Assessment is a word that is used a lot in education. A great deal of scholarship focuses on the importance of assessment in higher education. But what do we mean by assessment? Instructors sometimes conflate grading with assessment. It is more than grading. Assessment is the strategic measurement of the extent of student learning in a course. Assessments should link student performance to specific learning objectives and provide feedback to both the instructor and the student on the performance of the student and areas for improvement.

What student engagement looks like:

In a study for Online Learning, Marcia Dixson gives us a snapshot of student engagement in an online class: 

Educating yourself about online or blended learning may seem like a daunting task; keeping up with the technology may seem even more overwhelming. There are many choices when it comes to increasing your knowledge and practical skills in the area of online learning. 

Professional Organizations

UIS is an institutional member of several professional organizations. These memberships allow UIS faculty and staff members create memberships, attend professional development opportunities for free or reduced rates, and subscribe to newsletters and listservs.

Fall 2023 Census

• Online majors made up 40.6% of UIS headcount
• Online majors are older than their on-campus counterparts:
  • At the undergraduate level by 8.6 years (30.8 vs 22.2)
  • At the masters level by 8.8 years (35.8 vs 27.0)
• Online majors have an average credit load of 8.1 hours.