Development of Assignments

Development of Assignments

Ludy Goodson’s Academic Integrity Workshop, Checklist for Development of Assignments, Page 1 of 6

Checklist for Development of Assignments

Overview

Clarity of Goals

Student Preparedness and Support
Practice, Feedback, and Improvement

Clarity of Goals

Purpose/Objective/Outcome

Value and Process

Student Preparedness and Support
Entry Skills and Preparedness
Resources Provided to Students
Resources Students May Seek on Their Own
Practice, Feedback, and Improvement
Process
Product

References Used in Developing this Checklist

Beasley, J. D. (2004). The impact of technology on plagiarism prevention and detection: Research process automation, a new approach for prevention. Atlanta: Uniting Networks Incorporated. [

Christe, B. (2003). Designing online courses to discourage dishonesty: Incorporate a multilayered approach to promote honest student learning. Educause Quarterly, 4, 54-58. [

The Council of Writing Program Administrators (2003, 2006). Defining and avoiding plagiarism: The WPA statement on best practices. The WPA Guide. [

Fink, L. D. (2003). A self-directed guide to designing courses for significant learning. [

Johnson, D. (March 2004) Plagiarism-proofing assignments. Phi Delta Kappan, 85 (7). [

McKenzie, J. (1998). The new plagiarism: seven antidotes to prevent highway robbery in an electronic age.[

ProQuest Information & Learning. (2003). Mini-research models — prevent plagiarism — develop critical thinking. [

Wiggins, G. & McTighe. (2002). Understanding by design: a summary. [

Checklist for Development of Assignments

Basic Questions to Answer when Developing Assignments

Clarity of Goals

Purpose/Objective/Outcome

A. What are the “big ideas” or “major course themes” to which the assignment is connected?
B. What kinds of questions must students answer?
C. What should students be able to do?
D. How will students know what is important to report v. memorize v. interpret v. apply?

Value and Process

E. What level of evaluation must students accomplish?
F. What is the value to student's life/career?
G. What support is provided to clearly express to students the kind of process to follow and product to develop?
H. Will students know clearly the explicit behaviors necessary for success, the payoff to them for being successful, and the consequences of noncompliance?
Student Preparedness and Support
Entry Skills and Preparedness
I. How will the instructor know whether the students possess the prerequisite entry level knowledge, skills, and abilities? and be able to make the time commitment?
J. How will the students know how to become better prepared for completing the assignment successfully?
Resources Provided to Students
K. What reference resources are provided?
L. What thinking and learning resources are provided?
M. What is the assignment schedule?
Resources Students May Seek on Their Own
N. What personal resources are available to students?
O. What document resources are available to students?
Practice, Feedback, and Improvement
Process
P. What are the practice and feedback opportunities for process?
Product
Q. What are the practice and feedback opportunities for product development?

Checklist for Development of Assignments

Evaluation Panels

Clarity of Goals

Purpose/Objective/Outcome

A. What are the “big ideas” or “major course themes” to which the assignment is connected?
  1. how will students know the big ideas or themes before working on the assignment?
  2. how will students know how the assignment relates to one or more “big ideas” or “major themes of the course”?
report findings:
B. What kinds of questions must students answer:
  1. questions with simple right or wrong answers?
  2. open-ended questions (no simple right or wrong answers)?
  3. questions that are thought-provoking, controversial, dilemma-grappling, solving a puzzle, dealing with something counter-intuitive, coping with something challenging?
  4. something that requires students to draw upon content knowledge AND personal experience?
  5. anything that leads students to pose other essential questions?
  6. something that opens doorways to greater knowledge?
report findings:
C. What should students be able to:
  1. report?
  2. explain?
  3. interpret?
  4. apply?
  5. develop?
  6. create?
report findings:
D. How will students know what is important to report v. memorize v. interpret v. apply?
report findings:

Value and Process

E. What level of evaluation must students accomplish:
  1. just the facts?
  2. interpretation of information?
  3. synthesis and generation of new ideas/models?
report findings:
F. What is the value to student's life/career? and how does the student know:
  1. worth having familiarity?
  2. important to know/do in real life or job?
  3. leads to other important objectives/skills?
  4. essential to last beyond tests & course?
  5. gives student some choice, leeway for creativity?
report findings:
G. What support is provided to clearly express to students the kind of process to follow and product to develop?
  1. assignment instructions?
  2. standards of performance/evaluation criteria?
  3. models of excellence?
  4. process checklist?
  5. product checklist?
  6. policies/guidelines?
  7. citation examples?
report findings:
H. Will students know clearly the explicit behaviors necessary for success, the payoff to them for being successful, and the consequences of noncompliance?
report findings:

Student Preparedness and Support

Entry Skills and Preparedness

I. How will the instructor know whether the students possess the prerequisite entry level knowledge, skills, and abilities? and be able to make the time commitment?
report findings:
J. How will the students know how to become better prepared for completing the assignment successfully?
report findings:

Resources Provided to Students

K. What reference resources are provided that are relevant to the assignment:
  1. textbook resources?
  2. library?
  3. web resources?
  4. others?
report findings:
L. What thinking and learning resources are provided:
  1. "how to think" about this kind of assignment or subject area?
  2. "how to study" resources?
  3. "how to research" resources?
  4. "how to write" resources?
report findings:
M. What is the assignment schedule:
  1. one final product, no intermediate checkpoints?
  2. two or more intermediate checkpoints?
report findings:

Resources Students May Seek on Their Own

N. What personal resources are available to students:
  1. colleagues
  2. friends
  3. family
  4. consultants/tutors
  5. payment-for-fee authors
report findings:
O. What document resources are available to students:
  1. Internet files?
  2. paper mills?
  3. library documents?
  4. group files?
  5. encyclopedias?
  6. files outside of searchable databases?
report findings:
Practice, Feedback, and Improvement

Process

P. What are the practice and feedback opportunities for process:
  1. opportunities for practice on process steps?
  2. opportunities to show progress and receive feedback on process?
report findings:

Product

M. What are the practice and feedback opportunities for product development:
  1. opportunities for practice on product development?
  2. opportunities to receive feedback on product development?
  3. opportunities to make revisions/improvements?
report findings:
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