Improve Your Instruction with Five-Minute Assessments

Instructional assessment is like… what? Going to the dentist? A detoxifying organic juice cleanse? Reviewing the details of your life insurance policy? All good things, undoubtedly, but not immediately satisfying. A webinar I recently attended, however, presented assessment of library instruction in a very appealing and directly rewarding way. Even for one-shot sessions. The webinar, “How to Improve Your Library Instruction: Assessment in Five Minutes,” was presented by Sarah Steiner and hosted by ALA. Steiner focused on how to write effective learning outcomes and how to base assessment questions around those outcomes.

Learning Outcomes

Learning outcomes should state what learners will be able to do and provide context for why they should feel motivated to do it. They should be action-oriented and aligned with class priorities. Steiner recommends drafting 3-5 learning outcomes per session. A learning outcome begins with a “stem” that sets a time frame and identifies an audience. For example, “By the end of this class, you will be able to…” It then uses an action-oriented and measurable verb to describe a new skill learners will acquire. Steiner recommends that instructors consider Bloom’s Taxonomy when selecting these verbs.

Bloom’s (Cognitive) Taxonomy

A hierarchy of skills related to critical thinking about a topic, such as library research. The hierarchy moves from basic to advanced.

1. Knowledge: Memorization and basic understanding

Example learning outcome verbs: define, describe, identify

2. Comprehension: Grasping the meaning of material, instead of simply repeating

Example verbs: comprehend, convert, discover

3. Application: Using material in a new situation

Example verbs: apply, change, manipulate

4. Analysis: Breaking down material in order to understand its organizational structure

Example verbs: analyze, contrast, diagram

5. Synthesis: Putting parts together to form a new whole

Example verbs: categorize, combine, compile

6. Evaluation: Judging the value of material within a scenario

Example verbs: appraise, conclude, criticize

The learning outcome then ends by identifying a specific product or outcome. Perhaps crafting a thesis statement for a classroom assignment or a keyword search strategy for a real-world scenario. The outcome should speak to what students need within context. Well-crafted learning outcomes provide the basis for evaluating instruction.

Assessment Tools

Your assessment should be built around your learning outcomes. Convert those outcomes to questions. Steiner outlined several tools and options for asking assessment questions. In all cases, answers should be reviewed by the instructor during class. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"779","attributes":{"class":"media-image alignright size-medium wp-image-382","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","width":"300","height":"296","alt":"Tick placed in Excellent"}}]]Polls Polls taken mid-class can ensure that students understand a given topic before moving on to the next. They involve active learning and provide immediate feedback to the instructor. You might use “clickers,” vote-via-text-message services, web forms, or simply raised hands. Quizzes Quizzes (either both pre- and post-instruction, or just post-instruction) measure student understanding. You might use open-ended questions, such as “list two things to help determine if an article is scholarly or popular” or “define ‘empirical article’ in one sentence.” Or you might use multiple choice questions, which take less time. For any format, avoid two-part questions. Minute Papers Minute papers allow students to reflect on what they’ve learned and communicate that back to instructors. You might prompt your students to write for one minute in response to a specific question (such as “what is the most meaningful thing you learned today” or “list something you still don’t understand”) or encourage them to reflect in a more free-form way.   Steiner emphasized the importance of reviewing responses to assessment questions on the spot. Look for trends in answers – don’t feel the need to act on every individual response. You should have an “elevator speech” prepared for each of your major learning outcomes. If assessment responses indicate that students do not understand, reiterate those points in 30 seconds or less. And congratulate students on the questions that everyone got right.

Why Assess?

Classroom assessment of library instruction can:

• Identify gaps and disconnects in understanding;
• Help determine where to spend class time;
• Build instructor confidence (by putting the focus on learning outcomes rather than on the instructor);
• Provide evidence of impact;
• Provide a basis for change.

Have any assessment tips to share? Drop a note in the comments. And consider trying a new assessment technique for your next one-shot. You may find it even easier and more rewarding than making that dental/insurance/organic detox appointment.