Designing and using nontraditional, authentic, assessments, for more learning and less marking

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Designing and using non-traditional, authentic,
assessments, for more learning and less marking

• Julie Hall
• Head of Learning and Teaching Enhancement
• Phil Cheeseman Head e-learning team

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Format

• Introduction and discussion of issues
• Explore alternative forms
• Next steps

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Non-traditional, authentic, assessments?

• less emphasis on essays and examinations
• resemble real tasks
• evaluate a wide range of competencies,
  understanding and knowledge
• build in adjustments for disabled students
• clear to students what they are being tested on,
  how to improve and what to revise
• design out opportunities for plagiarism

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More learning

• Students learn what they think that they will be
  assessed on, not what is in the curriculum
• J. Biggs (2002)
• For me to change from the old system to this
  kind of unique system of trying to make your own
  notes and then you dont get support,
  step-by-step support from, you know, your tutors
  and all that. Because back in college days you
  used to go write a piece of essay, take it to
  them, they would go through it Oh this is
  wrong, can you add this and that? But it doesnt
  happen here. Its a shot in the dark
• Humud, 22, second year RU Retention Report 2006

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Less marking

• Computer aided assessment (e.g.question banks)
• In class tests marked in class e.g. through
  voter participation system / in class posters
• Shorter more targeted course work e.g. bioscience
  annotated bibliography to replace final essay
• Peer assessment
• Feedback cards / Study zone feedback

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What works?

• Gibbs and Simpson suggest eleven conditions in
  which assessment supports student learning (Gibbs
  and Simpson 2004).
• Assessed tasks capture sufficient study 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 learning.

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A caution

• Innovation in assessment is not politically
  neutral
• Many perceive a threat to academic standards and
  Life As We Know It
• Be prepared - your methods must be more effective
  and efficient than your detractors

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Overview

• Why bother?
• What are the obstacles?
• What are the options?
• Practicalities
• Your next step . . .

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Why bother?

• Benefit to students
• pedagogic value assessment for learning
• Transparency and targeted learning
• ENJOYMENT
• Adjustments easily made
• Benefit to staff
• Fulfilling and worthwhile
• Meets current demands from externals/BPS/QAA
• Uses time more effectively

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Discussion point Obstacles?

• What are your prejudices about assessment?
• What are your insecurities?
• Managing colleagues opinions
• How do you feel about students experiences of
  assessment?
• How are you managing burnout?

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Discussion point Options

• Alternative written formats
• Alternative spoken formats
• Alternative visual formats
• Alternative exam formats
• Professional skills
• Personal development
• Can any of these work in your discipline?

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Practicalities

• Train the students carefully in new methods
• Remember many students will be more familiar than
  you with alternative forms
• Take enormous care with assessment criteria
• Collect data - be guided by it
• Read the (small) literature on efficacy
• Win hearts and minds of colleagues
• Believe in your own professional integrity

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Your next step

• Start small
• Contact us for resources to inspire you (student
  workshops, assessment criteria, student opinion
  surveys. . .)
• Audit current practice with an audit tool
  http//www.bioscience.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/au
  dit.aspx
• You will reap rewards for any effort you put into
  preplanning
• Keep in contact with others trying this
• Good luck!

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Other help

• http//www.roehampton.ac.uk/learningandteaching/as
  sessment/index.html
• TQEF Research funding for small projects - please
  apply to lteu
• E-learning team
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?viG9CE55wbtY
• J Biggs, Teaching for Quality Learning at
  University, Buckingham Open University Press,
  2002
• Gibbs G and Simpson C (2004) Measuring the
  response of students to assessment the
  Assessment Experience Questionnaire. In C Rust
  (Ed) Improving Student Learning Theory,