Which Assessment Tool Should I Use?

Assessment Type

Suggested Tools

Formative Assessment

The goal is to monitor student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by instructors to improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning.

  • Often referred to as the assessment for learning.
  • Prepares learners for the summative assessment(s) and focuses on improvement and feedback.
  • Should occur often, start early, and be generally low stakes.

Examples: Weekly assignments, labs, graded discussions, proposals, or chapter quizzes

Accessment slate

Quiz Tool

Assignment Tool

Discussion Tool

Rubrics Tool

Grades Tool

Checklist Tool

Summative Assessment

The goal is to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against some standard or benchmark.

  • The goal is to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against some standard or benchmark.
  • Often referred to as the assessment of learning

Generally high stakes, which means that they have a high point value

Examples: Final exam, midterm exam, major course paper, or capstone project

Quiz Tool

Assignment Tool

Discussion Tool

Informal Assessment

Used to just to provide feedback to the learner. These assessments are not evaluated and don’t contribute to the grade of the course

  • Informal assessments can play a significant role in learning, but they are a method or strategy to assist a learner in their learning.

Examples: Reflective journals, participation

Self-Assessment

Assignment Tool

Discussion Tool

Survey

Checklist Tool

Class Progress

Which Tool I Use?

Scenario

Suggested Tools

Collaboration

Increase collaboration between students by using the tools available in Brightspace and help create a community of learners, which will provide better opportunities for learning.

  • Increase engagement

  • Build community

  • Share and learn

  • Virtual office hours 

Reflection

Use Brightspace to encourage student reflection on topics covered.

  • Provide reflection opportunities

Collaboration

Discussion Tool 

Groups

Chat

Disseminate Information

Giving learners timely information is critical to keep them on track and increases success rates. Use Brightspace (D2L) to keep students informed of important dates and events, and to provide access to reference tools.

Quote John Dewey

Announcements

Activity Feed

Community

Fostering a connection with your students is especially important in an online environment. Use Brightspace (D2L) to build instructor presence, and facilitate online discussion and debate.

  • Create instructor presence
  • Build sense of community
  • Engage learners

Discussions

Intelligent Agents

Personal Pronouns

AwardsTool