Innovative and Efficient Assessment Dr Helen Barefoot University of Hertfordshire Professor Mark Russell King’s College London

We know assessment is important… What influenced students most was not the teaching but the assessment” (Gibbs & Simpson, 2004, p. 4) Assessment is the senior partner (in CA) – get it wrong and the rest collapses (Biggs, 2003, p. 165) The methods we use to assess students are one of the most critical of all influences on their learning”. (Ramsden, 1992) If you want to change student learning then change the methods of assessment (Brown, Bull & Pendlebury, 1997)

And yet …

What is your biggest assessment challenge?

The ESCAPE project

The ESCAPE Process Individual dialogue with project manager and review of current practice using appreciative inquriy Two day event module teams: * sharing of challenges * exploration of pedagogical values and beliefs * consideration of principles of good practice Assessment redesign with support from the project team Assessment implementation with support from project team Evaluation of assessment practice Event for module teams.: dissemination of experiences / sustainability planning

Context: 100% coursework module, large student numbers Pedagogy: Peer assessment Challenge: Not enough self reflection, too much moderation Technology: Data gatherer Briefing workshop Laboratory experience Writing of individual report Peer marking activity Mark and give feedback Technology enhanced peer assessment – Fang Lou and Helen Barefoot

Number of student responses (Barefoot et al, 2011)

Regular in-class, low stake tests (EVS) - Fang Lou Context: 100% coursework module, large student numbers Pedagogy: Low stake regular tests Challenge: little opportunity to gain feedback on understanding, poor attendance/engagement in lectures, difficulties in providing timely feedback Technology: Electronic Voting System (EVS) Previous assessment scheduleNew assessment schedule Laboratory report (20%) Poster presentation (20%) Formative progress test (0%) Summative progress test 1 (Sem A) (25%) Summative progress test 2 (early Sem B) (10%) 10 EVS drop quizzes throughout module (10%) Summative progress test 3 (Sem B) (25%) Original assessment pattern Redesigned assessment pattern

Context: Sports studies students struggling with physiology Pedagogy: team work, staff engagement with the student learning Challenge: students struggling with scientific nature of module, poor performance on lab reports, large marking burden Technology: Wiki Group laboratory reports – James Johnstone “Assessment redesign has been a win: win experience for all of us. The whole process is paperless: the reports are written, submitted, marked, moderated and returned with feedback online, which is both efficient and effective. Students are more engaged and supportive of one another, and I am left wondering why we ever thought marking 250 essays four times over was an appropriate way to assess this module.” (James Johnstone, module leader).

ESCAPE Themes Good assessment for learning … …Engages students with assessment criteria …Supports personalised learning …Focuses on student development …Ensures feedback leads to improvement …Stimulates dialogue …Considers staff and student effort

Summary Benefits arising from the assessment innovations include: Improved interactivity within lectures Improved student activity beyond the lecture Prompt feedback More opportunities for peer learning Reduced marking load Improved self-awareness of learning and self- regulation

ESCAPE Resources works.com/w/page/ESCAPE -Project works.com/w/page/ESCAPE -Project Blog jisc.blogspot.com/ jisc.blogspot.com/

References Barefoot, H.C, Lou, F. & Russell, M.B. (2011) Peer Assessment: Educationally Effective and Resource Efficient, Blended Learning in Practice, (5), pp Biggs, J.B. (2003). Teaching for quality learning at university. Buckingham: Open University Press/Society for Research into Higher Education. (Second edition) Brown, G., Bull, J., & Pendlebury, M. (1997). Assessing student learning in Higher Education. New York: Routledge. Gibbs, G., & Simpson, C. (2004). Conditions under which assessment supports students' learning. Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, 1(8), pp 1-12 Ramsden, P. (1992). Learning to teach in higher education. London: Routledge.