Developing a more holistic approach to assessment policy and practice Ranald Macdonald Sheffield Hallam University Hello I’m Ranald Macdonald from Sheffield Hallam University. As an academic developer I’m interested in looking more holistically at assessment Not just assessment practices but also the policies and regulations which institutions put in place to frame those practices If we get it wrong there is a real danger that institutional processes and systems can drive assessment practices There is also the danger that the students’ experience of assessment becomes divorced from their real learning So, I want to briefly explore just a few aspects of a more holistic approach whilst recognising that it is in reality much more complex than I am able to portray it in the limited time.

Holistic approach to assessment 1. Constructive alignment 2. Purposes of assessment Holistic approach to assessment 4. Assessment doing ‘double duty’ 3. A model of assessment for HE institutions 5. Scholarly and evidence-informed

Aligning learning, teaching and assessment (Biggs, 2003) Constructive alignment: “A design for teaching calculated to encourage deep engagement.” Aligning: What we want the students to learn The learning environment through which learners construct their learning How we will know they have learned and how well Constructive alignment has two aspects: ‘constructive’ – students conduct meaning through relevant learning activities i.e. learning is not something done to students by teachers, but is something learners have to create for themselves ‘alignment’ – refers to what the teacher does By setting up a learning environment that supports the learning activities appropriate to achieving the desired learning outcomes So, the components in the teaching system, especially the teaching methods used and the assessment tasks, are aligned to the learning activities assumed in the intended learning outcomes If it isn’t aligned then many students may not achieve higher order learning processes e.g. in PBL if the assessment doesn’t align with the process, students will focus on what they think the teacher wants rather than on their learning.

Purposes of assessment (Sheffield Hallam University Assessment Policy Statement 2004) Summarises the University’s approach to assessment as: A key factor in determining a student’s learning experience through the activities undertaken and the provision of support and feedback on their work A way of measuring the outcomes of student learning A means of ensuring the standard of University awards

A model of assessment for HE institutions (Joughin & Macdonald, 2004) Level 1: Where assessment happens – module Level 2: Supporting good practice - course or programme Level 3: Institutional context for good practice Level 4: External context Level 1: ‘good practice’ Element 1: Module design Element 2: teachers’ experience of assessment Element 3: students Level 2: Supporting good practice Element 4: departmental culture Element 5: programme design Element 6: innovation and improvement Element 7: staff development Element 8: procedures Level 3: The institutional context for good practice Level 9: principles, policies and regulations Level 10: resources/funding Level 4: The external context

Assessment doing ‘double duty’ (Boud, 2000) Encompass formative assessment for learning and summative for certification Focus on the immediate task and equipping students for lifelong learning in an uncertain future Attend to both the learning process and the substantive content domain Students need to be able to set learning goals and activities and self-assess in all of these.

Scholarly and evidence-informed (Macdonald & Carroll, 2005) Plagiarism is a complex issue emphasis on learning and academic integrity NOT police and punish Requires evidence to inform policy, practice and regulations Assessment-for-learning-led solutions Need to understand the student and staff perspective through talking to them – NOT questionnaires Emphasis should be on building an academic community to which academic integrity is central Needs: ongoing dialogue staff development student information and skills and the appropriate institutional processes and regulations – designed to promote good learning and not just to catch and punish All links back to the purposes of assessment and the fact that it has to perform dual functions

Summary Assessment is a complex issue No ‘one size fits all’ Needs buy-in at all levels of the institution Main focus should be on enhancing learning as well as indicating what has been learned and how well Challenge is to encourage innovation and risk-taking in learning and assessment

References Biggs, J (2003, 2nd ed.) Teaching for quality learning at university. Buckingham: Open University Press/SRHE Boud, D (2000) Sustainable assessment: rethinking assessment for the learning society. Studies in Continuing Education, 22, 2, 151-167 Joughin, G & Macdonald, R (2004) A model of assessment in higher education institutions. http://www.heacademy.ac.uk Macdonald, R & Carroll, J (2005) Plagiarism – a complex issue requiring a holistic institutional approach. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 31, 2, 233-245