Assessment Tools and Instruments

• Knowledge Surveys: Knowledge Surveys consist of a series of questions that cover the full content of a course. The surveys evaluate student learning and content mastery at all levels: from basic knowledge and comprehension through higher levels of thinking. Knowledge surveys can serve as both formative and summative assessment tools. The help students learn, help faculty improve their classrooms, and aid departments and programs as the explore new curricula or pedagogies.

• Classroom Assessment Techniques: Attitude Surveys. ( This site may be offline. )
  
• Classroom Assessment Techniques: ConcepTests. This page describes the ConcepTest, one of a series of Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) provided by the Field-tested Learning Assessment Guide (FLAG) website. The CATs of FLAG were constructed as a resource for science, technology, engineering and mathematics instructors to emphasize deeper levels of learning and to give instructors valuable feedback during a course. The ConcepTest consists of the instructor presenting one or more questions to a class along with several possible answers, and students indicating which answer they think is correct. This type of assessment allows the teacher to obtain immediate feedback on the level of class understanding, and to enhance teamwork and communication skills among students as they work together to determine the correct answer. The site provides an overview of this assessment instrument, including information about how to use a ConcepTest. This site is also linked to a set of discipline-specific "tools" that can be downloaded for immediate use, as well as supplementary links and sources to further explore this assessment technique. ( This site may be offline. )
  
• Classroom Assessment Techniques: Concept Mapping. This page describes concept maps, one of a series of Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) provided by the Field-tested Learning Assessment Guide (FLAG) website. The CATs of FLAG were constructed as a resource for science, technology, engineering and mathematics instructors to emphasize deeper levels of learning and to give instructors valuable feedback during a course. A concept map is a diagram of nodes adjoined by directional lines and organized in hierarchical levels that move from general to specific concepts. Concept maps are used to assess how well students see the big picture, and to illustrate students' conceptual knowledge. This site provides an overview of this assessment instrument that includes information about how to use them. This site is also is linked to a set of discipline-specific tools that can be downloaded for immediate use, as well as supplementary links and sources to further explore this assessment tool. ( This site may be offline. )
  
• Classroom Assessment Techniques: Conceptual Diagnostic Tests. This page describes conceptual diagnostic tests, one of a series of Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) provided by the Field-tested Learning Assessment Guide (FLAG) website. The CATs of FLAG were constructed as a resource for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) instructors to emphasize deeper levels of learning and to give instructors valuable feedback during a course. Conceptual diagnostic tests are used to assess how well students understand key concepts in a STEM field prior to, during, and after instruction. They assess student understanding using a multiple-choice or short-answer format that has been designed to address misconceptions. This site provides an overview of this assessment instrument including information about why conceptual diagnostic tests are beneficial to use and how to use them. The site is also linked to a set of discipline-specific "tools" that can be downloaded for immediate use, as well as supplementary links and sources to further explore this assessment tool. ( This site may be offline. )
  
• Classroom Assessment Techniques: Interviews. This page describes the technique of using interviews to assess student understanding. The assessment tool is one of a series of Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) provided by the Field-tested Learning Assessment Guide (FLAG) website. The CATs of FLAG were constructed as a resource for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) instructors to emphasize deeper levels of learning and to give instructors valuable feedback during a course. Interviews enable instructors to judge the extent of understanding students have developed with respect to a series of well-focused, conceptually-related scientific ideas. This site provides an overview of this assessment instrument including information about how to use classroom interviews to their maximum benefit. The site is also linked to a set of discipline-specific "tools" that can be downloaded for immediate use, as well as supplementary links and sources to further explore this assessment tool. ( This site may be offline. )
  
• Classroom Assessment Techniques: Mathematical Thinking. This page describes five ways to assess mathematical thinking skills. The assessment tool is one of a series of Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) provided by the Field-tested Learning Assessment Guide (FLAG) website. The CATs of FLAG were constructed as a resource for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) instructors to emphasize deeper levels of learning and to give instructors valuable feedback during a course. The Mathematical Thinking Classroom Assessment Techniques (Math CATs) are designed to promote and assess thinking skills in mathematics by checking results and correcting mistakes, making plausible estimates of quantities which are not known, modeling and defining new concepts, judging statements and creating proofs, and organizing unsorted data and drawing conclusions. An overview of this assessment instrument includes information about why Math CATs are beneficial to use and how to use them. This site is also linked to a set of discipline-specific "tools" that can be downloaded for immediate use, as well as supplementary links and sources to further explore this assessment tool. ( This site may be offline. )
  
• Classroom Assessment Techniques: Minute Paper. This page describes the minute paper, one of a series of Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) provided by the Field-tested Learning Assessment Guide (FLAG) website. The CATs of FLAG were constructed as a resource for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) instructors to emphasize deeper levels of learning and to give instructors valuable feedback during a course. The minute paper is a concise note, taking one minute and written by students, that focuses on a short question presented by the instructor to the class. It provides real-time feedback from a class to find out if students recognized the main points of a class session and also helps the instructor make changes for the next class. This site provides an overview of this assessment instrument including information about how to use minute papers in the classroom. The site is also linked to a set of discipline-specific "tools" that can be downloaded for immediate use, as well as supplementary links and sources to further explore this assessment tool. (more info)
  
