Evaluation Plan

The evaluation plan is a critical component of course design and communicates to students how their learning will be assessed. A well-constructed evaluation plan ensures alignment with course learning outcomes (CLOs), provides meaningful feedback, and adheres to institutional policies. This section provides guidance for faculty on designing and implementing effective evaluation plans for their courses.

Purpose of the Evaluation Plan

The evaluation plan serves to:

• Clearly communicate to students the types, frequency, and weightings of assessments.
• Provide a structured method for assessing student achievement of the CLOs.
• Offer meaningful and ongoing feedback to support student progress and learning.
• Ensure alignment with the Academic Evaluation Policy and the published course outline (DCO).

Key Principles for Developing Evaluation Plans

1. Alignment with CLOs:
   • Every graded assessment must align with at least one CLO.
   • Assessments should directly measure the knowledge, skills, or abilities specified in the CLOs.
2. Variety of Assessment Types:
   • Include at least two different assessment types (e.g., written reports, projects, presentations, tests, simulations).
   • Varying assessment types accommodates diverse learning styles and provides a more comprehensive evaluation of student learning.
3. Weighting of Assessments:
   • No single assessment can exceed 40% of the total course grade.
   • If an assessment exceeds 40%, the breakdown of its subcomponents must be provided.
4. Meaningful Feedback:
   • Provide students with feedback that is specific, constructive, and actionable.
   • Feedback should guide students in understanding their progress and identifying areas for improvement.
5. Consistency with the Course Outline:
   • The evaluation plan must align with the published DCO and cannot be altered during the course without appropriate approvals.

Steps for Creating an Evaluation Plan

1. Review the Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs):
   • Identify the key skills, knowledge, or abilities students are expected to demonstrate by the end of the course.
2. Select Assessment Types:
   • Choose assessments that best measure the intended outcomes (e.g., projects for design-based CLOs, reports for analytical CLOs).
   • Consider formative (ungraded) assessments to provide practice and feedback before summative evaluations.
3. Determine Weightings:
   • Distribute weightings to reflect the importance and complexity of each assessment.
   • Ensure a balanced distribution that aligns with institutional policies.
4. Draft Assessment Descriptions:
   • Write clear descriptions of each assessment, including grading criteria and alignment with CLOs.
   • Share this information with students at the start of the course and again when introducing the assessment.
5. Plan Feedback Mechanisms:
   • Determine how and when students will receive feedback (e.g., rubrics, written comments, one-on-one discussions).
   • Ensure feedback is timely to support learning and improvement.

Best Practices

• Transparency: Clearly communicate the evaluation plan to students at the start of the course.
• Fairness: Ensure assessments are reasonable in scope and appropriately weighted for the time and effort required.
• Inclusivity: Design assessments that accommodate diverse learning needs and promote equitable opportunities for success.

Types of Assessments

• Tests/Exams
• Quizzes
• Applied Activities
  • Discussions
  • Case study analysis
  • Role playing
  • Prototyping or model building
  • Lab activities or field work
  • Debates
  • Simulations/virtual simulations
  • Blogging
• Assignments
  • Essays
  • Reports
  • Projects
  • Presentations
  • Reflections
  • Posters/Infographics