{"id":6682,"date":"2026-03-15T21:01:15","date_gmt":"2026-03-16T01:01:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/engineering.jhu.edu\/ctld\/?page_id=6682"},"modified":"2026-03-15T21:23:24","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T01:23:24","slug":"assessing-student-learning-online","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/engineering.jhu.edu\/ctld\/assessing-student-learning-online\/","title":{"rendered":"Assessing Student Learning Online"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;autoclose&quot;: false, &quot;accordionItems&quot;: [] }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/accordion\" role=\"group\" class=\"wp-block-accordion is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-is-layout-flow\">\n<div data-wp-class--is-open=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;id&quot;: &quot;accordion-item-1&quot;, &quot;openByDefault&quot;: false }\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initAccordionItems\" data-wp-on-window--hashchange=\"callbacks.hashChange\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-item is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-item-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading\"><button aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-item-1-panel\" data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggle\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleKeyDown\" id=\"accordion-item-1\" type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle\"><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-title\">Defining Assessment<\/span><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span><\/button><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div inert aria-labelledby=\"accordion-item-1\" data-wp-bind--inert=\"!state.isOpen\" id=\"accordion-item-1-panel\" role=\"region\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-panel is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-panel-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A question often asked by faculty developing an online course for the first time is &#8220;How will I know that my online students are learning if I can\u2019t see them?&#8221; The short answer is assessment. Crafting an assessment strategy that informs your teaching, fosters learning, and provides ample opportunity for accurate measurement of student learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rather than focus on what you cannot do online, it will be more useful to use the online environment\u2019s strengths to your advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Student-Centered Learning:\u00a0<\/strong>Online students are required to take a more active role in their own learning. As an instructor, you can quickly determine whether or not a student is engaged and meeting the course requirements.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Connectedness:<\/strong>\u00a0By virtue of the fact that students have 24\/7 access to their course, you can build in more frequent and ongoing assessments (often called formative evaluations). This type of assessment can be used to provide an early (and ongoing) indicator of how well your students are learning the material.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Collaborative and Exploratory Nature:\u00a0<\/strong>Due to the collaborative and explorative nature of online learning, the types of learning assessments used can be more personalized and authentic in nature; students can engage in real-world learning assessments that provide an opportunity to apply what they learn in their course directly to their work environment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe style=\"border: 1px solid #464646;\" src=\"https:\/\/jh.hosted.panopto.com\/Panopto\/Pages\/Embed.aspx?id=c444a1c7-4951-44a1-b03d-b141013aa10f&amp;autoplay=false&amp;offerviewer=true&amp;showtitle=true&amp;showbrand=true&amp;captions=false&amp;interactivity=all\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"autoplay\" aria-label=\"Panopto Embedded Video Player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;autoclose&quot;: false, &quot;accordionItems&quot;: [] }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/accordion\" role=\"group\" class=\"wp-block-accordion is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-is-layout-flow\">\n<div data-wp-class--is-open=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;id&quot;: &quot;accordion-item-2&quot;, &quot;openByDefault&quot;: false }\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initAccordionItems\" data-wp-on-window--hashchange=\"callbacks.hashChange\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-item is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-item-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading\"><button aria-controls=\"accordion-item-2-panel\" data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggle\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleKeyDown\" id=\"accordion-item-2\" type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle\"><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-title\">Building an Assessment Strategy<\/span><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span><\/button><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div aria-labelledby=\"accordion-item-2\" data-wp-bind--inert=\"!state.isOpen\" id=\"accordion-item-2-panel\" role=\"region\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-panel is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-panel-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We recommend more frequent assessments and a variety of assessments in our online courses so that faculty get better and what we consider the more authentic view of a student\u2019s achievement in an online course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ep.jhu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/authentic-task-design-guidelines.