Making Assessment Count (e-Reflect) Mark Clements and Gunter Saunders University of Westminster Mark Kerrigan University of Greenwich

What was our challenge? Addressing the student view that they did not receive enough feedback and the staff view that they did but did not make effective use of it.

What did we do? – Developed a framework for action on feedback called SOS model To encourage students and staff to work through a process designed to promote action on feedback To link action on feedback to the personal tutorial system – Developed a ‘small piece of technology (software we call e-Reflect)’ to: Help the student strategically reflect on their feedback Connect the student’s feedback and their reflections to the personal tutor

1. Marked coursework returned with written feedback 2. Student completes diagnostic questionnaire and completes entry in learning journal 3. Student meets with their personal tutor SUBJECT OPERATIONAL STRATEGIC SUMMARY OVERVIEW DIAGRAM OF MAKING ASSESSMENT COUNT e-Reflect Action Plan Apply Submit Coursework

Benefits to staff, benefits to students, benefits to the institution – Staff personal tutors provided with more timely information on their tutees overall performance Clear framework for provision of feedback – Student Additional layer of feedback facilitating strategic reflection Strategy for using and acting on feedback – Institution Raising of the profile of feedback (what it’s for and how it should be exploited within a broader assessment strategy) Support for shifting of emphasis of personal tutorial to academic performance

Points to consider if you implement something similar – Don’t underestimate ingrained suspicion of technology (replacing face to face) – Make sure all ‘key’ stakeholders are on-board – Get active senior staff involvement/support (link your work to institutional strategy/time allowance) – Beware of what you might expose/wider implications of the work

Ongoing challenges we are still working on – Making e-Reflect sufficiently flexible for a breadth of subject disciplines (including IT support) – Convincing other academic areas to ‘find the time’ for implementation – Integrating with/relating to similar ‘local’ approaches

Ongoing challenges we are still working on – Making e-Reflect sufficiently flexible for a breadth of subject disciplines (including IT support) – Convincing other academic areas to ‘find the time’ for implementation – Integrating with/relating to similar ‘local’ approaches

Encouraging students to reflect on their feedback – e-reflect questionnaire encourages students to reflect on key aspects of their performance – In response to selected answers the tool automatically provides additional advice and prompts to stimulate deeper reflection – Questionnaires can be authored for specific types of coursework

Question: I gave myself sufficient time to complete the assignment to the best of my ability. Yes Response: Excellent, you have shown good time management skills. Reflect on how you achieved this to ensure you keep up the good work for future assignments. No Response: You need to work on improving your time management skills. What prevented you from giving yourself sufficient time to complete the assignment? Reflect on ways you can address this issue for future assignments. Example

– Select an assessment type – Think of a problem or mistake that students make with this type of assessment – Design a question, to which the student can only answer yes or no, which would encourage reflection on this issue – Suggest an appropriate action in response to their selected answer which will help them address this issue Designing questions to prompt reflection