C921 Task 2: Assessment & Evaluation Strategies for Student Learning

C921 Task 2: Assessment & Evaluation Strategies for Student Learning

Name

 Western Governors University

C921 Assessment and Evaluation Strategies for Measuring Student Learning

Prof. Name

Date

C921 Task 2: Assessment & Evaluation Strategies for Student Learning

B1. How does each item in this assessment align with at least one Course Objective (CO) or Student Learning Outcome (SLO)?

Each assessment question is deliberately crafted to evaluate student proficiency in specific Course Objectives (COs) and Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) relevant to community health nursing. This deliberate alignment guarantees that the assessment outcomes accurately represent the students’ understanding, clinical reasoning abilities, and application of theoretical knowledge within authentic community health contexts.

The following table illustrates the alignment of each question to its related CO or SLO, along with an explanation of how the item measures student learning:

Question Number	Alignment to CO or SLO	Explanation of Alignment
1	Course Objective 1: Demonstrate the role of a community health nurse	Assesses understanding of the nurse’s role in educating patients about advance directives and end-of-life planning.
2	Course Objective 2: Analyze the impact of social determinants on community health	Evaluates knowledge of patient rights in emergency care, emphasizing legal protections such as EMTALA.
3	Course Objective 1	Demonstrates comprehension of nursing roles in home health versus hospice care, a vital community nursing function.
4	Course Objective 1	Examines eligibility criteria for hospice care, reinforcing nurses’ clinical decision-making.
5	Course Objective 1	Further evaluates hospice eligibility and nurse-led education during patient care transitions.
6	Student Learning Outcome 1: Identify vulnerable populations within the community	Measures ability to recognize populations vulnerable due to social, economic, or health factors.
7	Course Objective 2	Assesses ethical and legal knowledge regarding EMTALA, emphasizing nurse advocacy and accountability.
8	Student Learning Outcome 1	Focuses on defining and identifying vulnerability within diverse community groups.
9	Course Objective 2	Demonstrates awareness of social determinants such as income, education, and housing on health outcomes.
10	Student Learning Outcome 2: Describe vulnerable population needs	Evaluates ethical responsibilities and strategies to meet the needs of vulnerable groups.

Together, these aligned assessment items comprehensively measure the essential competencies needed for proficient community health nursing practice.

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B2. How will assessment results, including constructive feedback, be communicated to students?

Assessment outcomes will be securely posted on the institution’s student learning portal within one hour after the assessment is completed. Students will receive an automated email notification confirming that their grades are available, with an encouragement to contact the instructor for any questions or academic support.

Beyond electronic feedback, the first 15 minutes of the next in-person class session will be dedicated to a structured review of the assessment items and their rationales. This approach facilitates clarification of misunderstandings, reinforces accurate reasoning, and encourages reflective dialogue, fostering deeper learning.

Pass/Fail Criteria:
Students must achieve a minimum score of 70%, equating to at least 7 correct answers out of 10. This benchmark aligns with the institution’s policy requiring a grade of C or higher for course progression.

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B3. What assessment theory, concept, or principle guided the design of this assessment?

The design of this assessment is grounded in Cognitive Learning Theory, which highlights the significance of prior knowledge, experiential learning, and active information processing in constructing new understanding (Billings & Halstead, 2020). According to this theory, learners integrate new information with existing mental frameworks, which fosters meaningful comprehension and application.

This assessment encourages higher-order cognitive skills by requiring students to analyze clinical cases, interpret ethical and legal nursing principles, and apply theoretical concepts to practical community health situations. By including real-life nursing experiences and reflective elements, the assessment bridges theory and practice, supporting the development of critical thinking and clinical judgment vital for nursing professionals.

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B4. What procedures will ensure test security for this assessment?

Test security is ensured through a multifaceted approach incorporating prevention, detection, and response measures to uphold the integrity of the assessment process.

