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Guidelines for Creating Course Evaluation Criteria

This information is provided to assist you in designing evaluation criteria for District Designed Professional Development (DDPD) courses. Evaluation must be tied to the course goals and learning objectives. Evaluation criteria should be weighted and equal 100%. Rubrics, an assessment tool for communicating expectations of quality, must be provided for each evaluation criteria.

CMU Guiding Principles for Evaluation

  • Evaluation must be quantifiable and defined
  • Evaluation should focus on the learner's behavior and change in behavior
  • Evaluation should measure the change that results after an intervention has occurred (i.e. taking the course)
  • Evaluation should demonstrate that learners are able to apply new ideas and concepts in a real world setting
  • Rubrics must be provided for each evaluation criteria

CMU Evaluation Criteria Guidelines

  1. Design the course to result in meaningful change among learners.
  2. Define how you will evaluate that change.
  3. Authentic assessments (i.e. lesson plans, articles, unit plans, activity designs) are highly recommended.
  4. Participation may be permitted as an evaluation criteria as long as it is quantified. The rubric used to quantify participation should define what is expected and how it will be evaluated and assessed. Participation is defined to include: class discussions, participation, attendance, reflections, and online discussions Participation cannot exceed 40% of a course grade.
  5. Non-participation can be deducted from the total percentage. At the graduate level, there is an expectation that participation and attendance occur. If it does not occur, the student can be penalized.

Examples of Evaluation Criteria

Listed below are some examples of criteria acceptable to be included and assigned a percentage weight in the Evaluation section of a syllabus.

  • Projects (List in the Course Outline suggested projects and the evaluation criteria for each.)
  • Written exam (quizzes, midterm and/or final)
  • Presentations
  • Class participation in discussions and work groups
  • Teacher action research
  • Learning log
  • Reflections papers
  • Journals
  • Classroom simulation
  • Position paper
  • Self-evaluation
  • Independent reading reports
  • Individualized course projects
  • Thematic units
  • Mini-teaching

Rubrics

Rubrics must be included for each Evaluation Criteria listed in the course syllabus.