International Conference on Enhancement and Innovation in Higher Education Crowne Plaza Hotel, Glasgow 9-11 June 2015 Welcome

Lynn Boyle 1, Keith Smyth 2 and David Walker 3 1. University of Dundee 2. University of the Highlands and Islands 3. University of Sussex Assessment Design and learner transitions: from programme entry and progression to entering professional practice

Assessment and Learner Transitions Preparing students for tertiary level assessment practices Programme focussed assessment – supporting transition within/across programmes Assessment practices to support transition to employment & engagement in professional communities

Preparing Students for Tertiary Level Assessment “In most undergraduate programmes leading to a bachelor’s degree in the UK the first year (whether in full-time or part-time study) can be characterised as a year of acclimatisation to the demands of higher education.” Yorke, M. (2007). Assessment, especially in the first year of higher education: old principles in new wrapping? From the REAP International Online Conference on Assessment Design for Learner Responsibility, 29th-31st May, Available at

Preparing Students for Tertiary Level Assessment Transition from highly structured to (largely) independent learning environment Expectations and processes of assessment (including modes and channels of feedback) are often unclear Opportunities to support conceptualisation of standards and come to terms with expected levels of performance.

Supporting transition within/across programmes “In biographical essays, these students reported few instances of positive experiences of assessment in their past education, but many examples of bad experiences which had major impacts on their learning and self-esteem.” Joughin, G. (Ed) (2009) Assessment, learning and judgement in higher education. New York: Springer.

Supporting transition within/across programmes Transforming the Experience of Students through Assessment (TESTA) Making links between feedback across and within programmes – assessment design Encouraging reflection on feedback and stimulating feedback dialogue

Transitions to employment & engagement in professional communities We need to think about the ‘connectedness’ of professional communities and how that can be harnessed to help our learners engage in the communities that they will become part of One option is to structure online activities that allow new learners to engage meaningfully on the periphery of their professional communities and get more involved over time (i.e. ‘designing in’ Lave and Wengers ‘legitimate peripheral participation’) ‘Maker’ pedagogies and digital scholarship are also key

Transitions to employment & engagement in professional communities

Activities Group A – Preparing students for tertiary level assessment “What approaches can or do your institutions use to support learners to adjust to HE level assessment practices and standards?” Collate examples from across institutional and disciplinary contexts.

Activities Group B – Programme-focused assessment – supporting transition within/across programmes “What curriculum design practices can or do you use to improve the consistency of assessment and support learners to feedforward as part of a holistic approach to assessment?” Collate examples from across institutional and disciplinary contexts.

Activities Group C – Assessment practices to support transition to employment & engagement in professional communities “Thinking beyond work placements and assessment that is undertaken in workplaces what other assessment approaches can or do you use to engage learners with the professional and discipline-related communities they will join.” Collate examples from across institutional and disciplinary contexts.

Contact Details Lynn Boyle University of Dundee Professor Keith Smyth University of the Highlands and Islands Dr David Walker University of Sussex