Inquiry-Based Assessment - Overview


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Inquiry-Based Assessment


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An inquiry-based approach to developing outcomes and assessment is one that enables individuals (staff, faculty, and students) to examine their own examples of work in order to ask questions and learn from the process. This process can be used not only for assessment but also for program design - as a way to build a culture of inquiry and support continuous learning.

 

The University of Richmond's Bonner Center has developed this approach as a key strategy for defining student learning outcomes. They call the process "data labs." This section will explain more about it and provide helpful examples, steps, and instructions.

 

In that approach, staff, faculty, and student leaders reflect on examples of student learning (called "artifacts") and creatively ask questions. Such artifacts of student learning might include:

 

 

This process and approach is not confined to student work. An inquiry based data lab could also involve faculty work - examining assignment prompts, syllabi, and more. The University of Richmond has started doing this now with faculty in order to ask about their own learning and approaches to teaching.

 

An inquiry-based approach to assessment can provide fuel a center or campus's ability to be involved in ongoing learning, reflection, and continuous improvement. The University of Richmond, whose work is profiled throughout this section, has walked this path over the last five years, developing and using data labs and other hands-on methods to fuel learning while also developing outcomes and assessment.

 

Such approaches to assessment can be grounded in the values (such as reciprocity and meaningful action) that are core to the Bonner Program and community service/engagement. Yet, they also do mirror HIPs. These approaches:

 

 

This approach to assessment also can overcome typical barriers and frustrations such as:

 

 

 

 

 

These slides introduce the approach in more depth.

 

Reclaiming and Reimagining Assessment from Corella and Bertram F. Bonner Foundation