Running head: ASSESSMENT PURPOSES

Assessment Purposes
Krista Jackson
CUR/528
August 31, 2015
Justin Atwood

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Assessment Purposes

Table of Contents:
Page 1: Title Page
Page 2: Table of Contents
Page 3 - 4: Assessment Purposes
Page 5 - 6: Outline of the Purposes of Assessment
Page 7: Pros and Cons of Assessment Purposes Table
Page 8: Four-Step Cycle
Page 9: References
Page 10 - 12: Presenters notes (only to be included in their copy)

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Assessment Purposes

Assessments are a new way to look at adult learners, and how well instructors are doing
in improving their assessments. Assessments have many purposes in the field of helping
individuals. When you look at the idea of assessments as a whole, then assessments are a
continuous way to help improve learning.
A few different purposes of assessments are the betterment of assessments and teaching
because both of these will help the adult learners achieve success in their learning experience.
Learning how the individuals learn will help improve these aspects of assessment because it
gives the instructors information on learners. The instructor has to assess the learner on each
assessment to gather a better idea of the individual. When there is a better idea of the learner, the
instructor can cater to their learning style with assessments. Different ways to complete
assessments helps with the diverse learning styles because there is not just one type of
assessment. The variety helps each individual complete each assessment their way. Assessments
give more room for creativity, and can increase motivation without the worry of restrictions.
Lastly, the assessments help with feedback because they do not give you just a letter grade or
number. They are usually accompanied by a rubric of some sort with feedback. The feedback
helps adult learners know their strengths so they can continue those actions. The feedback also
helps with adult learners knowing their weaknesses so they can work on them and improve. Each
assessment is another look into the way individuals learn, and in the end all of the assessments
gathered of each student can reveal information for improvement and different aspects of
learning.
Assessments always come to the idea of individuals learning and improvement, and it is
continuous. The Teaching, Learning, and Assessment as a Continuous Four-Step Cycle figure

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shows the way assessments work, you, establish learning goals, provide learning opportunities,
assess student learning, and use results., (Suskie, 2009, p. 4). The four-step cycle is one of the
biggest purposes of assessments because it shows you how it works, and provides the reasons for
using the assessments. Assessments are meant to help the learners actually retain the information,
and not just memorize information. Assessments are the cycle of improving adult learning.

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Outline of the Purposes of Assessment

Knowing the learner

Assessing the learner in class helps to get to know the learner.

Assessing the students work shows their educational level.

Assessing the learners work shows how to adjust different assessments.

Knowing the learner helps your communication with them, so that the instructor
can offer any help needed.

Helping different learning styles

There are different styles of learning, and individuals think more with one side of
their brain.

Assessing their learning helps with the variety of ways to complete assessments.

Assessments should have more than one way to complete them, so that they can
address diverse learners.

Understanding the adult learner helps with communication while assessing them.

The betterment of assessments and teaching

Assessments are completed and assessed to improve the assessments given.

Improving assessments will help future students.

The instructor should assess themselves, and become more aware during class of
their teaching methods.

The instructors assessment can improve their way of instructing adult learners.

Motivation and creativity

Assessments can give the instructor more freedom for creativity.

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The assessments should be made to have some creativity and uniqueness.

Assessments should be interesting, educational, and provoke motivation.

Teachers engaging learners should aid in motivation in learners.

Feedback

Feedback shows the students where they are succeeding and should keep that
style going.

Feedback shows the learners where they have weak points that should be
addressed.

Feedback should be encouraging and honest because the individuals need to

actually learn.

Feedback comes from assessments to improve the assessments and the teaching
style.

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Pros and Cons of Assessment Purposes Table

Pros of Assessment
Helps Improve Learning by Learning from the
Learners

Cons of Assessment
More work for the teachers if they want the
complete picture of the learner.

Helps Improve Teaching by Instructors self

-reflection.

Instructors have to learn a completely different

way of instructing class.

Feedback Improves Learners performance.

Instructors will have to pay attention to the

details that were not as important before for
instructors.
Instructors can be resistant to change in
instruction.

Motivates adult learners while working on

their assessments.
Promotes the adult learners creativity.

