Each year, Michigan State University Information Technology, with funding from AT&T, honors educators who enhance student success through technology integration in their courses. Assistant Professor and MAET Graduate Certificate Programs Director Brittany Dillman was selected as a winner for her work on Electronic Assessment for Teaching and Learning (CEP 813), a fully online course in the College of Education’s Master of Arts in Educational Technology (MAET) program.
“The history of assessment is problematic and rooted in eugenicist ideologies,” said Dillman. “We focus on supporting our learners to design assessments that are aligned with learning objectives and match the type of learning activities students have done. We encourage learners use the most effective technology to create assessments that are fair, reliable, objective and valid.”
The course, which has been taught in various iterations since 1992, explores history and theories of assessment and examines associated assumptions and beliefs. The course navigates learners through creative practices while questioning assessment elements like standardization, grading, alignment and feedback.
Dillman collaborated with Liz Boltz, MAET’s director, and Candace Robertson, MAET’s assistant director of student experience and outreach, in designing the course based on MAED Program Director Stephanie Jennings’s previous curricular work on it.
Ingredients to success
Dillman was intentional in creating a cohesive learning experience for her learners. In doing so, she utilized the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework. TPACK considers the intersection of contextual, technological, pedagogical and content knowledge. Some examples that she created for CEP 813 include:
- Collective Core Readings Slide Deck – Following reading assignments, learners use the slide deck, powered by Google Slides, as a hub to interact with each other, reflect on their learning and be supported in their reading and understanding.
- Assessment Guidebook – This is used by learners and instructors to engage with each other regarding course materials and feedback. It also provides learners with the opportunity to share about themselves. The guidebook gives learners space to reflect on content and course readings.
- Assessment Sandbox – Learners and instructors brainstorm assessment-related topics and terms at the beginning of the course. Dillman then organizes these into a Google Sheet. This environment provides learners with information from which students create assessments. Course participants can then put what they’re learning in CEP 813 immediately into their day-to-day practice.
The course materials prioritize accessibility standards and are asynchronous, allowing learners to access them anytime. CEP 813 will also serve as a core class in the M.A. in Learning Experience Design (MALXD) program launching in Fall 2024.
Intentional, aligned, manageable, meaningful
Reflecting on the course’s success, Dillman attributes it to the synergy between her colleagues. The course undergoes regular revisions based on learner and instructor feedback and evolving educational needs, ensuring its relevance and effectiveness.
“My favorite activities, and most challenging, were the creations in the Assessment Sandbox! They helped push the boundaries of assessment in my mind and helped me open myself up to creativity,” said one learner who recently took CEP 813.
College of Education instructors have been recognized with AT&T Awards throughout the years for their technology innovations in the classroom. The MAET team will be formally recognized at the MSU IT AT&T Excellence in Teaching with Technology Awards reception and awards ceremony on April 9.