The assessment method one chooses is driven by the thinking skills articulated in the learning outcome to be measured. Depending on whether the assessment is formative or summative, consider how students will receive feedback on their work and what they respond to or incorporate this feedback.
Click on specific assessment methods below to reveal recommended learning technologies that could facilitate such assessments.
The learning outcome types are in order from lower-level thinking (Recall, Understanding) to higher-level thinking (Apply, Analyze, Evaluate, Create).
Learning Outcomes Types and Assessment MethodsLearning Outcome Type1DefinitionAction Words for OutcomesDiscussion QuestionsBest PracticesAssessment MethodsRecallRetrieve, recall, or recognize knowledge from long-term memoryDefineDescribeIdentifyLabelListLocateMatchNameRecallSelectStateWhat do we already know about...?
What did you notice about...?
What are the principles of ...?
How does...tie in with what we learned before?
Allow multiple attempts (reiteration)InterleingWeekly & daily practice quizzes (multiple choice, multiple answer, fill in blank, matching questions, true/false)In-video quizzesJournalsUnderstandDemonstrate comprehension through one or more forms of explanationArticulateClassifyContrastClarifyDemonstrateDescribeDiscussExplainInferExtendInterpretParaphraseSummarizeSummarize...or Explain...
What will happen if...?
What does...mean?
How might you demonstrate...?
Explicitly share the organization of activitiesStructure opportunities to connect new learning to prior knowledge and/or lived experienceWeekly & daily practice quizzes (multiple choice, fill in blank, short answer questions)Concept mapsProblem setsVideo discussionsDiscussion boardsGroup (collaborative) annotation of articles/ textbooksIn-video quizzesApplyUse information or skill in a new situationApplyCalculateChangeChooseConstructDiscoverExperimentIllustrateManipulateModifyPredictSolveUseWhat would happen if...?
What is a new example of ...?
How could...be used to...?
What is the counterargument for...?
What would you he done in this situation? What do you think they should do?
How does ....play out in this context?
Use rubrics to offer incremental feedback on projectsReflection discussion boards (how do concepts relate to the real world, field, etc.)Problem setsBlog postsJournalsPapersCase studiesAnalyzeBreak material into its constituent parts and determine how the parts relate to one anotherAnalyzeAppraiseCategorizeCompareContrastDebateDiagramDifferentiateExamineExperimentOrganizeWhy is ... important?
What might...he in common?
How are they different?
What are the implications of...?
Explain why / explain how?
Scaffold complex tasksMake evaluative criteria explicitCase studiesPapersDebatesGroup (collaborative) annotation of articles/ textbooksEvaluateMake judgments based on criteria and standardsAppraiseAssessCompareContrastCritiqueDefendDetermineDiscriminateEstimateExplainInterpretMeasurePredictSummarizeSupportHow does ...affect ...?
Why is...happening?
What is the best...and why?
Do you agree or disagree with the statement...? What evidence is there to support your answer?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of...?
What is the nature of...?
Design rubric for peer feedback and evaluation and self-evaluationPeer review activitiesGroup member evaluationSelf-evaluationJournals, critiques, product reviews, studiesProblem setsCreatePut elements together to form a new coherent or functional whole; reorganize elements into a new pattern or structureAnimateArrangeCreateConstructDesignDevelopDeviseFormulateGenerateModifyOutlineProduceReconstructWhat is the solution to the problem of...?
What do you think causes ...?
What is another way to look at...?
Offer several, varied exemplars to model and inspireMake explicit criteria for the provision of reflection on/rationale for creative choicesPortfoliosProject (research, performance, website design)PapersCase studiesPeer-reviewed video presentations1 Learning outcome types are pulled from Bloom's Taxonomy.