In this episode, Rob and Jared revisit assessments with Dr. David Mulder, professor of education at Dordt University. Contact us at ctlpodcast@cedarville.edu with any questions. You can also visit our blog at cedarville.edu/focusblog for additional resources. We would love to get your feedback! Please fill out our survey to help improve our podcast and serve you better.

Dr. David Mulder emphasizes the need for clear learning targets and aligning assessments to those targets. He uses the analogy of an archery range, where the learning targets are the bull's eye and assessments measure how close students come to hitting that mark. These assessments provide opportunities for educators to deliver specific and timely feedback to help students grow and improve.

They also touch upon the challenge of time constraints in education and offer strategies to manage assessments effectively. One approach is to prioritize essential learning targets and to group related assessments together. A standards-based grading approach helps instructors emphasize fewer key concepts for assessment, allowing students to demonstrate their understanding comprehensively. Teaching fewer things well helps ensure students deeply understand essential content. These kinds of assessments serve students and equip them with the skills they need for success in life.

Resources 

Dr. Mulder’s podcast, “Hallway Conversations” 

Subscribe to Dr. Mulder’s newsletter, “Positivity – Passion – Purpose”