Welsh Assessment and Feedback Practitioners Event Tuesday 5 May 2009 Assessment of Problem Based Learning in Initial Teacher Education and Training Russell Grigg

Objectives To briefly review the nature of PBL To share our experiences of assessing students It’s better to know some of the questions than all of the answers James Thurber

PBL background/characteristics various definitions origins in medicine self-directed learning and critical thinking students as active participants meet in small groups tutor as facilitator use of challenging problems/scenarios

What do employers want? Employees who are flexible, team-playing, proactive ‘soft skills’ – oral presentations, perseverance knowing how to work with others in a team knowing how to evaluate information critically taking responsibility for, and being able to manage, one’s own learning and developing the habits of effective learning knowing how to work independently without close supervision being confident and able to investigate problems and find solutions being resilient in the face of difficulties DfES (2006), 2020 Vision Report of the Teaching and Learning in 2020 Review Group, A Vision for Teaching and Learning in 2020, p.10

Context at TUCC Adopted 6 years ago Ties in well with our personal development planning (evidence gathering for QTS) Mainly operates within Professional Teaching Studies modules (years 1 to 3, of BA Ed course) Ongoing feedback to trainees during group meetings Assessment formats vary: mainly portfolios, presentations, reflective journals Example of Year 3 module follows:

PBL module example: Professional collaborations and management of transitions (Year 3) Context-setting lead lecture at start of module Each week comprises an overview lecture followed small group PBL meetings Groups can invite facilitator to these meetings Aspects of the scenario are discussed along with assessment criteria Records of meetings must be kept and are monitored End-of-module assessment includes group presentation and submission of individual portfolio of evidence Trainees expected to ‘internalise’ assessment criteria

Record of meeting These are submitted as part of evidence base for assessment

The scenario (based on a collection of real-life parental concerns) First lecture in module – assessment criteria, learning outcomes, PBL scenario, module overview

Example of comments from a group session on the letter

Principles and issues of assessment in PBL Clear about what is being assessed Criteria Practice context Resources to enable evidence to be collated Assessment process Training on assessment for students Macdonald, R. & Savin-Baden, M. (2004), A Briefing on Assessment in Problem-based learning, LTSN

Part B

Example of trainees discussing assessment criteria in PBL PBL_Bella2_assess criteria.wmv

Assessment for learning

Self assessment

Main issues for our school over the years Mindsets of students (Aldred et al, 1997) Culture/traditions of the university Monitoring of meetings Contributions of ‘social loafers’ or passengers Consistency, training, commitment of staff

Future assessment issues (09/10) Develop self and peer assessment Encourage greater self-monitoring Firm up assessment links from one module to another (transferable learning) Consider students negotiating assessment criteria