Rethinking Assessment: Goal Alignment, Alternative Formats, and Actionable Feedback
This webinar explores evidence-based approaches to designing college courses that support student growth and achievement. Presenter Dr. Ashley Harlow will guide participants through three interconnected topics:
(1) designing assessments that are intentionally aligned with course learning goals and transparently structured
(2) introducing alternative assessment formats — such as portfolios, project-based evaluations, and reflective assignments — to capture a broader, more authentic picture of student understanding, and
(3) delivering timely, constructive feedback that empowers students to reflect on their progress and take ownership of their learning.
Through real-world examples and research-informed frameworks that can be adapted across disciplines and course formats (in-person, hybrid, and online), participants will leave with practical tools and a deeper understanding of how thoughtful assessment design can transform student learning.
Ashley Harlow, Ph.D., is the Program Director of Professional Development at the Division of Teaching Excellence & Innovation (DTEI), the University of California Irvine. Prior to this role, Dr. Harlow was the Assistant Director of Instructional Development at the University of Georgia and the TA Development Program Manager at UC Riverside. She earned her Ph.D. at UC Irvine in the School of Education where she studied higher education teaching and learning practices that support underserved students and minoritized students’ perspectives of student-centered instruction.
In her current role, she oversees the teaching and learning professional development curriculum designed for faculty, graduate students, and all members of instructional teams to enhance overall instruction on campus. Dr. Harlow leads a team of professional staff across various specialties of instructional design and educational development and collaborates with the Division of Teaching Excellence & Innovation (DTEI) leadership to ensure strategic alignment.
