Assessment IT Sligo Nov 2004

Concerns about assessment Both new and experienced lecturers can be worried about how best to assess students! What worries (if any) do you have?

a changing assessment context we know more about assessment a greater interest in generic skills technological change, esp. the internet increased student diversity changing modes of student engagement

Students’ changing expectations Students changing expectations of HE and the consequences of mismatches with the reality. Richard James, CSHE, Melbourne Uni.

perceived changes amongst students fewer ‘full-time’ students increased hours spent in paid work increasingly instrumental approach to learning more passive – wanting to be ‘spoon- fed’ wanting more choice and more control over teaching

HE staff concerns want to ‘make a difference’ have clear vision of expected educational outcomes see increased distinction between ‘achievers’ and others: 2-modal distribution of grades students ‘no longer want to work’

but... ‘students consistently express a strong desire to study in an area of personal interest’ ‘part of the responsibility for the growing detachment of students lies within the sector itself’ – eg in the admissions processes ‘many students enter higher education with only vague ideas about specific aspects of the experience that lies ahead, yet with considerable confidence that it will be right for them’... a mismatch between expectations and reality?

what students want!

what students also want! ‘the fundamentals of effective teaching — clear goals, feedback on progress, and transparent assessment requirements and grading practices... they welcome personal interaction with teaching staff and being treated as individuals by staff who show concern for their progress... these expectations thoroughly correspond with what the experts believe generates an effective higher education environment’

exercise Teaching Goals Inventory can help you become more aware of what you want to teach on any individual course or module can provide a basis for thinking and talking about your approaches to assessment

Learning objectives/outcomes Knowledge breadth Knowledge kind Knowhow and skill range Knowhow and skill selectivity Competence context Competence role Competence learning to learn Competence insight HETAC: 8 aspects

Biggs SOLO taxonomy 5 levels of learning – should relate to curriculum objectives:  prestructural  unistructural  multistructural  relational  extended abstract

formative and summative assessment formative any task that provides feedback to students on their learning achievements

formative and summative assessment summative to establish or measure what the learner has achieved and also (often) to compare them to each other

Case study 1: Exams discuss with others keep questions brief and simple work out what you are actually testing exam for what has been learnt, not what has been taught don’t repeatedly measure the same knowledge or skills include data in questions write out an answer to the question yourself

Case study 1: Exams show how marks are to be allocated don’t expect students to write too much make effective use of marking schemes avoid halo effect find ways to give feedback be aware of what influences your marking discuss exam questions with students in a variety of ways

Case study 2: Work-based learning see handout features learning being assessed structure marking advantages drawbacks

analyse your own asseement method homework for tomorrow! see handout (assessment case study) choose a real assessment method you have used and analyse it according to the form we will discuss first thing tomorrow

Time for lunch!

your own assessment method discuss in pairs what you found

basics of assessment define the purpose of the assessment start with assessment use assessment to direct students’ attention to what matters use a variety of assessment methods tap students’ knowledge and skill rather than trying to trip them up make it clear what kind of assessment task you are setting make it clear what will count as an acceptable outcome

basics of assessment make your criteria clear marking can be subjective and unreliable encourage students to judge their own work give feedback promptly be positive in your feedback check the rules on marking manage assessment time carefully

innovative assessment work in pairs, with someone from a different discipline based on what you have talked about so far,design an innovative way of assessing for a course you teach use your imagination!

plagiarism in the culturealignment on the increase?types of assessment expectations + pressures of time getting away with it

strategies policy and procedure awareness prevention detection action see: Managing intertextuality: meaning, plagiarism and power

assessment resources check out the ITS library read your training materials! check out the website

assessment website