Aligned

The course provides relevant formative and summative assessments throughout the term, offering different ways for students to show what they know and stay engaged.

Why This Is Important (select to expand)

Why This Is Important

Assessment helps both instructors and students understand how learning is progressing throughout the course.
Using a variety of assessments allows students to demonstrate learning in different ways, such as through discussions, quizzes, written assignments, projects, or presentations.
Providing assessments regularly throughout the course helps students practice skills, apply knowledge, and stay engaged with course content.
Formative assessments support practice, feedback, and improvement during the learning process, while summative assessments evaluate learning after a unit or major portion of the course.
Including both formative and summative assessments throughout the course helps students build skills, receive feedback, and demonstrate learning over time.
Providing multiple ways for students to demonstrate learning aligns with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles by offering different options for engagement, representation, and action and expression.

How to Implement This in Your Course (select to expand)

How to Implement This in Your Course

Aligned courses include multiple types of assessments distributed across modules, allowing students to practice, apply, and demonstrate learning throughout the term.

Common Elements of Assessment Variety & Frequency

➡️Variety of Assessment Types

Include different ways for students to demonstrate learning.

Examples include:

Discussions
Quizzes
Written assignments
Projects or presentations
Case studies or problem-solving activities

➡️Formative and Summative Assessments

Use both practice-based and evaluative assessments.

Examples of formative assessments:

Practice quizzes
Reflection activities
Draft submissions
Low-stakes discussions

Examples of summative assessments:

Essays or research papers
Projects or presentations
Midterm or final exams
Portfolio submissions

➡️Distributed Throughout the Course

Assessments are included across modules rather than concentrated at the beginning or end.

👉 What this looks like in Canvas:

Each module includes at least one activity that requires or provides feedback
Smaller assignments appear before larger, high-stakes assessments (e.g. scaffolding)

➡️Balance of Cognitive Levels (LOTS and HOTS)

Include opportunities for both foundational knowledge and deeper thinking.

Lower-order thinking skills (LOTS): recall, identify, summarize
Higher-order thinking skills (HOTS): analyze, evaluate, create

Aligned courses include a mix of both levels to support deeper learning.

Learn more at “Bloom’s Taxonomy (Web Page)”, Center for Information Technology, University of Florida.

Example

A module on environmental policy might include:

A short practice quiz to check understanding of key concepts
A discussion where students analyze a current issue
An assignment where students evaluate a policy proposal with multiple means of demonstrating their knowledge (e.g. text, audio, video, infographic, etc)

These varied assessment types allow students to engage with the material in multiple ways while demonstrating their understanding.

Checking for Alignment (select to expand)

Checking for Alignment

Where this May Appear in the Course

Evidence of assessment variety and frequency is commonly found in discussions, assignments, quizzes, projects, and other graded activities within course modules.

What Demonstrates Alignment

The course demonstrates alignment when it includes a variety of assessment types and regular opportunities for assessment throughout the course.

Evidence may include:

A combination of formative and summative assessments
Multiple ways for students to demonstrate learning
Assessment opportunities included across modules or units

Activities that help students practice before completing larger assignments

Common Issues that Prevent Alignment

The course relies primarily on one type of assessment (e.g., only quizzes or only discussions)
Assessments appear only at the end of the course
Students have few opportunities to practice before major assignments

When assessments are varied and distributed throughout the course, students are more likely to stay engaged and demonstrate their learning over time.

Accessibility and Design Tips (select to expand)

Accessibility and Design Tips

Accessibility Tips

Ensure that all assessment instructions and submission formats are accessible. Provide clear instructions, accessible documents, and formats that reduce barriers to participation.

Design Tips

Use consistent structure and clear instructions for each assessment so students understand expectations. Provide guidance that helps students prepare for more complex assignments.

Spread assessments throughout the course so students have regular opportunities to practice and demonstrate their learning. Including lower-stakes assessments early in the course can help students build confidence before completing larger assignments.

Using AI Thoughtfully

AI tools can help enhance UDL options within your assessments, but the options should be reviewed to ensure appropriateness to the course content.

AI could be used to ensure:

A variety of assessment types are included that help students achieve module and/or course outcomes
Instructions are written in clear and appropriate language for students
Student are offered different ways to show what they know

AI Note:

Working with AI is often a conversation, not a one-step process. This example prompt is just a starting point. The quality of the output depends on the information you provide, so it’s important to give enough context, check what AI generates, and keep refining it until it fits your course and what you want students to understand. Even after you get a strong result, manual revision may still be needed to ensure the final version reflects your voice and intent—AI is a tool, but you are the author.

Going Beyond Aligned

✨ Exceptional courses assessments that support higher-order thinking, connect to real-world situations, and promote inclusive, engaging learning experiences.

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