International Conference on Enhancement and Innovation in Higher Education Crowne Plaza Hotel, Glasgow 9-11 June 2015 Welcome

Transition from Student to Examiner: Assessment Literacy Interventions in a Veterinary Curriculum Susan M. Rhind Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh

Assessment Literacy Defined Price, M et al.; 2012 An appreciation of assessments relationship to learning A conceptual understanding of assessment Understanding of the nature, meaning and level of assessment standards Skills in self and peer assessment Familiarity with technical approaches to assessment Possession of the intellectual ability to select and apply appropriate approaches and techniques to assessed tasks Theoretical Practical

Aim and Context Aim: to provide explicit opportunities for students to experience the role of an examiner

Research Questions How beneficial do students perceive the activities of question authoring, standard setting and question marking to be? Does the level of familiarity with the content influence student standard setting and does marking and standard setting differ between students and staff?

Study Design

Study A Students authoring and answering questions using PeerWise This is like Facebook for geeks…!!

Study A: Headlines Positive correlation between number of questions answered by individual students in the PeerWise system and assessment performance Positive feedback. Students drove implementation in other courses

Study B Workshop explaining standard setting using Angoff as example

Study B: Headlines Students set similar standards to staff on material they were familiar with Qualitative themes included: Subjectivity of the Process Difficulty in conceptualising the borderline student Value of the student perspective ‘if a professor who specialises in that area is writing the question they might think its very straightforward and to them they see the question and think ‘how can everyone not know that..’

Study B: Headlines Developing a Better Understanding of Assessment Process and Standards ‘I had no idea of what it really was. So this gave us a good idea of how the process works. I don’t feel like I am going into an exam blind in terms of how it may be assessed’ ‘greatly changed my opinion on the importance/fairness/value of multiple choice testing in comparison to other methods’. ‘Interesting! Didn't realise as much work went into checking the questions were at the right level. Makes me feel more confident about the process in general. Good to understand how it all works’. Assessment Literacy

Sounds tedious and horrible. I'm glad I don’t have to do it and I hope I never will. You guys are better than me!

Study C Short plenary around principles of assessment and theoretical aspects of assessment literacy Students marking individually then in groups genuine (transcribed) work from previous cohort

Study C: Headlines Ability very variable! e.g. % bias: -14%

Study C: Headlines Strongly AgreeStrongly Disagree

Joining it all up…. Fun Engaging Challenging Empathy for staff Quelling fears Spontaneous mention of the ‘F’ word…

Moving to an Assessment Literate Community of Practice IncompetenceCompetence Unconscious Conscious Unconscious Incompetence Conscious Incompetence Unconscious Competence Conscious Competence Literacy

An Assessment Literate Community of Practice Staff understanding the student perspective Students understanding the staff perspective Staff literacy through staff development Student literacy through core curriculum activities Developing students’ assessment literacy helps develop and shape staff assessment literacy: what exactly are we doing and how do students perceive it?

An Assessment Literate Community of Practice Staff understanding the student perspective Staff literacy through staff development Student literacy through core curriculum activities Students understanding the staff perspective

Thanks for listening!