Designing a Unit Assessment Using Constructive Alignment

Constructive alignment is an outcomes-based approach for teaching, in which the learning outcomes that students are intended to achieve are defined before teaching takes place. Teaching and assessment methods are then designed to best achieve those outcomes and to assess the standard at which they have achieved. It provides a framework for adjusting teaching and assessment to address the attainment of those outcomes and standards. Constructive alignment is effective in designing teaching and assessment that enable students to learn, rather than to leave them guessing as to what is involved in the course of study or on what they will be assessed. The paper highlights the importance of using constructive alignment to enhance the quality of teaching, learning, and assessment. It reports on a study that applied the principles of constructive alignment to promote good teaching and deep student learning. It discusses the application of constructive alignment to design assessment criteria and rubric for a curriculum unit.