Sample evaluation and assessment plan for an online college course in Human Resource

Management. Includes formative and summative assessments aligned to learning objectives, a

rubric for a non-test assessment, sample quiz questions, and a confirmative assessment and
evaluation plan with specifics on data collection and sample questions.

SPC Instructional Design Certificate

Evaluation and Assessment, Final Project
Evaluation and Assessment Plan

Evaluation and Assessment Problem

HRM COLLEGE COURSE: Your boss has just tasked you with creating an evaluation and assessment plan
for a college course currently in development. A team of faculty members has been designing an eight-
week online course in human resource management. So far they have a lot of content and some ideas for
activities, but they’re unsure how to measure student success or to determine if their instruction is
effective. Are tests enough? 


Assessment and evaluation are important factors to consider when developing

online courses or training. Both assessment and evaluation can be categorized as
formative, summative, or confirmative.
Assessments are used to assess the learner and to determine whether the
student has successfully learned the information. Formative assessments are ongoing
during the course to monitor student learning and are generally low (or no) stakes.
Summative assessments are larger stakes and are used to determine whether the
learner has understood the material at the end of a period of instruction. Confirmative
assessments are helpful for evaluating whether the learner is retaining knowledge over
time.
Evaluation is used to assess the course or training and to determine the success
of the instruction. Formative evaluations happen during the design process and are
used to refine the process while it is ongoing. Summative evaluation takes place after
the design process is complete and determines if the instruction was successful (did the
learner learn the material effectively). Confirmative evaluation is used to measure the
instruction over time. It is an ongoing process used to make sure that the instruction is
continuing to be effective.
Examples of formative, summative, and confirmative assessments and evaluations are listed in
the chart below.
EVALUATION
Formative Used to determine the
effectiveness of instruction
during the design and
development. Example:
surveys, opinions from subject
matter experts, focus groups,
etc.
Summative Used to determine if the
instruction is effective after it
has been deployed.
Examples: end of course
survey, evaluation of student
projects/final exams grades.
Confirmative Used to determine the
effectiveness of instruction
over time. Example: periodic
course reviews, examination
of student end of course
surveys and grades over time,
etc.
ASSESSMENT
Used to determine if the
student is successfully
learning the information.
Generally worth low (or no)
points) Examples: anonymous
surveys, short quizzes,
discussions board posts, ask
students to summarize main
points of a lecture.
Used to determine if the
student has successfully
learned the material.
Generally higher stakes than
formative assessments.
Example: unit exams, final
projects, etc.
Used to determine if student is
retaining the information
learned in the course over
time. Example: periodic
knowledge checks after the
instructional period has
ended.
Formative and Summative Assessments Based on Objectives

Objectives Formative Summative

Assessment Ideas
Explain the roles and Students will respond to a
discussion board prompt
responsibilities of listing what they believe are
human resource the three most important
professionals 
 responsibilities of human
resources professionals and
why.
Explain the key Students will respond to
discussion board prompt
provisions of legislation asking them to choose one
that affect HR activities 
 key provision of legislation
that affects HR professionals
and summarize why it is
important in their own words.
Evaluate recruiting Students complete an
interactive game matching the
methods and their pros and cons of different
effectiveness 
 recruiting methods.
Analyze and evaluate job Students will rank a number of
sample job applicants based
applicants 
 on a provided list of criteria.
Assessment Ideas
Students will complete a
written multiple-choice
examination covering the
roles and responsibilities of
HR professionals and the key
provisions of legislation that
affect HR activities.
Students will submit a case
study in response to a mock
hiring situation. This study will
deal with the recruitment and
evaluation of job candidates
for a given scenario (see
additional details below).

Explain the key steps of Students will complete an Students will complete a
interactive game identifying written multiple-choice
the compensation (and placing in order) the key examination covering the
design process 
 steps in the compensation compensation design and
design process. performance appraisal
Students will complete a shot processes.
Describe the
written assignment
performance appraisal summarizing the appraisal
process and systems 
 process and systems in their
own words.

Non-Test Summative Assessment Recommendation and Rubric

A good non-test summative assessment for this course would be for students to prepare
a case study in response to a mock hiring situation. Student will be provided with a
hypothetical hiring scenario (a description of a specific job opening along with the
required and recommended education, prior experience, etc.) as well as the application
materials (resume, cover letter, etc.) of three hypothetical applicants for the position.
Student will:

1. Determine the most appropriate recruitment methods for the job opening.
Students will write a paragraph explaining why they chose the particular
method(s).
2. Create an applicant-screening matrix corresponding to the job opening.
3. Use the matrix they created to evaluate the three candidates and choose the one
that they would bring in for an interview. Student will explain why they chose that
candidate based on the information available in the applicant’s documents.

Though the other two test based assessments are valuable for gauging student
learning, its important to also include a non-test assessment, which will offer the ability
to see the student’s thought process and critical thinking skills, something that is not
always possible with a test based assessment.

Student case study projects will be assessed based on a standard scoring rubric (see
below). Using a rubric is important because it provides a clear set of guidelines for
grading a non-test based assessment. Rubrics also allow the student to clearly see the
criteria upon which they will be graded. In addition to the simple scoring of a rubric,
providing individualized feedback to students on their projects is important. Both positive
and negative feedback comments should be provided so that the student can
understand where their project is successful and where it is not.

Positive feedback example: “Applicant screening matrix is very well developed. All
criteria from the job are reflected in the matrix. This matrix would work very well for the
intended purpose.”
Negative feedback example: “After reading your introduction, I am not entirely sure if I
understand your rationale for choosing the recruitment methods that you have
mentioned. I think you could expand on your explanation a bit to make that more clear.”

Sample rubric:
 Excellent Average Below Average
(3 points) (2 points) (1 points)
Overall Project is very well Project is mostly well Project is poorly
organized. organized. Template is organized. Template not
Organization Provided template followed and most followed, several required
is followed and all required elements are elements are not
required elements included. included.
are included.
Recruitment Student’s rationale Student has chosen an Student has not explained
for choosing the appropriate method of their reasons for choosing
Evaluation recruitment recruitment and is specific recruitment
method(s) is explained relatively methods and/or chosen
appropriate and well. recruitment methods that
clearly explained. are not well aligned with
the job opening.

Content of Matrix is very well Matrix is well Matrix is not very well
developed and all developed and most developed. Several
Matrix criteria from job criteria from job posting important criteria from job
posting are are reflected in the posting are missing from
reflected in the matrix. matrix.
matrix.
Candidate Candidates are A few minor Candidates have not been
evaluated discrepancies in evaluated properly
Evaluation appropriately candidate evaluations, according to the matrix.
according to the but student’s rationale Student’s rationale for
matrix. Student’s for choosing their top choosing their top
rationale for candidate is clear and candidate is unclear
choosing their top supported by evidence and/or not supported by
candidate is clear found in the application evidence found in the
and supported by materials application materials.
evidence found in
the application
materials.
Mechanics Writing is clear, Writing may contain Writing contains multiple
concise, and free of one or two spelling or spelling and grammatical
spelling and grammatical errors but errors and/or writing may
grammatical errors. is otherwise clearly and be unclear in ways that
concisely written. inhibit comprehension.
Evaluation of Current Quiz and Suggestions for Revision of
Questions and Feedback
Having reviewed the submitted multiple-choice quiz questions, I believe there are some
minor changes that could be made to the wording of some questions to improve their
clarity and thus the validity of the assessment. Some things that can improve the validity
of multiple-choice questions are avoiding “all/none of the above” answers (in most
situations) as well as negative statements in the question stems. I have made some
suggestions below as to how some of the questions could be reworded, as well as
some sample feedback that could be provided for students based on correct and
incorrect responses. As mentioned previously, feedback is an important component of
any student assessments, even multiple-choice tests. With a multiple-choice test, if no
feedback is provided, students are in danger of thinking that an incorrect answer was
correct. Providing feedback can help to clarify correct and incorrect information and thus
help students to retain correct information.
Original question:
One reason to create compensation and benefit policies is to:
A. Comply with legal and tax requirements 

B. Define company compensation and benefit opportunities 

C. Provide employees with clearly defined and equitable strategies 

D. All of the above 


Though “all of the above” answers can sometimes be problematic, in this case it may work since
this is a situation where you may wish to identify if students understand there are multiple
reasons for creating compensation and benefit policies. However, if “all of the above” is the
correct answer the stem, asking for “one reason” is poorly worded and points away from the
correct answer.

Reworded question:
Which of the following is a reason to create compensation and benefit policies:
A. Comply with legal and tax requirements
B. Define company compensation and benefit opportunities
C. Provide employees with clearly defined and equitable strategies
D. All of the above (correct choice)

Feedback for correct answer: Correct! All three are important reasons for creating compensation
and benefit policies.
Feedback for incorrect answer: Incorrect. While that is an important reason for creating
compensation and benefit policies, that’s not the only reason. The correct answer was “D – all of
the above”.

Original question:
None of the following must be paid overtime except:
A. A janitor who worked 30 hours during the work week and was also paid for 12 hours of
vacation time 

B. A vice president in charge of operations who worked 50 hours last week 

C. A nonexempt employee who put in 45 hours last week 

D. A dock worker who worked 40 hours, including 10 hours on Christmas 


This question should be revised to avoid the negatively worded stem. It’s clearer to ask students
to directly identify an example of an employee who should be paid overtime.

Reworded question:
Which of the following must be paid overtime:
A. Incorrect choice #1
B. Incorrect choice #2
C. A nonexempt employee who put in 45 hours last week 
(correct answer)
D. Incorrect choice #3

Feedback for correct answer: Correct! A nonexempt employee who puts in 45 hours per week
must be paid overtime.

Feedback for incorrect answer: Incorrect. _________ is not an example of an employee that
must be paid overtime. The correct answer was “C - a nonexempt employee who put in 45
hours last week”.

Original question:
Which of the following is not an example of an exempt classification?
A. Executive
B. Sales
C. Professional
D. Technical
E. None of the above

This question should be revised to eliminate the negatively worded stem and to eliminate the
“none of the above” choice. It’s clearer to ask students to directly identify an example of an
exempt classification. “None of the above” is generally best avoided as an option since it can
encourage guessing and, even if it's the correct response, you wont know if your students
actually knew what the correct answer was.

Reworded question:
Which
 of the following is an example of an exempt classification?
A. Incorrect choice #1
B. Executive
C. Incorrect choice #2
D. Incorrect choice #3

Feedback for correct answer: Correct! Executive is an example of an exempt classification.

Feedback for incorrect answer: Incorrect. _______ is not an example of an exempt

classification. The correct answer was “Executive, because…”
Suggestions for Discouraging Cheating
The potential for academic dishonesty is an issue in any course, but an online course
offers unique opportunities for cheating. For the summative assessments in this course
(the two multiple choice exams and the case study) counter measures should be taken
to help guard against cheating. For the multiple-choice exams, time limits could be
implemented to discourage students from simply looking up the answers. In addition,
the exam could be limited to one attempt only, and the questions could be displayed
one at a time with the order of both the questions and the answers randomized. This
would help to prevent students from sharing a list of questions and/or answers with one
another. For the case study, student’s writings could be checked with plagiarism
detection software (such as Turnitin) to guard against any attempt at plagiarism in the
written analysis. In addition, it would be prudent to remind students in the beginning of
the course that academic honesty is just as important the online environment as it is in
the conventional classroom and remind them of the consequences of cheating, which
include failure of the course and academic expulsion. Students could also be asked to
sign an honor code indicating that they understand their obligations and the
consequences of cheating.

Evaluation Plan and Data Collection

Both formative and summative evaluations will be important as the course is deployed.
The formative assessments listed earlier will help to give the instructor an idea of
whether the students are learning the material, but I would recommend taking this a
step further to allow students to evaluate the course materials as they are engaged in
the course. Anonymous surveys could be deployed within the learning management
system that would allow students to express any concerns about the course or to
anonymously express any confusion they may have over course materials or
assignments. This would give the instructor the opportunity to clarify any confusion via
course announcements or email. End of course surveys would allow students to provide
summative feedback on the quality of instruction and where they believe improvements
could be made to the course, either in terms of instruction, design, or materials. This
date would also be collected via the learning management system.
Confirmative Assessment and Evaluation
Finally, confirmative assessment and evaluation are important to confirm that the course
continues to provide an appropriate level of instruction and that students continue to
learn the material at an appropriate level. The first suggestions would be to monitor
student’s test and project grades over a period of several semesters to identify trends in
how students are responding to the material. Periodic course reviews by faculty would
also be helpful to identify any areas that could use revisions based on the faculty’s
experience in teaching the course and responding to student concerns. It may also be
helpful to include a focus group of human resources professionals in the periodic course
reviews to get some feedback from those currently working in the field as to the
continued relevance of the materials. It would also be helpful to gain continued
feedback from students. While end of course surveys work well for a summative
evaluation, questionnaires could be sent to survey former students after a certain
amount of time has passed to assess whether the information learned in the course was
relevant to them as they moved into upper level course work and/or into real world
career situations. Some sample questions listed below could be useful in both end of
semester surveys and a confirmative assessment of former students.
Sample questions:

1. Did this course provide you with a fundamental understanding of legal issues
surrounding human resource management?
2. Did this course provide you with a fundamental understanding of the roles and
responsibilities of human resource professionals?
3. Was this course helpful in developing your ability to think critically about the
subject of human resource management?
4. Was this course beneficial in preparing you for upper level coursework and/or a
career in human resource management?