Syllabus

Course Description

Performance-based assessment, summative and formative feedback methods to assess student learning in the online classroom. Best practices for grading procedures, prevention of plagiarism in the digital environment, electronic evaluation tools, using electronic record keeping systems and time saving methods for evaluating eportfolios, discussion postings, and group products.

Course Goal
By the end of the course, students will be able to plan online assessment that provides their future students with activities closely related to learning objectives.  They will be familiar with technology tools that provide effective record keeping, timely, valuable feedback and prompt interaction including the use of virtual office hours, valuable team projects, group discussions, journaling, presentations and relevant personal portfolios.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate development and use of academic standards across the curriculum and application of standards and objectives in online classroom assessment and evaluation.
2. Analyze the assessment process including types of evaluations, the relationship of assessment to institutional & curriculum objectives, high stakes testing, No Child Left Behind (NCLB), corporate assessment framework (CAF) and standardized testing.
3. Match assessment to learning outcomes, develop rubric criteria and select appropriate online assessment choice using mapping software.
4. Apply current research and technology tools to create authentic assessment, discourse analysis, self and peer evaluation, rubrics, online surveys, tests and mini-quizzes for self-paced tutorials
5. Evaluate and utilize appropriate technology tools including e-gradebooks, calendars, spreadsheets and eportfolios.
6. Demonstrate research-based practices for choosing assessment models and apply plagiarism detection tools and support ethics, community building and team trust that help prevent cheating.

Each module is structured around an Introduction, Background, Readings, Activities, Checklist, Schedule and Discussion.

You will work individually and as part of a community to discover a variety of online classroom strategies and tools and share your experiences.

While online education is highly flexible and designed to meet your schedule, you will need to set and meet deadlines as part of your weekly assignments and collaborative work. Additionally, your colleagues will depend on you for timely feedback as you work together to deepen and clarify essential concepts.

Modules

Module 1: Why is Assessment Important?

Module 2: Emerging Practices of Online Assessment

Module 3: Perfect E-Storm

Module 4: Variety of Assessment Tools

Module 5: Taxonomy of Assessment

Module 6: Cybercoaching - an Emerging Model

Module 7: Summative Assessment

Module 8: Discourse Analysis

Participation
Participants will:

• Exchange posts with their colleagues and participate in discussions using discussion board conferencing;
• Review and discuss online and text based reading materials;

You will be able to customize activities to your specific teaching or training responsibilities and needs.

During each activity, you are encouraged to share your discoveries and successes with other participants and collaborate during team problem solving. Participants may share drafts of works-in-progress for peer feedback and discuss ideas and suggestions before submitting the final project.

This may be your favorite part of the course. You will find creative ways to develop lively and fun group process skills as well as outstanding teaching projects.

The discussion board's most vital use is to exchange ideas with other class participants. You will be asked to complete a minimum of three meaningful postings per week during the course; this will include reacting to readings, discussing the topic/issue of the week, sharing information and resources with classmates, or responding to a problem posted by peers or your facilitator.

You may also participate in real-time one-to-one chats with your facilitator, discussion chats and team chats with learning partners when developing your project.

• What was the most valuable information that you learned in this module?
• How will you implement this in your school? district?
• In what area(s) do you feel you need more information or practice?

• Responses to discussion questions
• Analysis of case studies
• Performance as a team member in assessment simulations
• Portfolio of documents created during the course
• Final reflective essay

Your final grade will be based on:

40% - Satisfactory completion of module activities

20% - Final Project

20% - Online Discussion (postings to discussion board)

20% - Self-reflection

A -- Exceeds the standard

B -- Proficient demonstration of the standard

I -- Incomplete demonstration of the standard (Work must be resubmitted.)

Evaluation of your discussion board participation is cumulative and subjective based on notes that the facilitator records each week. Always feel free to e-mail your facilitator for help in upgrading your participation in the discussion.

Excellent indicates you participated above the minimum level in both quantity and clarity of communication in your discussion board postings.

Average indicates you met the minimum requirement.

Below average indicates you consistently contributed below the minimum two messages per week or contributions were merely perfunctory ("I agree with so and so.") or unclear.

Reflections will be evaluated for clarity and your understanding of the readings and activities.

Any time that you want to ask about your progress, send an email directly to your facilitator.