Faculty: Need Help Preparing for End of Semester?
The Division of Instructional Innovation and Assessment offers an array of tips and tools to guide UT Austin faculty to a successful semester's conclusion. DIIA's Instructional Assessment and Evaluation Services (IAES) offer Web tutorials, workshops, and individual consultations to help you
- develop clear, consistent and fair grading standards
- write effective exams and exam questions
- negotiate and interpret Course Instructor Surveys (CISs)
- score and analyze your exam data
Want to know more about how to set fair grading standards for essay-type exams? How to write more effective multiple-choice exams? The IAES team can help you develop grading rubrics and plan exam questions that accurately reflect the knowledge your students have gained over the semester. Find this and more at the IAES Workshop Web site.
When writing exam questions, Dr. Dawn Zimmaro, DIIA's research and measurement specialist, suggests that faculty "focus on the big ideas. What do you want your student to walk out of your class knowing or being able to do? Make sure you evaluate that. Whether it's a paper, written essay, or multiple-choice exam, all the questions should elicit their knowledge on the fundamental primary concepts and skills that you want them to know, rather than the details." She also suggests that instructors go back to the course syllabus, look at the course objectives and make sure exam questions match the assessment of those objectives, particularly at the end of the semester.
If you are a faculty member and haven't received your Course Instructor Survey packets yet, don't be alarmed. The Instructional Evaluation and Assessment CIS team is in the process of packing the fall 2005 surveys and delivering them to all departments by November 23, 2005. There is a two-week official survey period beginning November 28 to administer and return the surveys to the departments.
Mike Ragusa, DIIA staff member in charge of CIS, would like to remind faculty to "choose a student to administer the survey, and confirm the date the survey will occur. Surveys must be distributed, collected, and delivered to departmental offices by students only—the course instructor, TA, or AI may not be present."
Surveys will be scanned, tabulated, and delivered to the departmental offices by the first class day of the spring 2006 semester, January 17, 2006. The IAES team offers quick tips on using the Course Instructor Survey to improve instruction, and a rich store of information about instructional assessment and evaluation. Don't forget to try out the Ongoing Course Assessment tool next semester, if you haven't already, to ensure that you and your students are on track to effective teaching and learning.