1. Assessment Methods Identifying Possibilities and Good Practices to Achieve Competence Learning Outcomes Prof. dr. sc. Alan Uzelac, University of Zagreb, © 2005

2. Types of assesment STUDENTS CURRICULUM DIAGNOSTIC ASSESMENT FORMATIVE ASSESMENT SUMMATIVE ASSESMENT Initial ability for the success in study Stimulating study and self-assesment Final evaluation of the success in study

3. External conditions assesment institutional capacity professional targets methods of financing

4. Assesment of students at Zagreb Law School

5. Advantages –long tradition –good human resources –striving at excellency –talented students –high thresholds –multiple individual assesment methods Difficulties –poor teacher/student ratio –lack of continuous and individual assesment –lack of mutual communication –criteria not harmonised –dubious student motivation

6. Attracting good candidates! –no selection – no quality Adequate choice of criteria –previous education –specific competence Resistance to outside pressures DIAGNOSTIC ASSESMENT What can be done?

7. Adjusting the size of the classes –hiring more professors –admitting less students Introducing methods of continuing tracking –mentorship over the integral duration of the study –tutorials FORMATIVE ASSESMENT

8. What can be done? Specific programmes for specific classes of students –students with difficulties –average students –excellent students Increasing motivation for excellence –awards, stimuli –working towards better employment chances FORMATIVE ASSESMENT

9. What can be done? Most chances for improvement Three fields SUMMATIVE ASSESMENT CRITERIA METHODS OUTPUT

10. Criteria – general framework OBJECTIVITY TRANSPARENCYREALITY neutrality: positive/negative (methods: written/oral ex.; anonimity?) expertise: professional and pedagogic clear definition of demands accessibility of sources publicity of the assesment process adequate demands (high/low) (appropriate targets)

11. ROUTINE CHEATING CORRUPTION What do you use in preparing for exams? Student compendia (scripta) 80 % “Other ways” to pass the exam Money1,7% Sex1,7% Other2,6% Criteria – the problems Do you cheat on exams? Never! 17 %

12. Methods SHOULD EXAMS BE WRITTEN AND/OR ORAL? SHOULD EXAMS BE ANONYMOUS AND/OR IDENTIFIED? SHOULD THERE BE EXAMS AT ALL? HOW MANY TIMES MAY A STUDENT TAKE ONE EXAM?

13. Outputs Gauss (bell) curve SENSITIVITY? - can you recognise the excellence? USEFULLNESS? - is this what society needs/expects? COMPARABILITY? - are results from different institutions roughly adequate and comparable?

14. Outputs Assesment of students and its relative importance for the curriculum 5 5 4 4 5 5

15. Assessing the assessors

16. The future