Assessing Learning during Disruptions

Due to the infrastructure, cognitive, and emotional challenges associated with significant disruptions, high-stakes assessments are particularly fraught for students, who are less likely to be able to perform to their full capacity and accurately demonstrate the level of mastery they have achieved. Offering students additional flexibility to meet deadlines and adjust workloads and allowing them time to adapt to a changing situation or to find resources and supports can help them learn and thrive even in disruption.

Traditional-format exams, which may need to occur outside the classroom setting during a disruption, may also be troublesome for instructors concerned about academic integrity. If at all possible, it can be helpful to reschedule major assessments until well after a disruptive event has resolved.

If the disruption is likely to continue for some time, you might explore the following options:

  • Can major assessments be swapped out for more-frequent, lower-stakes assessments throughout the semester? What other inclusive assessment approaches might be applied?
    • How might you modify quizzes, presentations, or exams to allow students to demonstrate their learning in different ways, potentially including “low-tech” options (in cases where students have limited internet access)?For example, for classes with significant writing (weekly responses, multiple papers, etc.), students could have the opportunity to revise a certain number of assignments and compile them into a final portfolio. The portfolio could then be annotated, where students explain their writing and revision process for each piece and include a brief introductory statement about the work as a whole, or which elements of their growth in the class the portfolio highlights.
    • Or, for planned in-class student presentations, you could ask students to record their presentation using simple technology (such as a cell phone or their computer) and upload it to Moodle for you or the entire class to view. One lower-tech option, if oral communication isn’t a core learning objective, might be to ask students to submit a written script of their presentation to assess content knowledge and other skills like persuasive thinking.
  • In what other ways might you incorporate trauma-informed practices such as providing choice and control to students around how they will demonstrate their learning?

If planned high-stakes assessments cannot be eliminated or substantively modified, considerations outlined on the Balancing Rigor & Compassion in Assessment During Times of Disruption page can help to maximize their effectiveness under these conditions. Asking students to affirm their understanding of the Honor Code and how it applies to online or remote assessments can be surprisingly effective at reducing academic integrity violations. Moodle Safe Exam Browser is available for your use, though it may be important to carefully consider the inclusivity concerns related to these technologies.