Aligning Assessment with LongTerm Learning

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Aligning Assessment with Long-Term Learning
Are they only the Tip of the ICEBERG?
The View of Assessments

• Group Presentation by
• Joanne Salvin, Stephanie Bramwell, Kelly Rundle,
  Lee Black and Owen Williamson

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Introduction

• The Purpose of Higher Education
• Short Term vs Long Term
• There are 3 main aims of higher education and
  they are1) Specific attention on the learning
  outcomes of
• a student (Hussey and Smith, 2003)2) The
  increase of a students key skills and
  ability to adopt into the role of employment.
  (Dearing, 1997)3) Lastly the development of
  independence. (Stephenson and Yorke, 1998)

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Boud, (2000)

• Boud, (2000) the needs of assessment in an
  educated culture were recognized and the
  obligation for a new way of thinking about
  assessment established.
• It was therefore thought that the assessment
  should be evaluated from whether they
  successfully provide students for a lifetime of
  education which allows them to assess their own
  knowledge.

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Purposes and problems of assessment

• Two main purposes of assessment
• First is to provide certification of achievement
• Second is to facilitate learning
• These have been associated with two sets of
  practices summative and formative learning

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Purposes and problems of assessment

• In considering learning for the long-term, the
  question arises of whether summative and
  formative assessment practices are able to
  adequately address a wider set of needs.
• Can they and do they equip students for a
  lifetime of learning?

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Purposes and problems of assessment

• Summative assessment has the clear purpose of
  certifying a level of attainment of a student
• Knight (2002) suggests that summative assessment
  is a practice is such disarray that it is
  difficult to know what grades mean and risky to
  treat them as reliable

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Purposes and problems of assessment

• Similarly, formative assessment has been the
  subject of debate in recent years
• Black and Williams (1998) study identified
  issues that had not been fully addressed
• More recently Yorke (2003) has also put forward
  an argument
• Hounsell (2003) also has similar views as Yorke
  on feedback

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Purposes and problems of assessment

• Hounsell (2003) proposes two directions for
  development
• Firstly student involvement in the generation of
  feedback
• Secondly a more open and collaborative approach
  to assignments

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Purposes and problems of assessment

• The problems with assessment have been identified
  by the QAA and they are working towards
  rectifying this

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Some main points of the illustrations of thinking
about everyday practice
Practices to align higher education and long term
learning

• Emphasizes importance of context
• Involves working together with others
• Requires portrayal of outcomes for different
  purposes
• Considers risk and confidence of judgements
• Builds learner agency and constructs active
  learners

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Practices to align higher education and long term
learning
Together the practices develop six powerful
forces in education Activity
Expectations Cooperation Interaction
Diversity Responsibility
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Current Assessment in Higher Education
aligned with long-term learning

• Assessment in Higher Education today
• Objectives of modules of the course
• Demonstrate an understanding
• Methods of assessment include
• Exams
• Essays
• Presentations
• Group work
• Project work
• Multiple Choice Tests
• Case Studies

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Current Assessment in Higher Education aligned
with long-term learning

• Key-skills
• Communication
• Working with others
• Developing own learning performance
• I.T.
• English
• Numerical
• Critical thinking
• Problem Solving
• Managing Information
• Examples of Summative and Formative Assessment
• Effective Feedback

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Assessment Improvements

• Adaptation to the Student

• Possible Suggestions to Adaptation of courses
  to fit the Students Long-Term Learning

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Nightingale et al (1996)

• 8 Broad Categories of Learning
• Thinking critically and making judgements
• Solving problems and developing plans
• Performing procedures and demonstrating
  techniques
• Managing and developing oneself
• Accessing and managing information
• Demonstrating knowledge and understanding
• Designing, creating, performing
• Communicating

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Thank You, Donations Are Accepted on the Way Out
Conclusion
YOU MAY NOW STAND AND APPLAUDE DONT BE SHY