Assessment Plan | Origin: EL103
This is a general discussion forum for the following learning topic:
Teaching Online: A Student-Centered Approach --> Assessment Plan
Post what you've learned about this topic and how you intend to apply it. Feel free to post questions and comments too.
I learned how important it is to balance formative and summative assessments and give students clear rubrics and meaningful feedback. I plan to apply this by designing assessments that help students grow over time and by giving timely, constructive feedback to guide their learning.
One of the key takeaways from this section is the importance of feedback. Being certain to connect the feedback to the learning objectives. Many times I have considered that the rubric is the feedback, but the rubric is just the justification of the grade. Feedback should be in addition to the grade from the rubric. Also feedback needs to be individualized and specific, and tied to the learning objective so that the learner has a clear idea on how to improve.
An assessment tool should be applicable to the course objectives
In this module, we learned that meaningful feedback is essential to improve learning in online courses. Feedback should be clear, specific, linked to learning objectives, and adapted to the student’s needs. It’s also important to provide feedback in different formats (written, audio, visual) and to foster a positive relationship between the student and the instructor.
The importance of giving students feedback always.
This module helped me realize that a well-designed assessment plan is much more than just a list of quizzes and tests—it’s a strategic roadmap for measuring how well students are meeting learning objectives. One of the most important takeaways for me was the idea that assessment should be ongoing, purposeful, and varied. It’s not just about assigning grades, but about using the results to guide instruction and support student growth.
I also gained a better understanding of the difference between formative and summative assessments. Formative assessments, like quick check-ins, reflections, or discussions, can help me adjust my teaching in real time. Summative assessments, on the other hand, help evaluate what students have learned at the end of a unit or course. Both are essential for giving students meaningful feedback and improving the overall learning experience.
Moving forward, I plan to:
Align all assessments directly with course objectives, so students know exactly what they’re expected to learn and why.
Incorporate more low-stakes, formative assessments to give students regular feedback and reduce test anxiety.
Offer choices when possible in how students demonstrate their learning—through written work, presentations, or creative projects.
Use rubrics more consistently to ensure transparency and fairness in grading.
Ultimately, this module reminded me that assessment isn’t just about evaluation—it’s a powerful tool for encouraging learning, reflection, and continuous improvement.
Feedback is necessary in the instructor/student relationship. Constructive feedback with positivity is key.
I learned that Understanding assessments and feedback is key to learning. To succeed, students need to know what is expected of them, which is why clear rubrics and learning goals are essential. A mix of ongoing (formative) and final (summative) assessments helps students and teachers track progress and make smart decisions. Feedback is also vital – when it's specific and personalized, it can really help students grow. However, too much feedback can be overwhelming, so teachers need to find a balance that works.
I learned the Importance of providing meaningful feedback in a timely manner.
Comment on James Hamburg's post: I've always used peer feedback but I haven't made it anonymous -- I will start doing that
Feedback is essential and it should be clearly tied to the rubric
I learned that both formstive and summative assessments are needed to reinforce learning during the lesson and to prove that learning occurred once the lesson is completed.
I am impressed by the idea of students providing feedback to each other. Hopefully the two students' topics would be different so that they can learn about a new topic while providing constructive feedback. Also, I have found that utilizing the term "Constructive feedback" is less intimidating than "Constructive criticism".
Rubrics are great assessment tools but also providing clear and meaningful feedback goes a long way for learners to grasp aspects of the lesson that may have been missed.
Generic feedback can be used, but personalized feedback is much more meaningful and can lead to better learning outcomes. Additionally, self-feedback and peer-feedback can assist in this process.
Personalized feedback is critical to helping students understand where they can do better and help them improve. It's also important to focus on what else they can do to help them maximize the score.
learned the importance of providing meaningful feeddback
Using varied forms of feedback is a good way to interact with students, as well as not being overwhelming with the information you give them when assessing their work.
I have learned that giving substantial feedback to students helps them to learn better
