Journal Entry: Ten

As the class comes to a close, we faced the challenge of completing 3 activities for this module. The first activity involved the submission of the final project. The final project for the course was based on the dimension of assessment tools relating to a mock online course that was created solely for this project. We had to select and analyze the benefits, application of 4 assessment tools. In our analysis of these tools, we also had to incorporate Benjamin’s Bloom’s (1960) dimensions of knowledge ((cognitive learning, behavior/skills, and attitudes/values) into the final project. Lastly, we were instructed to examine the effects of plagiarism on the learning outcomes of the mock online course. The second activity of this module relates to the completion of a rubric of self-assessment relating to the final project. The third activity involved the discussion topics that were generated from the selected reading materials. My final project is available at this link: http://www.freewebs.com/chris-martin/Jigsaw%20Final%20Project.pdf

Dimensions of Assessment
Outcomes assessment of student learning, the effectiveness of a department’s curriculum, and teaching effectiveness can be accomplished by measuring Benjamin Bloom’s (1960) dimensions of knowledge (cognitive learning, behavior/skills, and ttitudes/values). Measures of Cognitive Learning: Knowledge. These measures can be either course-specific or focused upon major or discipline, and can include:

•Knowledge – questions are designed to ask what, when, where, and who. Knowledge of facts, definitions, terms are typical of memory items. A typical question would be: "Define social psychology.” It is highly unlikely that this would be used as an outcome measure of student learning as questions which test knowledge typically only require rote memorization rather than actual learning.

•Comprehension - This is the lowest level of learning and understanding. It involves students’ ability to translate information into their own words. A typical question would be: "Explain the rhetoric of identification in your own words."

•Application – In this level students are asked to apply their knowledge to different situations and in different contexts. Students are expected to abstract information learned and apply it to daily life. A typical question: "Name the three stages of perception checking and explain how perception checking can improve our ability to communicate."

•Analysis – Analysis questions ask students to analyze, compare and contrast relationships between things. For example, "How are the theories of social comparison and psychological centrality similar? How are they different?"

•Synthesis – Here students are asked to pull together parts and elements to form a whole. A typical question might be: "How do you explain the phrase, `You don't communicate to someone, you engage in communication with them?'"

•Evaluation – Evaluation is considered to be the highest level of student learning, as students are asked to make judgments about the value of the material presented. A typical question would be: "Explain, in detail, why you think that the transaction model is an appropriate/inappropriate representation of the communication process."

Source: The University of Montana http://www.umt.edu/provost/assessment/default.htm