Assess and Engage
Assess Learners
Assessment is the process of gathering evidence of student learning to understand progress and achievement. Effective assessment practices are clear, fair, and aligned with learning outcomes, and they help guide both student learning and instructional decisions.
Assessment Basics
Understanding the basics of assessment can help instructors design activities that accurately measure learning and support student success.
Assessment principles guide how we evaluate learner progress in ways that are fair, transparent, and aligned with outcomes — while also considering how much assessment is enough to meaningfully support learning. Effective practices include providing timely, actionable feedback and using efficient marking strategies to balance quality, consistency, and workload.
Assessment strategies benefit from being focused and simple, using approaches that support learning while managing workload. These can include non-disposable assignments, writing effective multiple-choice questions, two-stage assessments, and classroom assessment techniques that provide timely insight into student understanding.
The following alternative assessment strategies provide different ways to evaluate learning while promoting student agency, reflection, and meaningful engagement.
- Course Redesign for Alternative Assessment
- Learner Readiness + Professionalism Checklist (Need to create a PDF for this as well as Word Document)
- Ungrading
NIC AI Assessment Scale (Edit — make sure info is still relevant)
Engage Learners
Our purpose in teaching is to foster student responsibility for learning, build confidence, and support lifelong learning in their chosen field. We achieve this through intentional course design that actively engages students in disciplinary thinking across online, blended, and face-to-face environments.
Active Learning
Active learning involves students actively engaging in the learning process through activities like discussion, problem-solving, and collaboration. It encourages participation and deeper understanding by moving beyond passive learning.
Creating Dialogue in the Classroom
Engaging learners involves creating opportunities for students to participate through discussion, collaboration, and problem-solving. Classroom dialogue supports deeper understanding by encouraging students to share ideas and learn from each other.
Reliable Formats of Engagement
Structured engagement uses activities where students make choices within clear boundaries, making their thinking visible for feedback and discussion. It supports deeper learning through focused “why” questions that explore reasoning.
Inquiry-Based Learning Approaches
Inquiry-based learning places responsibility on students to develop understanding through exploration and questioning. It includes approaches like design thinking, problem-based learning, and case-based learning, where students build knowledge by engaging with structured, real-world challenges.
Group Work: Cooperative vs Collaborative
Group work can be cooperative or collaborative. Cooperative learning uses structured, short activities to help students process ideas or practice skills, with individual assessment remaining separate. Collaborative learning involves students working together over time to produce a shared outcome with joint responsibility.
Team Based Learning (TBL)
Team-Based Learning (TBL) is a method where students work in permanent teams to apply course concepts and take responsibility for their learning. It emphasizes readiness, teamwork, and peer feedback to support deeper, higher-level learning.
Flipped Learning
Flipped learning has students engage with basic content before class so in-class time can focus on discussion, problem-solving, and deeper application of concepts.
Teaching Feedback
Teaching feedback gives instructors valuable insight into how students experience a course. It highlights what’s working well and identifies areas for improvement, helping faculty enhance learning outcomes and refine their teaching practices.
Course Feedback Surveys
Course feedback surveys gather anonymous student input to help instructors improve teaching and the overall learning experience.
NIC Policies and Procedures
North Island College has established policies and procedures to guide all institutional initiatives — including administration, student services, finance, and facilities. Instructors are encouraged to review the College’s educational policies, as these provide important guidance for effective and consistent instructional practices.