Assessment for learning policy ro

© University of South Wales

Assessment FOR Learning:

Assessment Policy and Procedures

CELT SeminarTreforest, 22 April 2016


Richard Oelmann

• Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

• Senior Learning Technologist

• Previously – taught on Primary Initial Teacher Training

• Previously – Deputy Head Teacher


Seminar Summary

This seminar reviews the key elements of the University’s New Assessment FOR Learning policy and the way academics can use it to develop their own assessment approaches.

The session focuses on the USW approach to Assessment FOR Learning, including an outline of the key principles of assessment and the USW requirements around the assessment life-cycle and assessment that is fit for purpose in a disciplinary context.

The seminar will include opportunity for you to share your practice as well as learn from fellow academics they ways they have addressed the University’s expectations.


What is assessment?

“In higher education, ‘assessment’ describes any processes that appraise an individual’s knowledge, understanding, abilities or skills.”

(QAA UK Quality Code for Higher Education, Chapter B6: Assessment of students and accreditation of prior

learning, 2011, p.1)


What is Assessment for Learning?

Assessment for Learning focuses on the learning process and is conducted during normal teaching sessions.

It allows students to work with tutors to identify learning objectives and enables feedback to improve the learning.


Assessment FOR Learning

• Authentic assessment – engaging, meaningful assessment tasks• Students developing as learners – effective attributes and skills to self-assess and evaluate their own learning• Informal feedback – e.g. in-class group discussions, peer review• Formal feedback – range of forms of feedback, used at a number of stages• Practice, rehearsal – opportunities to learn practice• Formative and summative – appropriate balancing of these two types of assessment

(Sambell et al 2013)


Constructive Alignment

All components of the Learning Environment support each other

(Biggs 1999)

Assessments

Teaching andLearningActivities

LearningObjectives


Why do we assess our students?


USW Principles of assessment

• Drives effective learning• Fit for purpose• Clear and timely• Active dialogue between staff and students• Seamless engagement• Feedback – integrated, timely, feedforward• Balanced and achievable timeframes• Variety• Reliable and trusted• Secure● Minimises opportunities for malpractice● Real life briefs and simulations


Requirement 1

• Learner centred• Measure evidence of achievement• Challenged to apply and use knowledge,

rather than to restate facts• Assessments should test what is intended

to be tested. • Shared view between staff and students • Assessment Dialogue and Assessment

Approval events in June• Adhere to Assessment Tariff


Requirement 2

• Assessment Dialogue take a holistic view and review the assessment

approach across the course to align it to the principles of Assessment for Learning.

• Assessment Approval confirm the assessment briefs, hand in and return by

dates for the next year, prior to the publication of the assessment to students


Assessment Dialogue and Approval


Requirement 3

● Published to students

● after the Assessment Approval Event,

● at the start of their module and

● are made available on the University Online

Learning Environment.

● Variations

● must be compelling eg consideration of current

cases or problems and

● must be approved by the Academic Manager.


Requirement 4

● Course Handbooks

● are completed to the approved University

template and

● include an assessment schedule for all

modules,

● hand in and return by dates clearly

published

● 1st September


Requirement 5

• That all modules include elements of formative assessment

• Those elements are made clear to students within the Module Guide.

• Approved assessment briefs should include details of formative assessment opportunities and embed formative feedback as well as summative feedback.


Requirement 6

• That all modules make clear through dialogue with students the standards expected of assessment on the module eg.● peer review of work● review of previous work.

• Module tutors are required to have a dialogue with students that embed a common understanding of standards prior to summative assessment being submitted.


Requirement 7

• That all summative feedback is returned to students within 20 working days.


Requirement 8

• Standardisation and Moderation of Marks Procedure ● assessment boards● external examiners


Requirement 9

• Submission and Receipt of Assessment ● monitored by Academic Managers


Requirement 10

• Extenuating Circumstance Regulations● Assessment,● Late submission and ● Extenuating circumstances.


Requirement 12

• All appropriate text based assessments should be submitted via plagiarism detection software.


Requirement 13

• That courses run in-line with the expectations of the Academic Blueprint, including Immersive Learning with summative feedback within the first six weeks.

• Where relevant, external experts should be involved in discussion about assessment and industry expectations as part of a professional dialogue about standards.


Performance indicators

Assessment designed to these principles should facilitate the following: 1. Better motivated and engaged students2. Increased progression and student

success3. Better student outcomes on modules4. Increased confidence from learners in

the USW assessment regime


As a result the key measures that will be used to assess our performance will be: 1. Module and course performance data –

student outcomes (e.g. pass rates), progression and retention rates

2. Module and course evaluation that provides feedback on the quality of the assessment regime

Performance indicators


Discussion:Assessment for Learning

in Practice

By Felix Ling [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0) or CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons