Assessment

IT Sligo 25-26 Nov 2004

Concerns about assessment

Both new and experienced lecturers can be worried about how best to assess students!

What worries (if any) do you have?

a changing assessment context

• we know more about assessment

• a greater interest in generic skills

• technological change, esp. the internet

• increased student diversity

• changing modes of student engagement

Students’ changing expectations

Students changing expectations of HE and the consequences of mismatches with the reality.

Richard James, CSHE, Melbourne Uni.

perceived changes amongst students

• fewer ‘full-time’ students• increased hours spent in paid work• increasingly instrumental approach to

learning• more passive – wanting to be ‘spoon-

fed’• wanting more choice and more control

over teaching

HE staff concerns

• want to ‘make a difference’

• have clear vision of expected educational outcomes

• see increased distinction between ‘achievers’ and others: 2-modal distribution of grades

• students ‘no longer want to work’

but . . .• ‘students consistently express a strong desire to

study in an area of personal interest’• ‘part of the responsibility for the growing detachment

of students lies within the sector itself’ – eg in the admissions processes

• ‘many students enter higher education with only vague ideas about specific aspects of the experience that lies ahead, yet with considerable confidence that it will be right for them’

. . . a mismatch between expectations and reality?

what students want!

what students also want!• ‘the fundamentals of effective teaching — clear goals,

feedback on progress, and transparent assessment requirements and grading practices . . .

• they welcome personal interaction with teaching staff and being treated as individuals by staff who show concern for their progress . . .

• these expectations thoroughly correspond with what the experts believe generates an effective higher education environment’

exercise

Teaching Goals Inventory

• can help you become more aware of what you want to teach on any individual course or module

• can provide a basis for thinking and talking about your approaches to assessment

Learning objectives/outcomes

Knowledgebreadth

Knowledgekind

Knowhow and skillrange

Knowhow and skillselectivity

Competence context

Competencerole

Competencelearning to learn

Competenceinsight

HETAC: 8 aspects

Biggs SOLO taxonomy

• 5 levels of learning – should relate to curriculum objectives: prestructural unistructural multistructural relational extended abstract

formative and summative assessment

formative

any task that provides feedback to students on their learning achievements

formative and summative assessment

summative

to establish or measure what the learner has achieved and also (often) to compare them to each other

Case study 1: Exams

• discuss with others• keep questions brief and simple• work out what you are actually testing• exam for what has been learnt, not what has

been taught• don’t repeatedly measure the same

knowledge or skills• include data in questions• write out an answer to the question yourself

Case study 1: Exams

• show how marks are to be allocated• don’t expect students to write too much• make effective use of marking schemes• avoid halo effect• find ways to give feedback• be aware of what influences your marking• discuss exam questions with students in a

variety of ways

Case study 2: Work-based learning

see handout• features• learning being assessed• structure• marking• advantages• drawbacks

analyse your own asseement method

• homework for tomorrow!

• see handout (assessment case study)

• choose a real assessment method you have used and analyse it according to the form

• we will discuss first thing tomorrow

Time for lunch!

your own assessment method

discuss

in pairs

what you found

basics of assessment

• define the purpose of the assessment• start with assessment• use assessment to direct students’ attention to what

matters• use a variety of assessment methods• tap students’ knowledge and skill rather than trying to

trip them up• make it clear what kind of assessment task you are

setting• make it clear what will count as an acceptable

outcome

basics of assessment

• make your criteria clear• marking can be subjective and unreliable• encourage students to judge their own work• give feedback promptly• be positive in your feedback• check the rules on marking• manage assessment time carefully

innovative assessment

• work in pairs, with someone from a different discipline

• based on what you have talked about so far,design an innovative way of assessing for a course you teach

• use your imagination!

plagiarism

in the culture alignment

on the increase? types of assessment

expectations + pressures of time

getting away with it

strategies

• policy and procedure• awareness• prevention• detection • action• see: www.itsligo.ie/staff/pshare/• Managing intertextuality: meaning, plagiarism and

power

assessment resources

• check out the ITS library 378.1

• read your training materials!

• check out the website

assessment website

www.itsligo.ie/pshare/assessment/