What is Assessment Development?

Assessment is a process that, similar to teaching, should begin with outcomes and goals. It involves more than developing a survey and collecting and analyzing data. Although these are vital steps in the assessment process, assessment is most useful when it is connected with a broader set of goals (e.g., institution mission, learning objectives). Importantly, assessment documents what was learned and how future change will be envisioned.Assessments in education measure student achievement. These may take the form traditional assessments such as exams, or quizzes, but may also be part of learning activities such as group projects or presentations.

While assessments may take many forms, they also are used for a variety of purposes. They may

*Guide instruction
*Determine if reteaching, remediating or enriching is needed
*Identify strengths and weaknesses
*Determine gaps in content knowledge or understanding
*Confirm students’ understanding of content
*Promote self-regulating strategies
*Determine if learning outcomes have been achieved
*Collect data to record and analyze
*Evaluate course and teaching effectiveness
While all aspects of course design are important, your choice of assessment Influences what your students will primarily focus on.