The Cutting Edge Embedded Assessment Project

Evaluation of the On the Cutting Edge project rested on self-report data describing teaching practice. In order to verify these results and to better understand geoscience teaching nationwide, Cutting Edge sponsored the Classroom Observation Project as well as this Embedded Assessment project as direct measures of classroom teaching practices and student learning outcomes. The Embedded Assessment team explored a way to assess student learning in diverse classrooms across the country through a set of team-developed and tested assessment questions to measure growth through the major. As part of this project, close ended questions coupled with essay questions were used to probe students' understanding from lower to higher Bloom's levels across key concepts and aspects of geoscience reasoning. These questions were designed to be embedded in student assessments in a wide variety of courses to obtain comparative data.

Embedded Assessment Project Team

Project LeadershipPrivate Workspace »
(Restricted Access)

  • David Steer (University of Akron)
  • Ellen Iverson( SERC-Carleton College)
  • Cathy Manduca (SERC-Carleton College)

Team Members

  • Bruce Herbert (Texas A&M University)
  • Karen Kortz (Community College of Rhode Island)
  • Dexter Perkins (University of North Dakota)
  • Karl Wirth (Macalester)
  • Karen Viskupic (Boise State University)
  • Cindy Shellito (University of Northern Colorado)
  • Jill Singer - (Buffalo State University)

Project Staff

  • Kristin O'Connell (SERC-Carleton College)