“Assessment should not merely measure what students have learned; it should shape and improve that learning.”
— Grant Wiggins, 1998, Educative Assessment
Dear Colleagues,
As we move into the Elaborate and Evaluate phase of the 5E instructional model, we enter one of the most rewarding parts of the learning journey—where students take the lead in applying, demonstrating, and solidifying what they’ve learned. This is the moment when understanding deepens and connections click into place!
In this phase, students can showcase their learning in creative ways through Kahoot! quizzes, presentations, Kaltura videos, graphic organizers, mind maps, or collaborative projects. These activities not only engage students but also allow you to observe their progress in real time. We’ll revisit the difference between formative and summative assessments, highlighting how ongoing formative checks guide and prepare students for the culminating summative task. Aligning these assessments with your learning outcomes ensures that every step—every quiz, discussion, or peer review—drives students toward meeting your course objectives. And, of course, we can’t forget the power of feedback. Timely, constructive feedback helps students refine their understanding and take ownership of their learning. Let’s empower them to become presenters, collaborators, and evaluators of their own progress.
So, as you guide students through this phase, remember: it’s their turn to connect the dots. Let them lead, share, and shine!
Warmly,
Rachel & Mendy
Instructional Design Team
Office of Provost | Academic Affairs
“We do not learn from experience… we learn from reflecting on experience.”
— John Dewey, 1933, How We Think
When Learning Takes Shape: The Elaborate/Evaluate Phase of the 5E Model
After students have explored and explained a concept, they reach a pivotal moment in the 5E instructional cycle: the Elaborate/Evaluate phase. Here, learners apply and extend what they’ve discovered, testing their understanding, making connections to new situations, and demonstrating growing mastery. This is the moment when abstract ideas take shape through practice and reflection.
In the Elaborate dimension, students deepen their comprehension by applying concepts in varied contexts. They might solve new problems, engage in collaborative projects, or teach content to peers. This broadens transferability and reinforces long-term retention. The Evaluate aspect, often overlapping with elaboration, helps both students and instructors assess understanding through formative and summative assessments. Rather than signaling the end of instruction, evaluation in the 5E model provides feedback loops that drive further learning and self-correction.
When faculty integrate elaboration and evaluation seamlessly, they promote metacognition, autonomy, and authentic engagement. Students begin to see learning as iterative, something they can measure, refine, and own.
Bringing the Elaborate & Evaluate Phase to Life
Let students do the talking, problem-solving, and creating!
As we continue exploring the Elaborate and Evaluate phase of the 5E model, this is the perfect time to hand over the reins and let students demonstrate their learning in meaningful, applied ways. Below are examples of engaging assessment types—each paired with Canvas tools that make implementation simple and seamless.
Student-Led Demonstrations and Teaching Moments
When students teach, they learn twice. Inviting learners to present or explain course concepts helps them solidify understanding and boosts confidence. Try This:
- Mini-Lesson Videos: Students record short teaching videos on a core topic using Kaltura or Harmonize and share them in a discussion board for peer feedback.
- Concept Explainer Slides: Have students create and present visual explainers via Zoom or Kaltura, or upload their presentations to Harmonize for asynchronous review.
Canvas Connection: Kaltura for recording and sharing videos; Zoom for live, student-led teaching.
Applied Projects and Case Studies
Applied learning helps students transfer theory to real-world contexts. Projects and case analyses are powerful ways to deepen understanding and make learning tangible. Try This:
- Case Study Analysis: Students examine a real or hypothetical scenario, submitting their analysis through a Canvas Assignment with a detailed rubric.
- Collaborative Project: Student teams co-create a report, proposal, or presentation using Canvas Groups, then showcase their work via Harmonize or a Discussion Board.
Canvas Connection: Assignments with Rubrics and Groups support collaboration, accountability, and clear assessment.
Interactive Review and Self-Assessment
Reflection and self-checks give students the chance to gauge their own readiness before summative assessment. These activities make learning visible—for both you and your students. Try This:
- Kahoot! Review: Integrate a fun game-based review directly into a Canvas Module using external tool links (LTI integration).
- Low-Stakes Practice Quiz: Build an auto-graded Canvas Quiz that allows multiple attempts and instant feedback for formative self-assessment.
