(4), 841–859.
- Pereira, D., Flores, M. A., & Niklasson, L. (2016). Assessment revisited: a review of research in Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 41(7), 1008–1032.
- Seifert, T., & Feliks, O. (2019). Online self-assessment and peer-assessment as a tool to enhance student-teachers’ assessment skills. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 44(2), 169–185.
- Suskie, L. A. (2018). Assessing student learning : a common sense guide (Third edition.). Jossey-Bass.
- Walvoord, B. E. F., & Anderson, V. J. (2010). Effective grading : a tool for learning and assessment in college (Second edition.). Jossey-Bass.
Suggested Reading
- Rutgers University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). A complete list of the standards required for affiliation is available.
- National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment New to Assessment Guide
- Truman State University’s Assessment Terms Glossary
- American Library Association’s Examples of Direct and Indirect Measures for Assessment
- The Assessment CyberGuide for Learning Goals and Outcomes
- Jankowski, N. A., Timmer, J. D., Kinzie, J., & Kuh, G. D. (2018, January). Assessment that matters: Trending toward practices that document authentic student learning. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois and Indiana University, National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA).
External Resources
References
Barkley, E. F., & Major, C. H. (2016). Learning assessment techniques : a handbook for college faculty (First edition., Chapter 6). Jossey-Bass, A Wiley Brand.
Doran, G. T. (1981). There’s a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management’s goals and objectives. Management Review, 70(11), 35-36