1 Continuous Assessment for Evaluating and Guiding Student Learning Rita Chan Centre for Learning, Teaching and Supervision Hong Kong Institute of Education 26 February 2004

2 Assessment can serve different purposes  Assign grades, certify mastery  Determine progress  Identify strengths and weaknesses  Motivate students to study  Create learning activity  Give feedback to students  Give feedback to teachers  Judgment  Learning Use assessment to foster learning, learn about learning and improve learning.

3 Assessment assesses the extent to which programme objectives are achieved  General and subject objectives  Process and product objectives  Knowledge and skills objectives Match assessment tasks to objectives. Make criteria explicit and clear.

4 Different methods are appropriate for different assessment purposes and for different programme objectives  Quiz  Examination  Essay  Multiple choice  Report  Dissertation / thesis  Project  Composition Use a mix of methods.  Performance  Journal  Portfolio  Self assessment  Peer assessment  Group assessment  Concept maps  Heuristics

5 Continuous assessment A 1 A 2 A 3 A 4 A 5 SeptJan

6 Characteristics of CASS  Uses a variety of tasks  Measures a range of attributes  Takes place over a period of time  Creates regular teacher-student interaction  Makes reference to past, present and future  Synthesises information about learners

7 CASS commonly found in course outlines  One essay (2000 words) 30% Dec  Examination (3 hrs) 70% Jan  5 lab reports 30%  Mid-term test 20% Nov  Group project 50% Jan

8 Issues  The ‘backwash’ effect of assessment  Modularisation and over-assessment  Larger classes and less feedback  Achievements, not numbers  Unused data

9 Challenges  Aligning objectives, learning and assessment  Engaging students  Providing frequent and useful feedback  Managing assessment workload  Using assessment results to evaluate and improve teaching and programme effectiveness

10 Ideas (1)  Constructive alignment –Programme-course mapping (examples from Alverno College)  Engaging students –Clear links between task and course objectives –Clear instructions and criteria –Reasonable time and effort –Choice –Challenge

11 General  Communication  Analysis  Problem solving  Valuing in decision making  Social interaction  Global perspectives  Effective citizenship  Aesthetic responsiveness Major  Analyzes behavior within a theoretical framework supported by appropriate methodology and data interpretation  Explains behavior through an integration of psychology and specialized areas of study in the liberal arts  Demonstrates an awareness of the contributions and limitations of psychology in the world  Acts in ways that reflect the tenets of psychology, including tolerance of ambiguity, sensitivity to ethics, appreciation of individual differences, respect for ongoing inquiry, and the assumptions of the complexity of human behavior Course  To observe and make appropriate inferences about human behavior through experience in observing behavior and in studying the major concepts, methods and theories of psychology  To use what psychology has learned about problem solving to (1) self assess your own problem solving style and (2) identify methods for researching questions pertinent to psychology  To apply the knowledge and abilities acquired in the course to issues confronted by individuals and groups in today’s society PSY 101 General Psychology Alverno College, Milwaukee

12 Assessment Stimulus  Choose a behavior (habit) you would like to increase or a behavior you would like to decrease.  Record and graph this behavior for approximately one week. Also record any antecedents and consequences of the target behavior.  Formulate a hypothesis as to why this behavior is maintained at its present rate.  Design a program either to increase a behavior (applying the principles of Reinforcement) or to decrease a behavior (applying either “controlling antecedents” and/or punishment and/or reinforcement of reduced behavior.  Implement your program for about two weeks. Record the rate of your behavior during this time.  In a report for the class (written or oral), summarize the results. Interpret them by applying the principles of operant conditioning. Evaluate what factors contributed to the success or failure of your program. PSY 101 General Psychology Alverno College, Milwaukee Criteria  Accurately distinguishes between behaviour and inferences about behavior  Demonstrates accurate application of the principles of operant conditioning (behavior modification) for the purpose of increasing target behaviors or decreasing target behaviors  Presents data and results accurately and clearly  Formulates acceptable hypothesis  Designs and implements a workable program  Makes accurate inferences re: effectiveness of program

13 Ideas (2)  Effective feedback –No marks, comments only –Focus on learning and improvement –Comments linked to criteria and student goals –Peer comments –Positive, direct, timely

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15 Ideas (3)  Workload –Peer and self assessment –Group work –Group feedback –Use assessment and feedback form – , e-discussion  Using assessment results –Student self evaluation –Error analysis –Exam item analysis –Audit programme achievement

16 Examples LOAP  Peer feedback  Mini-viva  Unannounced open-book tests FAST  Peer assessment

17 Peer Feedback Aim  To promote independent research and enquiry  To encourage mutual support in learning Context  Educational Psychology  Case Study as final assessment  Group presentation on self- selected topic – not marked Technique  At the end of a presentation, each student writes: –One thing of value learnt –One thing to know more about –One commendation –One suggestion  Comments are collated and circulated to group  Presentation is copied to all Evaluation  Adds interest to subject  Broadens and deepens learning  Provides practice in research, analysis and explaining  Promotes reflection  Fosters positive and constructive responding  Generates a large number of ideas for improvement  Provides a window to students’ learning

18 Unannounced Open-book Tests Aim  To assess student progress  To enhance learning through attending to identified learning issues Context  Statistics Technique  Inform students about the possibility of two unannounced tests at the beginning of term  Allow students to work with books and reference materials  Give written feedback but no marks  Highlight common issues to the group in class Evaluation  Keeps students alert  Has objective data on students’ progress  Helps review and adjust teaching  Improves final assessment results

19 Mini-viva Aim:  To engage students in dialogue and reflection on a summative assignment Context  English group assignment Technique  Students submit group assignment  Lecturer makes swift provisional assessment  Groups attend a 15 minute viva, where they receive feedback and answer questions about their assignment  After the viva, lecturer finalises the grade and returns assignment to students in the normal way Evaluation  Students are more responsive to feedback without marks  Students get a chance to clarify muddy points in their assignment  Assessment results may improve as a result

20 Peer assessment From a LOAP workshop by Graham Gibbs at HKIEd (11 February 2004): Context  Engineering  Weekly lectures, problem sheets and classes  Student numbers >170  Students stopped doing problems  Exam marks dropped from 50% to 45% Strategy  Course requirement to complete 50 problems  Peer assessed in six ‘lecture’ slots  Marks do not count  Lectures, problems, classes, exams unchanged  Exam marks increased from 45% to 85%

21 Conditions under which assessment supports student learning Graham Gibbs, Institute for the Advancement of University Learning, University of Oxford  Assessed tasks capture sufficient student time and effort  These tasks distribute student effort evenly across topics and weeks  These tasks engage students in productive learning activity  Assessment communicates clear and high expectations to students  Sufficient feedback is provided, both often enough and in enough detail  The feedback is provided quickly enough to be useful to students  Feedback focuses on learning rather than on marks or students themselves  Feedback is linked to the purpose of the assignment and to criteria  Feedback is understandable to students, given their sophistication  Feedback is received by students and attended to  Feedback is acted upon by students to improve their work or their learning

22 Resources  Learning Oriented Assessment Project (LOAP)  Learning and Teaching Support Network (LTSN) section=generic&process=filter_fields&type=all&id=1&histo ry= section=generic&process=filter_fields&type=all&id=1&histo ry section=generic&process=filter_fields&type=all&id=1&histo ry  Alverno College: Assessment-as-Learning  Formative Assessment in Science Teaching (FAST)  Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA): Key skill standards

23 Contact information Dr. Rita Chan Centre for Learning, Teaching and Supervision (CeLTS) Hong Kong Institute of Education CeLTS website: