Assessment

Forward Steps for Academic Integrity and Record-keeping

Building and maintaining a streamlined record-keeping process at USask.

Fostering Inclusive Learning Environments at USask: The EDI Framework for Action

USask’s EDI Framework for Action emphasizes creating inclusive learning environments. Here we offer practical approaches to help foster a diverse, supportive, and accessible educational experience for all students and educators.

Assessing Student Reflections

Reflection bridges theory and practice, fostering growth through meaningful insights. Explore strategies, tools, and frameworks to assess reflective learning effectively.

Addressing 6 Key Areas of Student Need: Strategies for Academic Integrity

Promoting academic integrity begins with addressing 6 core needs of students. Here are related strategies, links, and resources to help you support academic integrity in students.

Progressing Your Program’s AI Strategy

We have been in a reactive phase of responding to AI where our focus has been on which uses of AI to permit in assessments. Now, two other areas need attention so we can shift into being proactive.

USask Community Plays Major Role in Creation of OER

As USask celebrates ten years since the first adoption of an open textbook in a large class, instructors and students continue to create OER for use at USask and beyond.

Embracing Authentic Assessment in Higher Education

Authentic assessment in higher ed reveals critical challenges: power dynamics, cognitive overload, mentor training gaps, and ethical risks. Thoughtful design can balance these issues, enriching real-world learning and career readiness.

Determining Levels of Acceptable GenAI Use

Use a framework to decide what level of GenAI use to permit in your course.

How to talk with students about suspected academic misconduct

Discover ways to approach conversations with individuals or the whole class when academic misconduct is suspected.

Canvas New Analytics

Learn how to use Canvas New Analytics to see how students are doing in your course

The 10-year anniversary of OER at USask brings celebrations and opportunities!

The 2024-25 academic year marks an important milestone for USask.

Student Volunteer Experience to Credit-Earning Experiential Learning Course

Transform volunteer work into academic credit! Discover how USask is turning student experiences into valuable, credit-earning opportunities through innovative experiential learning course.

Ask, Find Out, Act: The Benefits of Inquiry-based Learning

Inquiry-based learning sparks curiosity by encouraging students to ask questions, explore answers, and actively engage with content, leading to deeper understanding and meaningful learning experiences. Read this excerpt of a blogpost by Dr. Lee Beavington at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU), reposted with permission.

What is Formative Assessment?

Identifying Plagiarism

Learn about some common indicators of plagiarism while also noting other possible explanations.

Bringing Theory to Life Through International Experiential Learning

Discover how international experiential learning bridges theory and practice, offering students immersive experiences that enrich their education and global understanding. Dive into real-world learning!

Elevating mentorship in higher education: The key to effective preceptor development

Discover the transformative impact of mentorship in higher education. Learn how effective preceptor development is key to nurturing future leaders and fostering academic excellence.

The Life-Giving Role of Field Work in Biology Courses

Explore how hands-on fieldwork in biology courses breathes life into learning, fostering deeper understanding and engagement with the natural world. Discover the transformative power of outdoor education!

Gamifying Learning Experiences

Discover how gamification can transform your teaching! Learn strategies to engage students and enhance learning through game-like experiences.

Embedding Research, Artistic, and Scholarly Skills: A Step-by-Step Guide for Classroom Success

Elevate classroom success with this guide on embedding research, artistic, and scholarly skills. Gain practical steps to enhance student learning and engagement.

Adding Experiential Learning to an Introductory Course

Boost engagement and learning by integrating experiential activities into introductory courses. Learn how practical experiences enhance academic understanding.

Reflective Journaling: How instructor feedback helps students improve

Enhance student growth with instructor feedback in reflective journaling. Learn how targeted comments can improve student writing and critical thinking skills.

Inbox Assignment

Transform your teaching with Inbox Assignments! Engage students and boost learning outcomes through real-world email scenarios.

Canvas New Quizzes: Frequently Asked Questions

If you are creating a quiz in Canvas, we recommend you use the New Quizzes engine instead of Classic Quizzes. Got questions? Take a look through this FAQ.

Canvas New Quizzes – Adding Accommodations

If you need to provide students with quiz accommodations, it's important to know that adding accommodations in New Quizzes looks quite different than Classic Quizzes.

Differences between Canvas Classic and New Quizzes

Summary of the differences between New Quizzes (now available in Canvas) and Classic Quizzes.

8 Reasons to Be Excited About Canvas New Quizzes

Canvas has a new quiz engine. Here are 8 reasons why you might be excited about making the move to New Quizzes!

Relationship: Supporting Indigenous Student Success

Higher education has a responsibility to address the lived reality for Indigenous learners. Educators can look to build authentic relationships with learners and manage learning outcomes.

Indigenization and Assessment - Rethinking Traditional Practice

Examining assessment practices to determine the impact on Indigenous student success will provide opportunity for an enhancement of practice and improved outcomes.

Syllabus Generator Offers Ease and Support When Creating Your Syllabi

To assist you in writing or revising your syllabus, the USask Syllabus Generator Tool can be accessed directly through Canvas. This tool includes all required sections, the recommended sections and sample language.

Comparing two online quizzes: Formative Assessment

This post aims to compare the design of two online quizzes to determine how each design impacts student learning.

