Flower garlands in the market in front of Arulmigu Arunachaleswarar Temple in Tiruvannamalai. Arunachala mountain, an extinct volcano and an important site for Śaiva worship, associated with the fiery aspect of Śiva, is circumambulated by pilgrims as an expression of devotion and a practice of tapas (austerities). Tamil Nadu, India, December 30, 2011. Photo by Anna A Golovkova, © 2016.
In my assessment of students’ learning I aim to use a variety of approaches, taking into account the learning objectives of the particular course. Every course will include elements of formative and summative assessment (feedback and grading). The former includes providing students with regular on-going feedback throughout the course: in class and after class, during office hours and review sessions. I particularly emphasize the developmental nature of learning, pointing out to students what their short-term and longer term goals should be.
Vedas to Gandhi, Fall 2016. Governor General laying down the law. Photo by Tyran Grillo
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Summative assessment for Elementary and Intermediate Sanskrit includes quizzes, midterms and finals. Quizzes train students to become sufficiently facile with the Devanāgarī script, sandhi (phonological changes) rules, and particular grammatical concepts to enable students to progress to reading more difficult texts.
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Midterms and finals serve a similar goal on a larger scale and additionally encourage students to memorize vocabulary that will be necessary for reading more advanced texts. Exams include previously read passages for translation, as well as questions on grammatical structures and types of compounds used. Since the exams require a thorough review of vocabulary and grammar, they help students further develop their skills in producing polished translations of Sanskrit passages and increasing their understanding of grammatical structures to enable them to read texts at the Advanced level and engage in guided independent reading.
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However, in addition to summative assessment, class participation weighs in heavily in determining the final grade: 40% at the Elementary level and 35% at Intermediate. The material covered in the Sanskrit courses is challenging and requires commitment and focused effort on the part of the students. Therefore regular attendance and thoughtful participation are necessary to successfully meet the learning objectives of the course.
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Students are given a class participation rubric so that they know exactly what is expected from them. At the Intermediate II level, I also assign students to research a subject of their choice related to Sanskrit grammar or literature and present their findings in class (see Course Design and Planning page for more information). Here I utilize an oral presentation rubric adapted specifically to the Intermediate Sanskrit II course to guide them in their preparation of content, its presentation, organization, and delivery, in order to help students develop their public speaking skills and learn to be able to carry on an informed conversation regarding a research topic.
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