by William Slattery ¹

• ¹ Wright State University

Introduces assessment and discusses its importance, assessment strategies, and application of assessment in various learning settings.

What is Assessment?

Assessment is the process of observing and measuring learning. Assessments provide faculty with a better understanding of what your students are learning and engage students more deeply in the process of learning geoscience content. By using assessment strategies that draw students into the assessment process it is more likely that they learn more of the geoscience content that you want them to learn while getting the added benefits of learning skills that will be useful to them in the future. As the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996 ) points out, assessments don't take time from learning, they are learning experiences by themselves. Click on the following link for additional information on the Domains of Learning.

Why Is Assessment Important?

By deliberately using different Functions of Assessments at specific times during the learning process students will have a clearer vision of what is expected of them and generally will be more positive about their course experiences. They will also learn to use skills that will help them understand how scientists analyze and present findings. In addition, a program of sustained student assessment is the foundation for evaluation of courses and geoscience programs.