Embedded Assessment

Cummings R, Maddux CD, and Richamond A. (2008) Curriculum-embedded performance assessment in higher education: maximum efficiency and minimum disruption. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 22: 6, 599-605.

According to Cummings et al. institutions of higher education must develop more powerful learning environments that integrate instruction with assessment. Students then would be exposed to meaningful learning tasks requiring them to construct knowledge rather than reproduce information that others have discovered. Corresponding assessment activities would be directly related to the learning task and would tap higher level thinking and problem solving abilities. Additionally, they would measure the extent to which students can apply knowledge so solve real world problems and make appropriate decision.

The purpose of performance assessment practices should be to provide a more comprehensive picture of students' learning over the duration of their program of study and to evaluate overall program effectiveness. In spite of the advantage of performance assessment, faculty reactions to its implementation are frequently negative. The most common concerns are that such assessment practices will increase workloads, reduce time for scholarly activists, eliminate professional autonomy and reduce faculty work into component parts or discrete technical competences.

Curriculum embedded performance assessment integrates performance assessment requirements within individual courses. Curriculum embedded performance assessment tasks consist of any representation of student work that demonstrates mastery of course content and attainment of course and program learning goals. These may include written examination, essays, research papers, presentations, online bulletin board activities, or group projects. Student work on curriculum embedded performance assessment tasks is assessed as part of course requirements, but also can be used for portfolio assessment and program review.

The author lists advantages of using curriculum embedded performance assessment within individual courses as a component of the overall performance assessment process including: students are actively involved in the assessment process, assessment activities are part of regularly course requirements so that no additional faculty time is required for data collection, and data can be collected from students' assignments in a specific course that can be used for both individual student evaluation and assessment of overall program effectiveness.