Assessing student participation and attendance

Learn what the research says about grading attendance and get tips for how to grade participation in your class.

An Outcomes-Based Practice Continuum

This article will discuss a continuum of outcomes-based practices including referencing outcomes, assessing outcomes, and reporting student achievement on outcomes.

Defining Authentic Assessment

Authentic assessment emphasizes real-world application of skills and knowledge. Learn how it enhances student engagement and aligns with meaningful learning outcomes.

Assessing Outcomes versus Grading Assignments

Shift your focus from grading tasks to assessing outcomes. Learn how this approach fosters deeper learning and provides a more meaningful evaluation of student progress.

Experiential Learning - Top 5 Resources

If you’re wondering how to enhance your experiential learning practices and make meaningful connections with learners’ knowledge and experiences, here are five valuable resources to support experiential learning. Discover rubrics, learning modules, reflection models, and prompting questions.

How do you know when you need Experiential Learning?

Identify when your teaching can benefit from experiential learning to boost student engagement with practical, real-world applications.

Give Efficient Feedback

Learn the most important things to give feedback about in your classes, and how to make feedback highly efficient.

Creating Efficiencies: Grading Discussions in Canvas

Strategies to assist you and your students to have a better experience using Canvas Discussions for learning.

Grading Reflection

Reflect on grading practices to enhance student learning and equity. Discover how thoughtful assessment can drive better educational outcomes. How can you determine if someone’s reflection is good enough, and how can you signal that to students so they reflect well and understand the feedback and grades they receive?

Keep it active with classroom polling

Learning technologies like Poll Everywhere can help keep your class active and engaging.

You May Have Too Much Content, But What Should You Take Out?

The key is thinking about the essential ideas of the course and what skills and knowledge students require to really learn them.

Using Poll Everywhere to Integrate Formative Assessment in Courses

Poll Everywhere is integrated polling tool at USask. As you begin planning for the fall term, you may be considering how you will make use of formative assessment in your courses, including the use of Poll Everywhere.

Administering Written Exams via Canvas

Canvas can be used for replicating a “take-home” style of exam in a digital setting. Learn when to use this approach, and how to set it up for a smooth launch at exam time.

Making it Accessible: Turn on Live Captions in Zoom

Make your Zoom meetings more accessible with live captions

Keep recording when you present content

The shift to remote instruction during the pandemic proved that there is value to recording your lectures. This article dives into why this practice still holds value and how to do it.

Using Oral Assessments to Collect Evidence of Learning

Boost learning engagement with oral assessments! Discover how this dynamic approach can provide richer evidence of student understanding and mastery.

How Students Interact With Your Online Course Predicts Their Success

Understanding how students engage with online materials can help you predict student success.

How Canvas Supports Learner-Centred Assessment

Explore using Canvas to integrate the Learning Technology Ecosystem Principles. In this one, we look at the "Inclusive of learning-centred assessment" principle.

Posting Feedback and Grades in Canvas

Learn how to post grades and feedback for students in Canvas.

Understanding Timer, Availability, and Accommodation Settings for Canvas Classic Quizzes

Tips and help for Classic Quizzes in Canvas

How Does Canvas Make Learning Accessible?

Using Canvas' built in Accessibility Checker to ensure fair assessments for all students

What Does a Well-Designed Canvas Course Look Like?

Designing a new course in Canvas? This article will help you create a well-designed course and avoid making mistakes.

Utilizing Peer Feedback in Canvas

Encouraging students to do peer-reviews on Canvas for higher quality work.

Using Authentic Assessment to Integrate Current Events Into Courses

Using authentic assessments to look at current events through the lens of your discipline can increase student engagement and reduce issues around academic integrity. Such assessments provide students opportunities to apply what they've learned in a context similar to how they'll use that knowledge beyond their university years.

The What if...'s of Live Zoom Sessions

Are you interested in using Zoom for online, synchronous learning? Here are a few things to consider.

How to Make an Effective Rubric

Resources to help you create and develop a useful rubric.

Leveraging Peer Feedback in an Online Environment

This article explores how peer feedback enhances learning and provides learners with an opportunity to share their work and hear from peers the strengths and areas for improvement.

Land Acknowledgements: A reflection 5-years after the TRC Report

In April 2020, Stryker Calvez and Rose Roberts reflected on the practice of land acknowledgements and the intention behind it.

Feeding Learning: Mark better work in less time

USask Learning Charter tells us - “Provide prompt and constructive feedback for students on their learning progress at regular intervals throughout the course.” What does that actually mean, and why does it matter?

Student Voice and Choice: Co-Creating Choice Boards

Co-creating a list of potential assessments with students is a great opportunity to increase student voice and choice. Students who choose assessments that are personally relevant are more likely to be motivated, engaged, and take ownership of their learning.

Defining Competencies and Outcomes

Improve your course clarity with competencies and outcomes. Learn how to break down complex skills into measurable parts for better student understanding and success.

Getting More Active (and getting more learning)

Easy changes to make your course more active

It’s All About Your Outcomes

Clear, actionable outcomes are the backbone of effective teaching. Ensure your objectives drive student success and align with your educational goals.