Instructors can affect the results of assessments

if they are not motivated to do them.

Helps learners while they are in the class

because the instructor learns more about them.

Students may present varying assessments that

are not consistent because of circumstances.

Helps future learners with the improvements

made because of assessing students in the past
and present.

Students may not like the idea of an instructor

intruding.

Instructors can collaborate to keep the

students learning style known and information
added for future instructors.

Instructors may not care to elaborate on

learners in their class because they have been
assessed.

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Four-Step Cycle

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Establishing
learning goals
the learners
should achieve

Continue to cycle
infinitely for
assessments

Use Results to
improve
assessments

Provide Learning
Opportunities

Assess student
learning to know
the learner

*(Suskie, 2009, p. 4)
The cycle shows the four steps that continue forever with teaching, learning and assessment,
(Suskie, 2009, p,4). There was one step added to make the cycle a little more clear at the end.
The cycle is how instructors use assessments, and the purpose is for the learner and teacher
continuously to learn from each other. The cycle never ends, and that is how learning should be.
Assessments must continue, so learning and education for adult learners can continue to
improve.
References

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Suskie, L. (2009). Assessing student learning: A common sense guide (2nd ed.). San Francisco,
CA: Jossey-Bass.

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Presenters Notes

*Wait until everyone is seated and ready for the training meeting.
*Look presentable, smiling, and engaging. Introduce yourself and shake hands with
individuals as they walk in if you are able to.
So, today we are looking over assessment purposes. We are about to launch our new
assessment procedures in January 2016. I know that we have made some changes, but I
would like everyone to be open-minded.
o *Pass out notebooks to everyone.
I want you to write notes during our meeting. Mainly this notebook is to assess me.
During each meeting, you will write notes about me, and after the training meetings I
would like a detailed assessment. We can do this anonymously, or you can trust that
anything you say will not offend me or risk your job. I want some feedback because
everyone needs to improve in some way.
o *Make sure they use the same assessment improved assessments because this is
practice for each individual.
First, I wanted to go over today the basics, why we need assessments. I want you to keep
these ideas in mind while integrating our new improved assessment procedures in your
classrooms.
What are assessments? Examples? Why should we use them? Do you find
assessments beneficial to the learners and instructors?
o *Assess their attitudes about assessments to begin with because it will help you in
the next training meetings.

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o *Keep assessments of the instructors to know their learning style and teaching
style.
o *Pass out the handouts.
Second page: Table of Contents
o If you turn to the second page of the handout you will see the table of contents if
you need to refer to a page.
Third page and fourth page: Assessment Purposes
o *Do not have them read over these two pages. Read the pages in your own
manner so it is natural, or cover the main points in the outline (p.5-6) and
elaborate on the points.
o I will go around the room, and I would like each of you to give a purpose of
assessment. I think a good purpose is integrating the learning style the learner
has and use it to enhance their other learning styles.
o *Make sure each individual comes up with one because they will start to get
creative because they are running out of the obvious ones.
Fifth and sixth page: Outline of the Purposes of Assessment
o *Look over the outline together, and ask if they have any questions.
o Most of this handout is for you to have something to go back to while giving you
a visual representation during the training meeting.
Seventh page: Pros and Cons of Assessment Purposes Table
o *Go over pros and cons

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o Does anyone here have any ideas of more pros and cons to add as notes, and be
creative?
o *Have them write any of the suggestions down.
Eighth page: Four-Step Cycle
o The cycle is like a plant. The plant continues to grow and improve, and then it
releases its seeds and creates new cycles. The cycle keeps going, but it is never
the same. Your cycle becomes one of those seeds that is starting to grow again.
o If the plant dies or does not release its seeds, then the plant doesnt grow or
improve. The cycle does not continue in a progressive manner because it has
stopped.
o You have to keep your plant (assessment) alive and growing.
o Have you had a plant grow, and a surprising seed fell and grew? Share your
experience.
Ninth page: References
o Any questions?
o I will see you at the next training meeting, and thank you all for coming.
o *Smiles and handshakes!
o The End!
Tenth and eleventh page: Presenters notes
o Good luck and smile!