II. Understanding Assessment Deployment
d. Steps for Deploying an Assessment
Deploying an assessment involves creating the content of the assessment, choosing a format, and setting it up in a deployment platform. It is important to carefully plan and execute the assessment to ensure it measures what it is intended to. This process is similar to preparing a prescription for a patient, where the right medication, dosage, and instructions are chosen.
BASIC Information
Deploying an assessment refers to the process of making a test or quiz accessible to students for completion. This involves several steps, beginning from creating the content of the assessment, choosing a mode of delivery, setting it up in a deployment platform, and finally, administering it to the students. Think of it like preparing a prescription for a patient. Just as you would choose the right medication, dosage, and instructions, similarly, deploying an assessment involves careful planning and execution to ensure it measures what it's intended to.
INTERMEDIATE Information
Assessment Design: This initial step requires educators to draft the content of the assessment. What do you want to measure? How will you frame the questions? For a PA program, it might involve creating questions on patient diagnosis, medical terminology, or clinical procedures.
Choosing a Format: Decide on the assessment's format, whether it's multiple-choice, essay-based, oral, or practical. For instance, to test a student's bedside manner, an oral or practical format might be best.
Setting Parameters: Decide on the assessment's duration, any time limits per question, the sequence of questions (randomized or fixed), and other rules.
Administer the Assessment: Make the test available to your students. This could involve distributing paper tests in class or releasing an online assessment at a specific date and time.
Gather Feedback: After the assessment, gather feedback on the deployment process, the clarity of instructions, and any technical glitches. This helps in refining future assessments.
ADVANCED Information
Bloom's Taxonomy: Useful in ensuring questions cover a range of cognitive levels, from basic recall to critical thinking.
Scenario-based Questions: Especially in medicine, presenting students with patient cases or symptoms and asking for diagnosis or treatment plans.
Adaptive Assessments: Questions change based on student's previous answers. Useful in gauging depth of understanding.
Virtual Reality: For simulated patient interactions or surgical procedure practice.
Setting Parameters:
Accessibility: Ensure students with disabilities have required accommodations. E.g., extra time or screen readers.
Randomization: Helps deter cheating by presenting questions in a different sequence for each student.
AI-Powered Tools: Can detect unusual movement or behavior during online tests.
Two-factor Authentication: Ensures the right student is taking the test.
Post-Deployment:
Analytics: Use platform-provided data to analyze common areas where students struggled.
Feedback Mechanisms: Tools like Google Forms or in-built LMS survey features to collect student feedback.