Assessment

This parody (written by Greg Crowther) is sung to the tune of "Maria" (written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II).

These lyrics were inspired by my service as the chair of Everett Community College's campus-wide Assessment Committee. Depending on the audience, I might refer to "concepts that are core" (core concepts) or "outcomes that are core" (core learning outcomes).

We give our students quizzes,
And we tabulate their scores;
We try to measure progress
On the concepts that are core;
We give them honest feedback,
But we always could give more!
Assessment's not our favorite part of teaching!

Our students jump through hoops
Along their academic path;
They check off their prerequisites
In Chemistry and Math.
But even when supported
By the faculty and staff,
Assessment's not their favorite part of learning!

In short, they feel the same as you and I:
Assessment makes us cry!

How do you solve a problem like assessment?
How do you look inside a student's head?
How do you master summative assessment?
There's more to this than grading in ink that's red!
Many a thing you'd like to tell your colleagues;
Many a way to reinvent the wheel!
But how do you really tell
Your students are doing well?
Must a rubric be a big ordeal?
Oh, how do you solve a problem like assessment?
How do you measure learning that is real?