Michael Sauro

There are several forms of value-added assessments. Instructors should consider their implementation based on the goals of the course and student needs. I'm a big believer in the use of rubrics. I am constantly revising them as I gather more and more data about student performance on specific tasks.

I had never considered utilizing criterion-referenced assessments, focusing only on objective assessments. I plan to investigate criterion-referenced assessments more thoroughly. I am also interested in utilizing a greater amount of subjective assessments with well-designed rubrics to evaluate the student's response.

It seems that instructors need to design their online courses with a mixture of formative and summative assessments. Incorporating the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy in summative assessments could be utilized as a way really delve into student understanding of material and their ability to utilize in real-world situations.

The plethora of possible technology tools for assessment intrigues me. I would like to move into different assessment techniques instead of just relying on examinations and end of unit assignments. WebQuests and simulation labs are two areas I would like to investigate further.

I use rubrics in my online classes. They are effective ways to quickly provide students with feedback about their participation in discussion forums. However, it is also necessary to provide feedback regarding why a maximum score in an evaluated area was not obtained. Simply clicking on the point values in each category does not provide formative assessment for the student.

Instructors need to be aware of the differences in generational characteristics and expectations regarding communication. Instructors should have clearly delineated expectations for their students regarding appropriate communication within the boundaries of the course. The syllabus is the best place to articulate these expectations. The instructor should then model the expectations throughout their time in the course.

It is absolutely essential to establish and communicate the rules for appropriate communication between the instructor and student and between students. The syllabus and a FAQ discussion board are good places to do this. The instructor should model appropriate communication and closely monitor how students are communicating with each other and address any issues promptly.

There are many ways to communicate with students. Online instructors need to research which tools will be most effective and should base their choice on their comfort level with each possible tool. Students should be asked to provide feedback during and after the course in order to effectively evaluate each technology tool's effectiveness.

What an instructor does in a face-to-face, synchronous environment may not work as well in an online, asynchronous environment. All resources and activities need to be carefully evaluated for their effectiveness in the online environment on a continual basis.

Provide clear expectations through the syllabus. Foster learner centeredness, structure problem-based learning and authentic work, and provide informative feedback that is geared toward each individual student. Constant evaluation of the entire course and the specific tasks within the course is essential. Take student feedback/evaluation seriously!