Criteria and standards: not only for making assessment judgments but also for enhancing the quality of teaching and learning

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• Criteria and standards not only for making
  assessment judgments but also for enhancing the
  quality of teaching and learning
• Dr Clair Hughes (TEDI/UQ)
• Lecturer in Higher Education
• (Curriculum Development and Educational Design)

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Objective

• To investigate the broader applications of
  criteria and standards beyond assessment

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Overview

• Definitions
• Common applications
• Emerging problems
• Assumptions
• Benefits beyond assessment
• students
• teachers
• coordinators
• Limitations
• Conclusions
• Group discussion

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Some definitions

• Criterion a property or characteristic by which
  the quality of something may be judged.
  Specifying criteria nominates qualities of
  interest and utility but does not have anything
  to offer, or make any assumptions about, actual
  quality.
• Standard a definite level of achievement aspired
  to or attained. Standards are about definite
  levels of quality (or achievement, or
  performance).
• (Sadler 1996)

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Common applications

• Supporting assessment judgments that are
• transparent
• consistent/reliable
• comparable
• fair

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Emerging problems

• framing complex, abstract learning outcomes
• balancing precision and brevity
• multiple interpretations of
• the nature of criteria
• specific criteria
• staff perceptions of threats to academic freedom
• tensions between validity and reliability
• grading and reporting dilemmas blunt
  aggregate or lengthy academic transcript

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Assumptions

• The most benefit is to be gained from using
  criteria and standards when they are
• used in activity with staff and students -
• exemplars
• explanation and discussion
• negotiation
• moderation
• peer and self-assessment
• carefully and competently written

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Benefits - students

• Student learning is enhanced through
• greater clarity about the demands of courses and
  specific learning and assessment tasks
• enhanced interaction with teachers and peers
• increased understanding and acceptance of
  assessment judgments
• development of disposition and skills for
  independent, lifelong learning

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Benefits - teachers/markers

• The teaching role is enhanced through
• professional development and feedback
• professional collaboration and induction
• the availability of an effective teaching and
  learning resource
• management efficiencies
• increased capacity to support assessment
  judgments

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Benefits - coordinators

• The coordinators role is enhanced through
• increased course/program alignment and coherence
• improved interaction within and between course
  teaching staff (moderation)
• availability of an organising basis for
  professional development

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Limitations

• inadequate resourcing
• time (development and teaching time)
• personnel
• limited student engagement in non-assessable,
  voluntary or threatening tasks
• negative student reactions to some activities
  (peer and self assessment
• negative staff reactions to some activities
  (disclosure of assessment practices)
• overgeneralisation and decontextualisation
• low participation of sessional staff
• possible homogeneity of student learning outcomes

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So what?

• How can academic staff developers use this
  research to minimise the problems associated with
  criterion-referenced approaches to teaching,
  learning and assessment and make the benefits
  accessible to a wider range of teachers - and
  learners?