How do you assess your courses and programs effectively?

1 Define your purpose

Before you start any assessment, you need to clarify why you are doing it, what you want to measure, and how you will use the results. Your purpose should align with your course or program objectives, as well as with the expectations and needs of your students, colleagues, and external bodies. You should also consider the level and scope of your assessment, whether it is formative or summative, and how it relates to other assessment activities within and across your courses and programs.

2 Choose your methods

Once you have defined your purpose, you need to select the most appropriate methods to collect and analyze your assessment data. You can use a variety of methods, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, portfolios, rubrics, tests, quizzes, assignments, projects, observations, or peer reviews. You should choose methods that match your learning outcomes, provide valid and reliable evidence, and suit your context and resources. You should also use a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods to capture different aspects and perspectives of your assessment.

3 Involve your stakeholders

Assessment is not a solo activity; it involves multiple stakeholders who have different roles and interests in your courses and programs. You should engage your stakeholders in the assessment process, from planning to reporting, to ensure their input, feedback, and support. Your stakeholders may include your students, colleagues, administrators, employers, alumni, accrediting agencies, or external reviewers. You should communicate with them clearly and regularly, and involve them in decision-making, data collection, analysis, interpretation, or dissemination.

4 Implement your plan

After you have chosen your methods and involved your stakeholders, you need to execute your assessment plan according to your timeline and budget. You should follow the ethical principles and guidelines of your institution and discipline, and obtain the necessary approvals and consents from your participants. You should also document your assessment procedures and data sources, and ensure the quality and security of your data. You should be flexible and adaptable, and make adjustments as needed based on the feedback and challenges you encounter.

5 Evaluate your results

The next step is to evaluate your assessment results and draw conclusions and recommendations based on your purpose and criteria. You should use appropriate tools and techniques to analyze your data, such as descriptive or inferential statistics, thematic or content analysis, or triangulation. You should also interpret your results in relation to your learning outcomes, benchmarks, standards, or best practices. You should identify the strengths and weaknesses of your courses and programs, as well as the gaps and opportunities for improvement.