Canvas Connection: Quizzes (for immediate feedback and tracking progress); External Tools like Kahoot! for gamified review sessions.
Peer Review and Reflective Feedback
Students learn deeply when they engage in dialogue about their work—both giving and receiving constructive feedback. Try This:
- Peer Review Writing Assignment: Set up a Canvas Peer Review Assignment so students can evaluate and comment on one another’s projects using clear criteria.
- Reflective Discussion: Invite students to share takeaways from the unit and respond to classmates’ insights using Canvas Discussions or Harmonize for rich multimedia engagement.
Canvas Connection: Peer Review Assignments and Discussions/Harmonize foster critical reflection and authentic dialogue.
Connecting the Dots
Each of these assessment types helps bridge your formative assessments (the ongoing checks that guide learning) with your summative assessments (the final demonstration of mastery). When aligned with your learning outcomes, these activities ensure that every step of the journey builds toward your course objectives. Remember that the best feedback loop starts when students take the lead. Let them teach, create, and reflect their way into deeper understanding!
The Importance of Feedback
Feedback is the heart of the Elaborate/Evaluate phase; it’s how students connect what they did with what they still need to do. Research consistently shows that timely, actionable feedback has one of the strongest effects on student learning. Effective feedback:
- Focuses on progress toward specific learning goals.
- Balances positive reinforcement with clear guidance for improvement.
- Invites reflection and revision.
Consider using short feedback statements in SpeedGrader, structured peer review in Canvas discussions, or quick video/audio comments in Canvas or Harmonize. These approaches humanize feedback, strengthen instructor presence, and encourage students to view assessment as part of learning rather than judgment.
Sustaining Connection through Evaluation
The Elaborate/Evaluate phase offers rich opportunities to demonstrate Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI), a critical component of quality online teaching and federal distance education guidelines. RSI requires consistent, purposeful engagement between instructors and students that contributes to learning outcomes. The good news is that the practices naturally embedded in this stage — feedback, dialogue, and student-led application — fulfill those requirements authentically.
When instructors guide student-led activities, respond to project updates, or comment thoughtfully on discussions, they are modeling substantive interaction. Likewise, students elaborating on course concepts through peer collaboration, case analysis, or presentations create the conditions for ongoing, meaningful engagement that goes beyond content delivery.
To make RSI intentional, faculty can:
- Embed interaction checkpoints (e.g., project milestones, discussion follow-ups, or peer review deadlines) that require instructor presence.
- Provide formative commentary within student workspaces such as Canvas Groups, Harmonize discussions, or shared Microsoft 365 documents.
- Facilitate synthesis by asking students to connect their elaborations back to course outcomes or to apply peer/instructor feedback in revised submissions.
By using the Elaborate/Evaluate phase as a structure for guided interaction, instructors not only ensure RSI compliance but also build stronger instructor presence and a greater sense of community, key predictors of persistence and satisfaction in online and hybrid courses.
Accessibility and Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
The Elaborate/Evaluate phase also provides a natural opportunity to make courses more accessible and inclusive. This phase embodies the UDL principle of multiple means of action and expression. When students can choose how to demonstrate their understanding (e.g., through writing, visuals, audio, performance, design, etc.), they engage more deeply and equitably. As students produce presentations or digital artifacts, faculty can reinforce accessibility habits: captioning videos, adding alt text, structuring slides with headings, and checking color contrast. Modeling these practices signals that accessibility isn’t an add-on; it’s an important part of scholarly and professional communication. When faculty emphasize both access and reflection, they help students see that the ability to communicate ideas clearly and inclusively is integral to academic rigor.
Instructional Development works with faculty to…
- Explore, design, and experiment with different teaching and learning modes.
- Research and integrate technologies that can enhance teaching and learning.
- Design and develop online courses and programs.
- Write learning outcomes, design assessments, craft activities, and develop content.
- Utilize best practices for using instructional technologies.
Feel free to contact us online to book an appointment!
Attribution/Transparency Statement: Portions of this post were drafted with assistance from AI tools (ChatGPT). The Instructional Development team reviewed and revised all content for accuracy and appropriateness.