Institutions use Waypoint® in a variety of ways to develop crucial data on student achievement, foster a culture of assessment, and ensure systematic continuous improvement. Students deeply appreciate getting more than just a, “B+, nice job” response on their work, and faculty teaching blended or purely online courses value Waypoint’s streamlining of the response process and the hours saved commenting on student work.
Because Waypoint is such a powerful tool for individual faculty to investigate student learning/outcomes, there are a number of academic papers that discuss the use of Waypoint in a variety of academic settings.
Please contact us if you'd like us to send you a hard copy version of any of these
Learn more about how institutions use rubrics, authentic assessment, and Waypoint Outcomes through the following academic and white papers:
- Developing a Culture of Assessment through a Faculty Learning Community: A Case Study
International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 2009
Abstract:
This article describes how a diverse, interdisciplinary team of faculty formed a topic-based faculty learning community. Following an introduction to faculty learning communities and a brief discussion of their benefit to faculty engaged in the process of adopting new technology, we explain how our team, through a competitive mini-grant application process and intensive training workshop, complemented by a series of follow-up training sessions, formed a faculty learning community that collectively adopted a web-based rubric model for performance evaluation, began implementing it, and, in doing so, developed a culture of assessment. We describe the web-based rubric software we adopted and provide short reports authored by seven members of the faculty learning community to exemplify how the implementation of web-based rubrics can enhance student performance, augment instructor evaluation of student performance, and facilitate outcomes assessment. The article includes a “lessons learned” section which synthesizes what we learned from the endeavor and emphasizes what we considered critical to the group’s success.
- Methods and Results of an Accreditation-Driven Writing Assessment in a Business College
Journal of Business and Technical Communication , Vol. 23, No. 1, 83-107 (2009)
This peer reviewed article discusses a novel approach to assurance of learning in an AACSB-accredited business school. Drexel University uses Waypoint to manage program assessment that calls on three different audiences to assess student work: business school faculty, English department faculty, and industry experts. Triangulating expectations using this approach results in a more meaningful and valid approach to assessment, and keeps the curriculum focused on clearly communicated priorities.
Abstract:
This article describes a pilot effort for an accreditation-driven writing assessment in a business college, detailing the pilot's logistics and methods. Supported by rubric software and a philosophy of “real readers, real documents,” the assessment was piloted in summer 2006 with five evaluators who were English instructors and four who worked or taught in business environments. The nine evaluators were each given 10 reports that were drawn from a sample of 50 reports completed in a writing-intensive course. They created 88 individual assessments using a 10-category rubric. While the overarching purpose of the pilot was to determine the effectiveness of the methods used, the results may also be of interest to those involved with the assessment of writing.
- Peer Assessment: A Strategy for Learning in a Technology Driven Environment
Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications 2009
This peer reviewed article discusses several tools for structuring and managing peer review, and discusses in detail Seton Hall University's use of Waypoint.
Abstract:
Blending peer assessment and new technologies enhances college teaching and promotes learning in the wide variety of settings in which adult learning occurs. The role of peer assessment as a formative evaluation strategy for the purpose of improving learning at the graduate level is examined. Formative assessment is encouraged to improve college teaching and learning. An electronic tool to replace the paper-based PA rubric that had been previously used was sought. A variety of electronic peer assessment tools used for formative assessment to increase learning in college courses are described. A Web-based software product selected to leverage the benefits of an online content management system, simplify the process of peer formative assessment, and applied to both formative and summative evaluation in both traditional and online environments is described. The results of a structured learner evaluation of the assessment tool and process will be reported.
- Using Web-Based Software to Enhance Student Learning of Analytical and Critical Skills
Journal of Educational Technology Systems , Volume 36, Number 3 / 2007-2008
Rubrics are often associated with writing assignments, but they are used in many different disciplines. This unique article details the use of Waypoint in a pre-med biology course where assessing critical thinking was seen as a main priority.
- Effective Peer Review: Leveraging the Learning Management System
Waypoint Outcomes White Paper, 2008
This white paper, authored by Andrew McCann, draws on 10 years of teaching first year English and discusses best practices for using peer review (students commenting on other students' papers). With peer review, the article argues, students "internalize the language of response," and learn as much by creating feedback for their fellow students as they do from receiving feedback. - Innovation in e-Assessment: Exploring a Multidimensional Tool
Proceedings of World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2007
This peer reviewed article discusses the use of Waypoint in an NCATE-accredited College of Education.
Abstract:
Blackboard is our university’s management system for online course delivery. To simplify data collection and aggregation for various accreditation reports, we have researched various
online tools that can be accessed through Blackboard. We were excited to discover a multidimensional, rubric-based tool called Waypoint that allows us to provide detailed evaluation feedback to
students about specific assignments while at the same time permits us to construct rubrics, align objectives with professional standards and core curriculum standards, collect and aggregate data for
accreditation reporting, and design assessments for the acquisition of core curriculum skills by all undergraduate students at the university. These are our reflections after using this tool for the past
year. - Structured, Online Evaluations and the First-Year Design Process
Learning Technology, from the IEEE Society
This academic paper discusses authentic assessment in an interdisciplinary first-year engineering program.
