This post is a duplication of one I made in the makingLearningReal LinkedIn group discussion on assessing and grading student work in a Problem-based Case Learning (PBCL) classroom experience.
First, let me say this process is in a constant state of evolution for me. Placing my students in a situation where they have to solve problems and watching how they handle it is one thing. Giving them appropriate feedback and assigning a grade is something else.
As in any assessment process, the key for me is understanding what the outcome should look like. If I have a clear vision in my own head as to what the purpose of the class is and what I want my students to get out of it, then tailoring that experience and assessing the behaviors are more straight-forward. Creating a rubric is the best tool I use. It helps me to be clear about the target behaviors that are important and prioritize them.
I find that my students run the gamut as far as skills go. Some are good designers, or good coders, or born leaders. Others, not so much. Is my class designed to assess coding skills, design skills, team-work skills, leadership skills? Not really, although each of those skills are important. My students are exposed to hands-on projects through-out the program (Web Design and Multimedia). What many have NOT done is take a client project from initial concept to deliverable. That’s the experience I want them to have. I also want them to self-assess their strengths and weaknesses. A design team has many players and roles to be filled. All of them have something to bring to the table. The challenge is for them to find their strengths and learn how to highlight and exploit them. Having that self-knowledge before walking out the door and approaching a client will do much for helping them navigate their blossoming professional careers.
I accomplish this through weekly status reports that each student submits, the creation of a client proposal which outlines everything from deliverable, responsibilites, liabilities, scope, limitations, indemnification, and weekly benchmarks. They create and maintain a dynamic task-list which identifies the tasks, who owns them, and their status.
Starting three weeks prior to the end of the semester, each is required to create a Learning Report which addresses a number of criteria including: what role(s) did you play, what challenges did you encounter and how did you overcome them, what strengths are you bringing to an employer, why should you graduate from the program, list the classes you took that helped you complete the client’s project and describe what you learned and how you applied it. The Learning Report has to be in media that demonstrates their knowledge of their concentration; i.e. web designers create web sites, multimedia designers create podcasts, videos, Flash presentations, Prezi presentations.
How do I grade it? Just like I would grade anything. Did they address the instructions? How well? Was it done on time? Was it submitted correctly?
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