Midterm Assessment Plan

Many of us are at or nearing the middle of the term, so I thought that sharing an updated version of a Midterm Assessment Plan (MAP) would be helpful. This short article by Ganzert and Shipp (2021) entitled, "A Virtual Method for Delivering a Midterm Assessment Plan (MAP) for Instructors" provides a way to collect data on how students are perceiving instruction.

The authors remind us that MAPs can be offered in various formats. They can be done in a survey form or group setting, with a facilitator from an outside agency (e.g. the teaching and learning center) leading students in a discussion of critical areas of student engagement, understanding assignments, or any area that affects student learning. The questions or topics put forward can be canvassed from students themselves (“Name a few strengths in this course”) or contain questions sent specifically by the instructor.

The article suggests VoiceThread as a tool to facilitate the MAPs. VoiceThread is a tool that allows students to input video comments on topics given to them by a facilitator. It works on a separate platform than Zoom or Canvas, so it provides a layer of security for students inputting sensitive course opinions. The VoiceThread created for the pilot study included an Introduction; Course strengths; Course challenges and Conclusion.

References

Midterm Assessment Strategies (2021). Trinity College of Arts & Sciences Office of Assessment, Duke University. https://assessment.trinity.duke.edu/midterm-assessment-strategies

Graduate Student Instructor (2021). Conducting a Midterm Evaluation. Teaching and Learning Center. University of California, Berkeley. https://gsi.berkeley.edu/gsi-guide-contents/improve-intro/conducting-a-midterm-evaluation