Direct Assessment
- Advantages
- Requires students to demonstrate knowledge
- Provides the data that directly measures achievement of expected outcomes
- Course Level
- Assignments
- Exams and quizzes
- Term papers and reports
- Research projects
- Observations of field work
- Artistic performances and product development
- Program Level
- Capstone projects, senior theses, exhibits or performances
- Pass rates or scores on licensure, certification or subject area tests
- Student publications or conference presentations
- Employer, Co-op and internship supervisor ratings of student performance
- Institutional Level
- Performance on tests of writing, critical thinking or general knowledge
- Explicit self-reflections on what students have learned related to institutional programs
Indirect Assessment
- Advantages
- Easy to administer
- Asks student to reflect on their learning
- Provides clues about what could be assessed directly
- Course Level
- Course evaluations
- Percent of class time spent in active learning
- Student hours spent on service learning, homework and activities related to the course
- Grades that are not based on explicit criteria
- Program Level
- Focus group interviews
- Course enrollment information
- Department or program review data
- Job placement
- Employer or alumni surveys
- Student perception surveys
- Graduate school placement rates
- Institutional Level
- Surveys of student perceptions or self-report of activities
- Studies that examine patterns and trends of course selection and grading
- Annual reports that include institutional benchmarks
Why Use Rubrics?
Rubrics are typically used with assessments that are subjective rather than objective, such as presentations and term papers.
- Rubrics make the instructor’s expectations clear to the students.
- Rubrics help the students evaluate their own work.
- Rubrics show the students how to meet the instructor’s expectations.
- Rubrics can reduce the time it takes to grade work.
- Rubrics promote consistency and objectivity in grading work.