Cutting the Commute: Assess Authentically and Still Arrive on Time

Abstract

While the importance of assessment for student learning is widely recognized, instructors are often reluctant to sacrifice valuable class time for this activity. This presentation discusses the Auburn University Libraries instruction program's use of in-class student worksheets and other hands-on activities to integrate authentic assessment into classroom instruction. By applying rubrics to active learning exercises that are already part of the curriculum, instructors gather valuable data about student progress in attaining key information literacy skills. Classroom learning activities and tasks include identifying keywords and developing synonyms for database searches and articulating differences between popular and scholarly sources.