Assessment of Students

4th November 2015

Assessment

Make a mind map of your beliefs about assessment. What helps or hinders you

realising these beliefs?

Constructive Alignment

where a programme is designed so that the intended learning outcomes, the teaching approach and the assessment strategy all work together to a common goal (Biggs and Tang, 2007)

Assessment

As learning

For learning

Motivator for learning

Of learning

QAA – The purpose of assessment (Chapter B6)

Assessment is a complex topic since it involves two distinct aspects. First, it forms an essential element of the learning process. Students learn both from assessment activities and from their interaction with staff about their performance in those activities. This interaction has two elements: a focus on their learning and the extent to which that has been demonstrated in the assessment, and a focus on furthering their learning, which may itself subsequently be assessed. The latter element is often referred to as 'feedforward'.

Second, it is the means by which academic staff form judgements as to what extent students have achieved the intended learning outcomes of a programme, or of an element of a programme. (QAA, 2013, pp.4,5)

QAA (2013). UK Quality Code for Higher Education – Chapter B6: Assessment of students and the recognition of prior learning. Retrieved from: http://www.qaa.ac.uk/assuring-standards-and-quality/the-quality-code/quality-code-part-b

QAA Sound practiceWith a partner go through the indicators of

sound practice. Which ones relate to your role? Are they sound?

FHEQ Levels• Read the FHEQ levels 4, 5, 6 & 7.• How would you characterise each

level? What are the key differences?

• Make a list of words that students might have difficulty understanding (e.g. critical)

• See if you can come to an agreed definition for them

NNS 2015 BGU

BAPE

All HEIs

Sector Avg 2015

Assessment and feedback 77 85 73

5. The criteria used in marking have been clear in advance 79 89 77

6. Assessment arrangements and marking have been fair 72 71 78

7. Feedback on my work has been prompt 83 95 70

8. I have received detailed comments on my work 80 86 72

9. Feedback on my work has helped me clarify things I did not understand 69 84 68

Looking for PatternsPE121 PE123 PE125

PE126 Pres

PE221Pres

PE221Disc

PE223LitRev

PE223Pres PE225 PE226

PE311Exam

PE311Policy

max78 75 75 90 73 75 77 78 77 82 75 78

min37 35 35 54 58 53 45 45 38 45 51 45

range41 40 40 36 15 22 32 33 39 37 24 33

mean58.3 57.9 59.0 67.9 66.6 65.7 63.3 64.5 62.3 63.6 63.9 63.4

mode56 55 60 60 65 64 65 72 64 65 65 70

median58 58 60 65 65 65 64 65 63 64 64 64

Year 1 marks lower. Why?

Oral assignment

s have higher mean.

Marks consistent

across Years 2 & 3.

Failure more common in Year

1.Marks >80

rare.

External Examiner Praise (BAPE 2014/15) The best marking gives excellent advice at both academic and

practical levels giving the picture of lecturers being well informed, makes suggestions to the students about how to improve (effective modelling) and refers to progress against previous targets.

Tutors demonstrate their understanding of a range of study skills and feedback given to students regarding this area is a strength

Students directed to resources and wider issues to develop their learning

Consistent marking standards Specific assignment criteria aligned Assessment grids match marks / used well to highlight how

criteria contributes to overall mark Consistency in markers’ comments relating to the

development of academic writing and synthesis of reading Wide range of assessment practices that all demonstrate

academic rigour

External Examiner Areas for Improvement (BAPE 2014/15)

Need greater consistency in quantity of feedback (including on scripts)

All students to identify / work on previous targets

Be more specific in targets (e.g. not ‘proof read’)

Develop feedback of 70+ assignments at Level 6 for Level 7

Research on FeedbackGrade or comment?How the criteria were met or how to improve?What do the comments mean?What did the criteria mean?“Of the 29 first assignments that were not picked up by students, the majority were of poor quality, indicating that students who need the help of feedback are the least likely to receive it” (Sopina & McNeill, 2015, p.678)

Feedback loopStudent respond

s to feedbac

k

Tutor monitor

s progress

Tutor gives

feedback

Sustainable assessment & active learners

Learners orientated to the purposes of feedback Learners participate in activities promoting self-regulation Learner disposition for seeking feedback is developed Opportunities provided for production of work Calibration mechanisms Incremental challenge of tasks Nested tasks to allow for ‘feed forward’ Learner as ‘seeker and provider’(Boud & Molloy, 2015, p.707)

Communication Issues How much to correct? Academic language How many targets?Hawe’s (2007) study demonstrated that feedback which focused on surface features, such as presentation, rather than substantive issues, resulted in a more superficial approach to subsequent assignments.

Target IssuesBeing specificProviding strategiesHow many targets?Spread of targets?Targets for 70+Clear vocabulary

Codes of Practice CofP Assessment of Students CofP on Academic Misconduct CofP for Students with Access

Needs CofP for Academic Appeals CofP Extenuating Circumstances Guidance on Marking and

Moderation

Assessment Reform Group (1999) Assessment for Learning: Beyond the black box, Cambridge: University of Cambridge School of Education. Biggs, J. and Tang, C. (2007). Teaching for quality learning at university, 3rd edition. Maidenhead: Open University Press.Bloxham, S. and Boyd, P. (2007). Developing effective assessment in higher education. Maidenhead: Open University Press.Boud, D. and Falchikov, N. (2007) Assessment for the longer term, in D. Boud & N. Falchikov (Eds). Rethinking assessment in higher education: learning for the longer term. Abingdon: Routledge.Boud, D. & Molloy, E. (2013). Rethinking models of feedback for learning: the challenge of design, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 38(6), 698-712, DOI: 10.1080/02602938.2012.691462Dochy, F., Seegers, M., Gijbels, D. and Struyven, K. (2007). Breaking down barriers between teaching and learning and assessment, in D. Boud & N. Falchikov (Eds). Rethinking assessment in higher education: learning for the longer term. Abingdon: Routledge.Hawe, E. (2007). Student teachers’ discourse on assessment: form and substance, Teaching in Higher Education, 12(3), 323-335.Irons, A. (2008). Enhancing learning through formative assessment and feedback. Abingdon: Routledge.Moon, J. (2002). The module and programme development handbook. London: Kogan Page.Pickford, R. and Brown, S. (2006). Assessing skills and practice. Abingdon: Routledge.Price, M., Handley, K., Millar, J. & O'Donovan, B. (2010). Feedback : all that effort, but what is the effect?, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 35(3), 277-289, DOI:10.1080/02602930903541007Prowse, S., Duncan, N., Hughes, J. and Burke, D. (2007). ‘…do that and I’ll raise your grade’ Innovative module design and recursive feedback, Teaching in Higher Education, 12(4), 437-445.QAA (2013). UK Quality Code for Higher Education – Chapter B6: Assessment of students and the recognition of prior learning. Retrieved from: http://www.qaa.ac.uk/assuring-standards-and-quality/the-quality-code/quality-code-part-bSopina, E. & McNeill, R. (2015). Investigating the relationship between quality, format and delivery of feedback for written assignments in higher education, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 40(5), 666-680, DOI:10.1080/02602938.2014.945072