• Classroom Assessment Techniques: Multiple Choice Test. This page describes how to use a multiple choice test to assess student understanding. The assessment tool is one of a series of Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) provided by the Field-tested Learning Assessment Guide (FLAG) website. The CATs of FLAG were constructed as a resource for science, technology, engineering and mathematics instructors to emphasize deeper levels of learning and to give instructors valuable feedback during a course. The multiple-choice test is a flexible assessment format that can be used to measure knowledge, skills, abilities, values and thinking skills. This site provides an overview of this assessment technique, including information about how, when and why to use it. The site is also linked to a set of discipline-specific "tools" that can be downloaded for immediate use, as well as supplementary links and sources to further explore this assessment tool. (more info)
  
• Classroom Assessment Techniques: Performance Assessment. This page describes the performance assessment, one of a series of Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) provided by the Field-tested Learning Assessment Guide (FLAG) website. The CATs of FLAG were constructed as a resource for science, technology, engineering and mathematics instructors to emphasize deeper levels of learning and to give instructors valuable feedback during a course. Performance assessments are designed to judge student abilities to use specific knowledge and research skills that require the student to manipulate equipment to solve a problem or make an analysis. Performance assessments may reveal a variety of problem-solving approaches, thus providing insight into a student's level of conceptual and procedural knowledge. This site provides an overview of this assessment technique and information about how to use it, as well as a set of discipline-specific "tools" that can be downloaded for immediate use. Supplementary links and sources are also included to further explore this assessment tool. ( This site may be offline. )
  
• Classroom Assessment Techniques: Portfolios. This page describes the use of portfolios as an assessment tool. It is one of a series of Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) provided by the Field-tested Learning Assessment Guide (FLAG) website. The CATs of FLAG were constructed as a resource for science, technology, engineering and mathematics instructors to emphasize deeper levels of learning and to give instructors valuable feedback during a course. This site provides an overview of what portfolios are, how and when to use them, and why they are useful for assessing student understanding. The site is also linked to a set of discipline-specific "tools" that can be downloaded for immediate use, as well as supplementary links and sources to further explore this assessment tool. ( This site may be offline. )
  
• Classroom Assessment Techniques: Scoring Rubrics. This page describes how to use scoring rubrics to assess student learning. It is one of a series of Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) provided by the Field-tested Learning Assessment Guide (FLAG) website. The CATs of FLAG were constructed as a resource for science, technology, engineering and mathematics instructors to emphasize deeper levels of learning and to give instructors valuable feedback during a course. Rubrics are a way of describing evaluation criteria based on the expected outcomes and performances of students. This site provides information about why scoring rubrics are beneficial to use and how to use them. The site is also linked to a set of discipline-specific "tools" that can be downloaded for immediate use, as well as supplementary links and sources to further explore this assessment tool. ( This site may be offline. )
  
• Classroom Assessment Techniques: Student Assessment of Learning Gains. This page describes an assessment tool called Student Assessment Learning Gains (SALG), one of a series of Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) provided by the Field-tested Learning Assessment Guide (FLAG) website. The CATs of FLAG were constructed as a resource for science, technology, engineering and mathematics instructors to emphasize deeper levels of learning and to give instructors valuable feedback during a course. The SALG is a web-based instrument consisting of statements about the degree of "gain" which students perceive they have made in specific aspects of the class, and provides instant statistical analysis of the results. This site provides an overview of this assessment technique including information about why the SALG instrument is beneficial to use and how to use it. The site is also linked to a set of discipline-specific "tools" that can be downloaded for immediate use, as well as supplementary links and sources to further explore this assessment tool. ( This site may be offline. )
  
• Classroom Assessment Techniques: Weekly Reports. This site describes the use of weekly reports as an assessment tool for student learning. It is one of a series of Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) provided by the Field-tested Learning Assessment Guide (FLAG) website. The CATs of FLAG were constructed as a resource for science, technology, engineering and mathematics instructors to emphasize deeper levels of learning and to give instructors valuable feedback during a course. Weekly reports provide rapid feedback about what students think they are learning and what conceptual difficulties they are experiencing. This site provides an overview of this assessment technique including information about how to use it. The site is also linked to a set of discipline-specific "tools" that can be downloaded for immediate use, as well as supplementary links and sources to further explore this assessment tool. ( This site may be offline. )
  
• Online Evaluation Resource Library. The Online Evaluation Resource Library (OERL) is a Web-based set of resources for improving the evaluation of projects funded by the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR) of the National Science Foundation (NSF). OERL provides prospective project developers and evaluators with material that they can use to design, conduct, document, and review evaluations. It contains a collection of exemplary plans, instruments, and reports from evaluations of EHR-funded projects. It also contains criteria about good evaluation practices, professional development modules, and links to evaluation standards. Scenarios illustrate how the OERL resources can be used or adapted. Currently housed in OERL are 137 instruments, and full or excerpted versions of 38 plans and 60 reports. 143 science and math projects have contributed to the collection so far, including many in the earth system sciences. OERL's goals are to meet the needs for continuous professional development of evaluators and principal investigators, complement traditional vehicles of learning about evaluation, utilize the affordances of current technologies (e.g., Web-based digital libraries, relational databases, and electronic performance support systems) for improving evaluation practice, provide anytime/anyplace access to resources that support evaluators' needs and can be continuously updated with new content, and provide a forum by which professionals can interact on evaluation issues and practices. Over the next two years, additional plans, instruments, and reports from other projects will be added to the OERL collection. Also to be added are more professional development modules and online coaches for constructing key evaluation documents. (more info)