Due to the massive shift to online classes, this FLC investigated best practices for effectively delivering assessments online. Effective assessments (both formative and summative) are vital for gauging how well students are performing and for maintaining integrity both in our classes and at UMBC in general. Members of this FLC, which met during AY 2020-21, addressed questions including:
- How to design assessments that ensure the demonstration of completion of learning objectives.
- How to ensure the integrity of assessments (prevent cheating). Provide a test bank? Use anti-cheating software? What types of assessments discourage cheating?
- Best strategies for assessment. Low frequency, high-stakes exams? High frequency, low-stakes quizzes? Completely online, or submission of paper & pencil work?
- How to grade assessments. Points for attendance? Multiple attempts? How to handle and provide meaningful feedback for paper & pencil work.
Even with the eventual return to face-to-face classrooms, addressing these questions and having best practices for online assessments was important for the future as some classes will remain online, new online classes may be added, and in the event that we must again transition quickly to an online format.
Members:
Gautom Das (CBEE)
Abhijit Dutt (CSEE)
Farah Farahati (ECON)
Tiffany Gierasch (CHEM)
Cody Goolsby-Cole (PHYS)
Loren Henderson (SAPH)
Nancy Kusmaul (SOWK)
Sarah Leupen (BIOL)
Neha Raikar, Facilitator (CBEE)
Ivan Sekyonda (CSEE)
Liz Stanwyck (MATH & STAT)
Samples of Work:
Available in this Threadbox
Poster
Online Assessment Ideas
Project Ideas Jamboard
Future Assignments