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Evaluate & Assess

There are many models, instruments, and published documents to assist faculty with evaluation and assessment:

During the semester

Use assignments and rubrics to assess student learning and to evaluate performance (class discussion, journals, analysis papers, or oral presentations).

End of semester

Student holding a painting of a bicycle

Student presenting end-of-semester project

  • Use final papers, presentations, and/or posters to evaluate student learning. Some faculty conduct structured “wrap-up” discussions using specific reflection questions to elicit critical thinking. Tip: for the final reflection, consider using the SL Exhibition poster template, then ask students to submit it to the SL Exhibition
  • Ask agencies to comment on student performance, and/or on the overall partnership with your course.  Invite agencies to attend any final presentations, then debrief with them afterward.

Other evaluation instruments

There are many models, instruments, and published documents to assist faculty in evaluating and assessing their teaching effectiveness.

CIRCLE’s civic engagement index

Additional Resources:

SL Foundations Library: Find books, articles, and other resources related to assessment in Service-Learning, including:

  • The Measure of Service-Learning : Research Scales to Assess Student Experiences by Robert G. Bringle, PhD, and Mindy A. Phillips, and Michael Hudson, November 2003. This useful volume provides an extensive compilation of scales for use in studying students in service- learning classes. The scales measure a variety of constructs, such as attitudes, moral development, and critical thinking. In addition, the text includes a primer on measurement theory. –APA
  • Assessing Service-Learning and Civic Engagement: Principles and Techniques: A toolkit to assist in the assessment of service-learning and civic engagement programs by Sherril B. Gelmon, Barbara A. Holland, Amy Driscoll, Amy Spring, Seanna Kerrigan, Campus Compact: 2001. Offers guidelines for assessing program impact on faculty, students, communities, and institutions.

The Boise State Service-Learning Office maintains a library of the latest methodologies. The Office of Institutional Assessment and the Service-Learning Office have also developed instruments to assess the effects on students, faculty and agency partners. Please contact the office for more details 426-2380.