Innovative assessments

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Innovative assessments
Dr Trudi Edginton University of Westminster
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Acknowledgement

• Dr Catherine Loveday
• Course leader for BSc Cognitive Science
• MSc Applied Cognitive Neuroscience

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Overview

• Traditional methods
• Limitations
• Innovative assessments
• Obstacles
• Examples
• Feedback
• Benefits

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Traditional methods

• Essays
• Exams
• Multiple choice tests
• Student presentations
• Group presentations
• Dissertation / project / labwork

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Limitations

• Assignment is student priority rather than
  process of learning
• Plagiarism
• Lack of engagement
• Depth of learning?
• Marking - time consuming, laborious
• Transferable skills limited

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Novel assessment benefits

• Increase student and staff engagement and
  enjoyment
• Increase transferable skills
• Enhance active student-centred learning
• Allow incorporation of PBL
• Maximise time and efficiency
• Increase creativity and reflection
• So, what
  are the obstacles?

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Obstacles

• Time and effort
• Tradition, reluctant to change
• Management
• Module ownership issues
• Student numbers
• Risk
• Student satisfaction

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Preparation

• Additional time and effort in initial stages
• Identify learning outcomes
• Provide explicit marking criteria
• Able to incorporate pedagogical research and
  evidence
• Team approach invaluable
• Focus on
• Developing transferable skills
• Promoting deeper learning
• Promoting confidence
• Promoting reflection and refinement

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Examples

• Role play
• Case studies
• Science magazine article
• Peer marking
• Committee panels
• Virtual poster halls
• Student led debates
• Wikis and blogs

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Guided independent study

• Factoids
• Develop game
• Review alternative genres

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Role play

• Cognitive neuropsychology module
• Opportunity to be patient and assessor
• Differentiate cognitive profiles
• Appropriate selection of tasks
• Experience of administering tasks
• Awareness of pragmatics, sensitivity, time and
  fatigue constraints, relationship
• Audience participation for diagnosis

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Cont/

• Neuropharmacology module
• Lecturers perform role play
• Focus on specific neurotransmitters
• Students have opportunity to interview
• Diagnosis and questions submitted

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Case studies

• Opportunity to develop detailed profile
• Introduction to single case methodology
• Personal and medical history
• Cognitive deficits
• Cognitive assessments
• Conclusions
• Recommendations

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Science article

• Opportunity to be more creative
• Use of straightforward language
• Links to science in the media
• Promotes in depth understanding
• Creates portfolio for students

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Peer assessment

• Develops critical evaluation
• Need for constructive feedback
• Peer comparison
• Awareness of marking criteria
• Harshest critics!
• Assess student feedback
• Peer grades not influential

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Committee panels

• Students submit grant proposals
• Student group panels assess proposals
• Groups have to select spokesperson and give oral
  feedback and announce approval status
• Students graded on individual grant proposal and
  group performance

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Student-led debates

• Students allocated topic perspectives e.g free
  will vs determinism
• Students create one page background summary and
  discussion questions that are available on Bb a
  week in advance
• Students lead session and manage group
  discussions
• Tutor silent observer
• Students graded on summary and ability to
  facilitate group discussions

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Wikis and blogs

• Used to log project supervision meetings and to
  monitor project progress
• Group work in Research Methods
• Used for PDP

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Student feedback

• Overwhelmingly positive
• Increased student engagement
• More challenging
• Highlight importance of clear, explicit
  instructions, expectations and marking criteria
• Novel assessments suffer from lack of past
  examples
• Module and course satisfaction increased -
  specific focus on lecturer enthusiasm

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Lecturer feedback

• More engaging
• More enjoyable, maintains enthusiasm
• Reduces plagiarism
• Slight increase in time and effort for initial
  preparation
• Highlight importance of clear, explicit
  instructions, expectations and marking criteria
• Student feedback and personal reflection
  encourages modification and refinement

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Wider feedback

• Departmental acknowledgement - annual monitoring
• Dissemination of best practice
• University acknowledgement
• Excellence in teaching awards for each member of
  course team
• Excellent external examiner feedback

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Evaluation

• Other methods used?
• Potential for incorporation in any of your
  modules?
• Personal preferences?
• Practicality?
• Additional ideas?