Overview
The overall goal of SEISMIC Phase Two is to promote greater adoption of equity-oriented assessment practices in large introductory STEM courses across a range of institutions and departments. To achieve this goal, we will support project teams in piloting revised assessments in STEM courses across the collaboration and evaluating their efficacy.
Project Teams
Our current list of project teams are in the tables below. More information about each team will be added this summer. To join a project team, please use the sign up button.
Project Teams Focused on Assessment Reform
| Team | Ideas Shared During Kick Off (to be revised) |
|---|---|
| Non-Math Mastery/Standards | Interested in developing learning objectives and an assessment bank for each of Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Physics, and Statistics. |
| Mastery Grading in Math | Interested in sharing resources, including syllabi, homework questions, and learning outcomes. |
| Growth-Oriented Testing | First steps are to develop learning objectives and use Marzano-level verbs (Marzano taxonomy: retrieval, comprehension, analysis, and knowledge utilization). Reference |
| Two Stage Exams | Looking to implement two stage exams in various contexts and collect both grade data and student perceptions data. |
| Chemistry | Interested in using an AI tool out of University of Maryland to assess the current landscape of chemistry assessments. From there, decide what assessment revisions to make. Interested in exam retakes, two stage exams, specifications grading, and trying alternatives in lab courses. |
| Biology and Anatomy & Physiology (A&P) | Individuals will be testing out different alternative assessments this fall as case studies, then will report back to the team to share insights. Subgroups may form to support specific implementation, and the team overall is looking to share learning objectives for exams. |
| Physics |
Team was proposed but did not meet at the Kick Off Meeting, so there are no initial ideas to share. Individuals may sign up for this team if interested in the topic.
|
| Labs |
Team was proposed but did not meet at the Kick Off Meeting, so there are no initial ideas to share. Individuals may sign up for this team if interested in the topic. |
Project Teams Focused on Bigger Picture
| Team | Ideas Shared During Kick Off (to be revised) |
|---|---|
| RAD: Research, Alignment, and Data | Many ideas on research across SEISMIC, including summarizing alternative assessment practices by discipline, examining learning objectives for intro chemistry, and studying the impact on students from alternative assessments. |
| Structure, Policy, and Incentives | Interested in how institutions can support the reform work undertaken by instructors, including through Canvas improvements, collaboration with teaching and learning centers and institutional researchers, incentivizing research on SEISMIC projects, and incorporating assessment practices in teaching reviews. |
Reference
[1] Langley, G. J., Moen, R. D., Nolan, K. M., Nolan, T. W., Norman, C. L., & Provost, L. P. (2009). The Improvement Guide: A Practical Approach to Enhancing Organizational Performance (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.