Effective and efficient grading: tips for assessing student learning

For decades, quality of assessment has increasingly become a part of the discussion of good teaching in higher education. New faculty (and older ones) may be overwhelmed at the thought of comprehensive assessment of student learning at the level of individual courses and entire degree programs, on top of keeping up with grading and feedback for each student. However, if student assignments are used effectively and efficiently to assess student learning, students perceive the process as fair, grades become more meaningful, and data is generated to inform evidenced-based improvement of instruction. While some graduate programs and early-career mentoring include course design, learning objectives, and assessment of student learning, not all Ph. D. programs require training in even basic elements. New faculty may benefit from an introduction to a “backwards” approach to course design, a survey of learning assessment tools, and current best practices in grading. Examples from acoustics courses at Kettering University illustrate these ideas, with lessons learned from recent ABET accreditation in engineering and applied physics programs.