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Authentic Task Design Guidelines<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<iframe style=\"border: 1px solid #464646;\" src=\"https:\/\/jh.hosted.panopto.com\/Panopto\/Pages\/Embed.aspx?id=4ea9309f-d23e-4b40-a9b3-b141013aa111&amp;autoplay=false&amp;offerviewer=true&amp;showtitle=true&amp;showbrand=true&amp;captions=false&amp;interactivity=all\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"autoplay\" aria-label=\"Panopto Embedded Video Player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;autoclose&quot;: false, &quot;accordionItems&quot;: [] }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/accordion\" role=\"group\" class=\"wp-block-accordion is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-is-layout-flow\">\n<div data-wp-class--is-open=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;id&quot;: &quot;accordion-item-3&quot;, &quot;openByDefault&quot;: false }\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initAccordionItems\" data-wp-on-window--hashchange=\"callbacks.hashChange\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-item is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-item-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading\"><button aria-controls=\"accordion-item-3-panel\" data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggle\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleKeyDown\" id=\"accordion-item-3\" type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle\"><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-title\">Assessment Types<\/span><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span><\/button><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div aria-labelledby=\"accordion-item-3\" data-wp-bind--inert=\"!state.isOpen\" id=\"accordion-item-3-panel\" role=\"region\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-panel is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-panel-is-layout-flow\">\n<iframe style=\"border: 1px solid #464646;\" src=\"https:\/\/jh.hosted.panopto.com\/Panopto\/Pages\/Embed.aspx?id=4fd66658-4d1a-44ef-bc8b-b141013aa109&amp;autoplay=false&amp;offerviewer=true&amp;showtitle=true&amp;showbrand=true&amp;captions=false&amp;interactivity=all\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"autoplay\" aria-label=\"Panopto Embedded Video Player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;autoclose&quot;: false, &quot;accordionItems&quot;: [] }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/accordion\" role=\"group\" class=\"wp-block-accordion is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-is-layout-flow\">\n<div data-wp-class--is-open=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;id&quot;: &quot;accordion-item-4&quot;, &quot;openByDefault&quot;: false }\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initAccordionItems\" data-wp-on-window--hashchange=\"callbacks.hashChange\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-item is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-item-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading\"><button aria-controls=\"accordion-item-4-panel\" data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggle\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleKeyDown\" id=\"accordion-item-4\" type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle\"><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-title\">Formative Assessment with Dylan Wiliam<\/span><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span><\/button><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div aria-labelledby=\"accordion-item-4\" data-wp-bind--inert=\"!state.isOpen\" id=\"accordion-item-4-panel\" role=\"region\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-panel is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-panel-is-layout-flow\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cFormative assessment describes all those processes by which teachers and learners use information about student achievement to make adjustments to students learning to improve their achievement.\u201d \u2014Dylan Wiliam<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<iframe src=\"\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/sYdVe5O7KBE\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;autoclose&quot;: false, &quot;accordionItems&quot;: [] }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/accordion\" role=\"group\" class=\"wp-block-accordion is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-is-layout-flow\">\n<div data-wp-class--is-open=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;id&quot;: &quot;accordion-item-5&quot;, &quot;openByDefault&quot;: false }\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initAccordionItems\" data-wp-on-window--hashchange=\"callbacks.hashChange\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-item is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-item-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading\"><button aria-controls=\"accordion-item-5-panel\" data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggle\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleKeyDown\" id=\"accordion-item-5\" type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle\"><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-title\">Rick Wormeli: Formative and Summative Assessment<\/span><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span><\/button><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div aria-labelledby=\"accordion-item-5\" data-wp-bind--inert=\"!state.isOpen\" id=\"accordion-item-5-panel\" role=\"region\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-panel is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-panel-is-layout-flow\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;<em>Summative assessment is actually anticlimactic. It really refers to post-learning, after all is said and done \u2013 so it\u2019s a final declaration.&#8221; \u2014Rick Wormeli<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<iframe src=\"\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/rJxFXjfB_B4\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Defining Assessment+ A question often asked by faculty developing an online course for the first time is \"How will I know that my online students are learning if I can\u2019t&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/engineering.jhu.edu\/ctld\/assessing-student-learning-online\/\">&hellip;<\/a>","protected":false},"author":82,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-fullwidth.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-6682","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","odd"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/engineering.jhu.edu\/ctld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6682","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/engineering.jhu.edu\/ctld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/engineering.jhu.edu\/ctld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engineering.jhu.edu\/ctld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/82"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engineering.jhu.edu\/ctld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6682"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/engineering.jhu.edu\/ctld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6682\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6730,"href":"https:\/\/engineering.jhu.edu\/ctld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6682\/revisions\/6730"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/engineering.jhu.edu\/ctld\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6682"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}