Redesigning Assessment: Transitioning From Measuring Immediate Knowledge to True Learning

Introduction

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss assessment in higher education that measures true learning rather than immediate student knowledge that may or may not be retained. The topics covered in this chapter are presented through a framework of curriculum redesign for active learning and assessment and will provide an overview of the following:

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  Learning and assessment

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  Online and auto-graded assessment

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  Assessments appropriate to different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy (outcome/assessment match)

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  Assessments to meet the needs of different student learning styles

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  Active versus passive assessment

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  Variety in assessment

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  Use of formative assessment

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  Use of rubrics/mastery assessment

Zapp (2018) noted assessment is now being looked at as a “guarantor of quality, performance and achievement…with a strong focus on the quality of the individual learner” (p. 2). Regional accreditation bodies are now requiring universities to provide evidence of assessment of learning that goes beyond grades and traditional multiple-choice assessment to ensure student learning outcomes and competencies are met. The quality of the students is the measure by which higher educational institutions will continue to be judged. This chapter will provide guidance to educational institutions on how to meet institutional effectiveness requirements in regards to student assessment.

Background: What Is Learning?

What is learning? Merriam Webster (2021) defines learning as “gaining a knowledge or skill by studying, practicing, being taught, or experiencing something”(para. 1). A second definition provided is to cause something to “be in memory by studying it” or “to memorize” (para. 2). In accordance with Bloom’s Taxonomy, memorization or recall is the lowest level of learning. However, this is the level that is most often assessed through the use of multiple-choice testing which is one of the most common assessment types used in higher education. This is because multiple-choice tests can be easily, objectively, and accurately scored (Brown & Abdulnabi, 2017), and if delivered online, auto-graded. Many textbook publishers provide test banks so instructors do not have to create their own tests. These tests often assess a broad base of knowledge, but at lower educational taxonomy levels.

In 1997, Lachman proposed a new definition of learning in The Journal of Psychology. He noted learning should be considered a separate process from behavior; learning can occur and behavior still may not change. The grades on a multiple-choice test (whether high or low) do not provide a true indication of learning. A student who does well on a test may memorize and “dump” the information and not remember anything a week later; no behavioral change has really occurred. This can make this type of test a measure of a measure of immediate knowledge rather than true learning. Consequently, a student who failed a multiple-choice test may have learned a great deal by reviewing the correct answers and a significant behavioral change potentially may occur. Student behavior also will not change if a student morally or philosophically differs with a concept he is being taught. He may “regurgitate” the required information for the test, but his beliefs and actions do not change. Harel and Koichu (2010) proposed an operational definition of learning as an act where an individual attempts to solve a problem. This is where true learning can occur; however, so many times in higher education the assessment process measures current knowledge at a specific moment in time, rather than learning, or the process of learning in a continuum, or in a manner where learning is applied.