Category: Assessment Quick Guides

Assessments with Purpose: Leveraging Test Blueprints to Organize Question Libraries and Optimize Question Pool Selection

Reading Time: 5 minutesAs educators, we all know how challenging it can be to design or select assessment questions for our courses. Whether it’s for quizzes, mid-terms, or final exams, deciding what content to include, how to format questions, and ensuring alignment with learning outcomes—while also maintaining equity—can feel overwhelming. If this resonates with you, you’re not alone. Research shows that many faculty...

Understanding your Students’ Conceptions of Assessment for a Better Learning Experience

Reading Time: 7 minutesHave you ever noticed that some students approach assessments with excitement and curiosity, while others seem overwhelmed with anxiety or disengaged? The way students perceive assessments significantly influences their experiences and learning, shaping how they engage with your course. By understanding the various student conceptions of assessment, you can better tailor your assessment strategies and support structures to meet diverse...

Designing and Implementing Socio-Culturally Responsive and Equitable Classroom Assessments 

Reading Time: 5 minutesThis post was co-authored by Dr. David Baidoo-Anu and Dr. Monsurat Raji, Assessment of Learning Consultants. Given the increased diversities in our classrooms today, student assessment should recognize and value the unique perspectives and experiences of all students and help them demonstrate their learning in a more meaningful way. Therefore, instead of accommodating assessment to meet the specific needs of...

Understanding Socio-Culturally Responsive Assessments

Reading Time: 3 minutesThis post was co-authored by Dr. Monsurat Raji and Dr. David Baidoo-Anu, Assessment of Learning Consultants. As postsecondary schools continue to educate a more diverse student population, there is an increased need to ensure every student has the opportunity for success, regardless of their social, economic, educational, and cultural background and differences.   What is Socio-Culturally Responsive Assessment? Socio-Culturally Responsive Assessment...

Peer Feedback: Grading Tool vs. Assessment Tool  

Reading Time: 3 minutesPeer feedback is a powerful classroom assessment tool that you can leverage to support students’ learning (Patchan et al, 2015; Yu & Schunn, 2023). Particularly if your goal is to shift towards a more student-centered teaching approach. Are you interested in learning more about peer feedback? Consider reading these Faculty Learning Hub posts:  Post 1: Planning and Facilitating Effective Peer...

Using Exemplars to Support Student Success with Assessments

Reading Time: 3 minutesExemplars are “carefully chosen samples of student work which are used to illustrate dimensions of quality and to clarify assessment expectations” (Carless & Chan, 2017, p. 1). Exemplars can help students increase their understanding of the skills, content, or knowledge and internalize established criteria or standards (Sadler, 2010). Particularly, through exemplars, your students can get a clear idea of the...

Academic Integrity and Assessment in the Age of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI)

Reading Time: 4 minutesA fair and accurate assessment provides evidence of a student’s learning under their own cognitive efforts. Concerns around academic integrity, however, can cast doubt on an assessment: Is this the student’s work? Is this the work a true representation of the student’s learning?  The growing and widespread availability of generative artificial intelligence (genAI) since fall 2022 has intensified questions around the...

Proctoring Technologies for Test & Exams

Reading Time: 3 minutesEffective test and exam proctoring is an important part of the work that we do as faculty to ensure integrity and create supportive spaces for students to participate in assessments. This guide will provide you with strategies and considerations for the use of technology in support of proctoring practices across the various modes of delivery at Conestoga. For courses taught...

Planning and Facilitating Effective Peer Assessment

Reading Time: 4 minutesPeer assessment, also called peer review, is an instructional approach that allows learners to consider, evaluate, and provide feedback on the level, value, or quality of the intellectual product of a peer (Topping, 1998). This guide is intended to support faculty with important considerations in making decisions and/or planning for incorporating peer assessment into their courses. Considerations for a Successful...

Rubric Quick Guide: Levels and Point Values

Reading Time: 3 minutesThis quick guide provides directions and options related to level structure and assignment of point values for rubrics that reduce grade creep – See Updating Rubrics to Prevent Grade Inflation – and increase reliability and efficiency of marking (Chowdhury, 2018).  (Stay tuned for a series of Quick Guides to support rubric development from start to finish!) For assessment criteria that...

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Assessment Statements for Students

Reading Time: 3 minutesBefore we get started, please note: The college continues to update its guidelines for experimentation with genAI technologies in teaching and learning. Consult the AI Experiment Form if you want to explore the experimental use of genAI beyond Copilot as a Conestoga employee. Conestoga students have access to Copilot, so it’s important to clarify the purpose and place of using...

Advising Students on Detection Software Used in Assessments

Reading Time: 3 minutesThis guide is provided to you by Teaching and Learning and the Privacy Office at Conestoga. Messaging to Students on Detection Software Used in Assessments Students have a right based on privacy and copyright law to opt out of detection software use. It is important to communicate to students any use of detection tools such as Turnitin and Respondus Monitor...

Assessment Proctoring Software

Reading Time: 2 minutesConestoga licenses several assessment proctoring apps or software for use in in-person, sync online or asynchronous courses. In assessments using online quizzes built within eConestoga, one or more of these options may be used to support academic integrity during test taking. Remote proctoring apps represent one component of a culture of academic integrity and honesty and are ideally not used...

Writing Assignment Descriptions

Reading Time: < 1 minuteEvaluation is a key part of teaching. But, when it comes to assignments, what information should you include? How much information is too much? And how can you ensure instructions are clear and concise for students to understand? This teaching tip provides faculty with a checklist for your assignment descriptions at Conestoga College. Checklist for Assignment Descriptions Use this checklist...