Assessment Techniques for Various (Difficult) Soft Skills - HAUI & PU

  • Date:March 13th, 2023  
    09:00 am
     - 
    04:30 pm

Instructors:  Dr. Scott Danielson, Mr. Thai Tran -- Arizona State University


Attendees:  HAUI & PU academic and professional staff


Expected Outcomes:  HAUI & PU lecturers and other staff will be led in an interactive workshop focused on building expertise in assessing various “soft skills,” or as AUN-QA refers to them, generic skills, of students.  Participants will briefly review connections to AUN-QA Version 4 criteria requirements for assessment of student learning as related to learning outcomes and the use of data to improve the course or program.  Specific student skills related to communication, teamwork, critical thinking and life-long so self-directed learning will be explored.  Participants will have increased understanding of assessing student capabilities for selected skills.  
 

Agenda
Morning
8:45 – 9:00 am Workshop Registration
9:00 – 9:10 am Welcome to Workshop
9:10 – 9:45 am Rapid Review of Bloom’s Learning Taxonomy and Assessment Tools
Rapid Review of Bloom’s Learning Taxonomy and Assessment Tools
9:45 – 10:15 am PDCA and Constructive Alignment Exercise
Participants will plan their teaching and assessment strategy for a Bloom’s level 6 student activity
10:15 – 10:30 am Advanced CATs
Participants will explore use of advanced CATs (Classroom Assessment Techniques) that operate at higher Bloom’s Taxonomy levels.
10:30 -10:45 am Tea break
10:45 – 11:30 am Advanced CATs (continued)
Participants will explore use of an advanced CAT (Classroom Assessment Technique) adapted to get rapid feedback on particular type of student learning.
11:30 am – 12:30 pm Assessment of Student Communication Skills (an easier “soft skill)
Communication skills are usually broken down into three areas—oral or presentation, written and graphical. Graphical communication can include engineering drawings or use of appropriate graphs and charts. Each mode of communication is best assessed using a different rubric or type of rubric. Participants will explore different rubrics related to specific modes of communication.
Afternoon
1:30 – 2:00 pm Assessment of Student Teamwork Skills
Teamwork skills are important to all professions, including lecturers! For many students, teamwork is a mystery—they are often told to do it but are rarely given instruction in how to do it. Various assessment rubrics can provide both a way to instruct students and evaluate student skills in teamwork. Participants will explore use of different rubrics related to teamwork.
2:00 – 2:30 pm Assessment of Student Life-Long Learning Skills
A common student learning outcome is student ability to perform “life-long learning.” Participants will explore the meaning of life-long learning and explore ways to assess student ability to practice life-long learning skills.
2:30 – 2:45 pm Tea Break
2:45 – 3:45 pm Constructive Alignment Case Study
Participations will be given an instructional case study related to a student learning outcome of “critical thinking.” From the case study details, Zoom breakout teams will develop an appropriate learning outcome, devise an instructional strategy that aligns with the outcome’s Bloom’s Taxonomy Level and select/design the assessment activity/tool to determine student learning (attainment of the learning outcome of critical thinking).
3:45 – 4:00 pm Workshop Wrap-up