Assessing Skill in Syntheses and Critical Thinking
| Assessment Type |
Description |
Objective |
Implementation |
| One-sentence Summary |
Students answer investigative questions such as "Who does what to whom, when, where, how, and why?" Student responses must be written in one sentence |
To assess students' skill levels in synthesizing information and thinking critically |
Use this as a class opener to confirm that students completed required homework reading and/or assignment; use this as a mid-point activity to facilitate class discussion |
| Word Journal |
Ask students to summarize a short text in a single word, and then to write a paragraph on why the chose the word |
To assist students with reading carefully, and to improve skill at explaining and defending with concise writing |
Use this as a class opener to confirm that students completed required homework reading and/or assignment; use this as a mid-point activity to facilitate class discussion; allow students to critique each other's responses |
| Approximate Analogies |
Students complete the second half of an analogy |
To determine students' understanding of relationship between concepts and terms |
Use this as a written homework assignment; use as a class activity to review for quiz or test and to facilitate class discussion; use to confirm that students completed required homework |
| Concept Map |
Provide drawings or diagrams of mental connections that should be made between a major concept and other learned concepts |
To provide an observable graphic record of students' conceptual schema and associations made in relation to a given focal concept |
Use this as a written homework assignment; use as a class activity |
| Invented Dialogues |
Ask students to synthesize knowledge or issues, persons, or events into a structured and illustrated conversation |
To reveal students' ability to capture essence of other personalities and exression styles, theories, controversies, and opinions |
Use this as a group assignment for teams to prepare dialogue |
| Annotated Portfolios |
Ask students to compile selected examples of their work and provide written commentary on each item selected |
To assess synthesis, critical thinking, communication, and progressive achievement |
Allow each student five minutes to present his/her portfolio to the class; use as part of a final course assessment |
