Beyond Grades: Capturing Authentic Learning

Assessment and Feedback for Authentic Learning: How Less Can Often Be More
Achieving DePaul's ambitious university authentic learning outcomes requires that both teachers and learners do their jobs effectively and efficiently. Time is the most valuable and scarce resource for both faculty and students -- particularly in 10-week quarters. This highly interactive session will focus on efficient, practical, and research-based strategies and techniques teachers can use to promote teaching effectiveness and learning quality. Examples and exercises will focus primarily on assessment and feedback as powerful levers teachers can use to enhance and document authentic learning -- and to increase the efficiency of teaching. Participants can expect to end this session with: clearer definitions of authentic learning, at least two or three promising new ideas to implement, and valuable resources and references for follow up.

Authentic Learning Through Reflective Writing
Nicholas Hayes, Steffanie Triller Fry, and Kamilah Cummings (School for New Learning)
The School for New Learning’s Writing Program (SNL Writing) has long understood that authentic assessments of student learning are not always easy to produce. One of our solutions has been to create assignments that have reflective components in which students connect previous experiences with current learning. Articulating these connections requires students to practice skills that demonstrate authentic learning while promoting retention of information. While we primarily focus on the acquisition of writing skills, these metacognitive tasks are valuable tools across disciplines.

Reflecting on What You've Learned: Leading Students to Evaluate Their Acquisition and Understanding of New Knowledge
Maria De Moya and Sydney Dillard (College of Communication)
This session will provide instructors with tools they can use to guide students to evaluate and understand the knowledge they acquire in each lesson and/or course. Through short in-class discussions, application activities and writing assignments students will be led to reflect on what they have learned and better understand how this will serve them in the future.

 

Integrating Learning Objects into D2L to Promote Student Learning of Difficult Scientific Concepts
Murat Kahveci and Timothy French (College of Science and Health)
This presentation will introduce a valid and reliable method to effectively develop and easily deploy learning objects (i.e. SCORMs) in context of a physical chemistry course at DePaul University. The pedagogical method for developing the learning objects relies on Inquiry-Based Science Education (IBSE) principles. The deployment platform for the learning objects is D2L, in the context of an upper-level chemistry course (CHE302, Quantum Chemistry) at DePaul University. 

Alternative Assessment Method in Biochemistry Education: Graphical Representation of Oxygen Binding and Delivery 
Murat Kahveci and Lihua Jin (College of Science and Health)
Conceptual understanding is one of the essential levels of understanding in biochemistry. This workshop focuses on how to measure students’ conceptual understanding in the context of an undergraduate biochemistry course at DePaul University. Development stages of a two-tier diagnostic instrument will be introduced in the context of oxygen binding and delivery in the body. 

How Grading Profiles and Self-Assessment Help Students Master Learning Outcomes and Evaluate the Quality of Their Learning and Intellectual Development
Jessica King (College of Computing and Digital Media)
Imagine if your students felt they had control over their grades through a clear understanding of skill development and evaluation from day one? This interactive presentation centers on designing and implementing grade profiles and personal, intellectual narratives to give students ownership of their learning. Sample grade profiles, grade defenses, and interviews with students who have been through the process will highlight the power of a student-owned education.

Master Teachers, Master Assessment Practices: Presentations from 2016 QIC Award Winners
Emily Cauble (Law), Michele McCay (CSH), Jacqueline Kelly-McHale (Music), Michele Morano (LAS)

Join four of the 2016 Quality of Instruction Council faculty award winners for a lively PechaKucha presentation and discussion of teaching values and practices. PechaKucha is a highly visual and engaging format where speakers present 20x20 (twenty slides for twenty second each). Presentations will be followed by a large-group discussion.

Moderated by Allison Ortlieb (Law)