Introduction to Assessment Design
Consideration of assessment strategies should be integrated into the curriculum design process during the early stages of module and programme development.
To design effective outcomes-based education the intended learning outcomes, teaching methods and learning activities and the assessment strategy should be mutually supportive.
This is known as constructive alignment.
As noted by Biggs (2003), 'constructive alignment starts with the notion that the learner constructs their own learning through relevant learning activities...
The key is that all components in the teaching system - the intended outcomes, the teaching methods used, and the assessment tasks - are aligned to each other.'
When designing a constructively aligned curriculum we should:
1. Start by specifying the desired learning outcomes (what do we want our students to know and be able to do?)
2. Create an environment that engages students in constructing meaning through relevant learning activities.
3. Design assessment tasks which allow all students to demonstrate how well they have attained the intended learning outcomes.
It is important to keep constructive alignment in your mind as you explore the resources on these pages to create a cohesive and meaningful learning experience within your own context.