• Prevention:
  Access to the test is restricted until the scheduled time via a secure platform. A unique access code is provided at the start of the session to prevent unauthorized entry. Although the test is open-book, the limited time available reduces opportunities for extensive searching.
• Detection:
  The testing software includes automated monitoring that immediately detects any attempts to exit the secure testing environment, triggering alerts and locking the test.
• Response:
  Students caught engaging in academic dishonesty face automatic failure for the assessment and potential further disciplinary measures per institutional policies and administrative procedures.

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B5. What potential barrier could arise in an online testing environment, and how does the assessment design address it?

A significant challenge in online testing is inconsistent internet connectivity, which can interrupt access and negatively impact student performance. To mitigate this, students receive detailed technical instructions beforehand and are provided direct contact information for the institution’s IT support team.

Moreover, the instructor remains accessible during the testing window to promptly address technical difficulties. The relatively short length of the assessment further minimizes the risk that brief connectivity issues will prevent test completion.

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B6. What analytical methods and statistics will be used to evaluate assessment results?

To ensure data-driven instructional decisions, the assessment employs established psychometric evaluation techniques (McDonald, 2018):

• Item Difficulty:
  Measured by the p-value (0.00 to 1.00), with an optimal range of 0.30 to 0.70 indicating a balanced level of challenge that avoids items being too easy or too difficult.
• Item Discrimination:
  Assessed using the Point Biserial Index (PBI), which ranges from -1.00 to +1.00. Higher positive values denote better differentiation between high- and low-performing students.
• Test Reliability:
  Evaluated through the Kuder-Richardson Formula 20 (KR-20), where coefficients above 0.70 reflect reliable and consistent measurement, especially relevant for dichotomously scored tests.

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B7. What factors might contribute to poor assessment outcomes such as low pass rates, low item discrimination, or low test reliability?

Several factors can detract from the quality of assessment results:

• Low pass rates may arise from ambiguous or poorly constructed questions that confuse even well-prepared students (McDonald, 2018).
• Low item discrimination occurs when questions are too easy or too hard, which prevents effective separation of high and low performers.
• Low test reliability may result from misalignment between test items and course content, an excessively long test, or overrepresentation of very difficult or very easy items.

Addressing these issues is critical to maintain fairness and validity in assessment.

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B8. What is the improvement plan based on assessment results?

A comprehensive improvement plan includes immediate and long-term actions to enhance assessment quality:

Aspect	Short-Term Actions	Long-Term Actions
Item Discrimination	Revise or remove items with poor discrimination; offer bonus points if needed	Establish regular peer and departmental reviews informed by item analysis data
Test Reliability	Remove inconsistent or problematic questions	Conduct periodic alignment audits with Course Objectives and Student Learning Outcomes
Item Difficulty	Adjust or eliminate questions that are too easy or too hard	Implement continuous pre-test reviews and refinements before administration

Ongoing peer review and analytic evaluations help ensure assessments remain rigorous, equitable, and aligned with learning goals.

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B9. How can objective assessment results improve teaching strategies and student learning?

Analyzing assessment data objectively allows nurse educators to identify strengths in instruction and pinpoint areas where students struggle. Well-performing items with appropriate difficulty and discrimination are retained, while ineffective items are revised or removed.

Assessment outcomes inform adjustments in teaching, such as modifying pacing, emphasizing critical content, and diversifying instructional methods to accommodate various learning preferences, language proficiencies, and technological access.

Moreover, assessment data support the incorporation of formative assessments, interactive discussions, and experiential learning throughout the course. These data-driven instructional enhancements ultimately lead to improved teaching effectiveness and increased student achievement of course objectives.

References

Billings, D. M., & Halstead, J. A. (2020). Teaching in nursing: A guide for faculty (6th ed.). Elsevier.

McDonald, M. E. (2018). The nurse educator’s guide to assessing learning outcomes (4th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Halstead, J. A. (2020). Teaching in nursing: A guide for faculty. Elsevier.

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