Input-Environment-Output Assessment Model
December 9, 2009
One of the main issues with assessment lies in the fact that some educators delay the majority of assessment activities until the very end of academic terms. Such practice leads to several problems that directly and negatively affect learning outcomes:
students do not know on what level they are expected to perform
students are confused and their confusion may lead to misunderstanding and miscommunication
educators lose their ability to communicate high expectations to their students
educators lose an opportunity to help students to become more self-reflective and improve their class performance.
To improve this very common classroom situation, A. Astin (1993) in “Assessment for Excellence. The Philosophy and Practice of Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education” offers his input-environment-output model of assessment, which provides a very simple yet very practical framework for assessment. The main value of this model is that it reflects what higher education is trying to accomplish: to enhance the educational and personal development of its students and faculty. As Astin argues (1993), “taken together, student input and students’ outcome data are meant to represent student development – changes in the student’s abilities, competence, knowledge, values, aspiration, and self-concept that occur over time. Because the notion of change is so basic to the purpose of higher education, we need to have at least two snapshots of the student taken at different times in order to determine what changes have actually occurred. At the same time, knowing what particular environmental experience each student has had helps us to understand why some students develop differently from others” (p. 21). Additionally, knowing what fosters positive changes in students’ college careers can significantly improve the university’s general quality of provided educational services and, as a consequence, lead to its further success on the educational market.
According to Astin, the input stage of assessment, initial assessment, is crucial for building a successful learning environment because its helps both students and instructors agree about how teaching and learning will happen in the classroom. Instructors can learn what knowledge students bring to class. This allows instructors to customize instruction based on where students are as they begin the semester. Students in their turn, can become familiar with the instructor’s style of assessment and the general expectations for the course.
The environment stage of assessment gives an opportunity to critically evaluate the overall dynamics of the class and the impact of the material being taught on students’ progress. It also helps students better construct their learning process and analyze their progress as they move through the semester.
The output stage of assessment, the most common type of assessment, occurs when instructors look at the general course of students’ progress in knowledge acquisition and skills development. This stage can also be used by instructors to provide students with further directions for improving their knowledge of a particular subject and development of certain skills after the completion of the class. In this case, students will be able to connect their experience obtained in class with additional experience as they progress through college.
How can these ideas be practically implemented in the classroom? Multiple techniques can be used in order to perform this assessment model in the classroom. including:
– short quizzes targeted at students’ general knowledge of the subject, their previous experience with learning, or experience with the subject matter.
– prompt and constructive feedback on assignments which are thematically linked to the final project.
– individual sessions that are designed as a collaborative work between the students and the instructor.
Entry Filed under: Assessment. Posted in Assessment .
