1 Assessing and Giving Feedback

2 Learning Outcomes By the end of the session, participants should be able to: Identify the purposes and use of different modes of assessment in Higher Education Identify the key issues in designing assessments Explain the benefits of using assessment criteria Employ good practices in giving feedback to students Practice marking student presentations.

3 National Student Survey 2006 University of Nottingham Results AspectRating /5 Teaching on my course:4.0 Assessment and Feedback3.2 Academic Support3.7 Organisation and Management4.0 Learning Resources4.1 Personal Development3.9 Average of the seven aspects above3.8 Overall Satisfaction4.0

4 Purposes of assessment 1.To pass or fail a student 2.To grade or rank a student 3.To diagnose a students strengths and weaknesses 4.To provide feedback to students (and teachers!) 5.To motivate students (and teachers!) 6.To provide a profile of what a student has learnt

5 7.To predict success in future courses and employment 8.To select future courses and employment 9.To give credence to the course 10.To tell students what they have achieved 11.To tell students how to improve their performance (Goodall & Elvidge, 1999)

6 Modes of Assessment 1.Formative:Developmental: forming ideas; feedback V Summative:Judgmental: levels of achievement; a summation 2.Product:Outcome, e.g. project report by group V ProcessHow product was produced. Skills development; contribution to group processes. 3.Criterion Referenced:A constant standard – e.g. Driving test V Norm Referenced:Group Referenced – e.g. A Levels

7 Some possible definitions 1. Reliability Same assessment made by different people gives the same result Different methods give the same result when measuring the same thing 2. Validity Instrument measures what it is intended to measure 3. Educational Merit v Efficiency Your time and effort: cost Student learning And what is:- Fairness?

8 Designing assessments What are you assessing? –What learning outcomes are to be assessed? –What are the capabilities/skills (implicit or explicit) in the outcomes? How will you assess it? –Is the assessment method consonant with the outcomes and skills? (constructive alignment) –Is the method efficient in terms of student/staff time? –What alternatives are there? What are their advantages/disadvantages?

9 Constructive Alignment "What do you want your students to learn? Learning outcome "How can you enable them to learn it?" Process of teaching & learning "How can you discover whether they have learnt it or not?' Assessment method & criteria

10 Types of assessment Essay Assignment Individual project Group project or assignment Dissertation Examination Viva Performance Self assessment Peer assessment PROSCONS

11 Key issues Reliability –same assessment made by different people gives the same result –different methods give the same result when measuring the same thing Validity –instrument measures what it is intended to measure Educational merit v efficiency –Student learning –Your time and effort

12 Using Assessment Criteria Can... Set explicit standards for judgements and decisions Improve the performance of the learner Explain academic judgements Improve robustness and reliability Link assessments very closely with learning objectives Highlight strengths and weaknesses quickly

13 Assessment Criteria Extent of knowledge of the subject Structure Clarity of argument Use of examples Spelling and grammar Answering the question Original thought Relevance

14 Plagiarism It is an academic offence for a student to use another persons work and to submit it with the intent that it should be taken as his or her own work Regulations Governing Suspected Academic Offences, Nottingham University,

15 Giving feedback Based on resources developed by the Formative Assessment in Science Teaching

16 Formative Feedback FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT – enables identification by learner of gap between desired goal and present achievement (performance) FEEDBACK provides information about gap and helps learner to take action to close gap FORMATIVE FEEDBACK enables students to enhance future understanding and feeds forward

17 Students perceptions of feedback Written feedback valued more than oral Feedback relevant to topics is no longer current (even when returned <3 weeks) Students read feedback Students rarely act on feedback to improve work / learning Results of Formative Assessment in Science Teaching Survey, 2006

18 Why dont we provide effective written feedback? Acknowledges performance gaps, my provide information to close gaps, rarely explains how to use it Students may not understand it Wrong type – feeds back, not forward Students have no incentive to act on it

19 Depth of feedback ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of performance gap (or of strength) CORRECTION – information provided to close gap EXPLANATION – how information closes gap (or strength explained / reinforced); links between students work & expected response or assessment critera

20 Focussing written feedback to enhance student learning Feedback should: Feed forward to be formative Focus on learning rather than justifying grade Define the performance gap, provide information to close the performance gap and explain its relevance Explain strengths as well as weaknesses by qualifying praise

21 Purpose of Written Feedback To provide information To provide guidance on how work can be improved To provide something concrete which can be referred to again To Encourage

22 Giving Written Feedback Always write positive as well as negative comments Indicate how the student can improve their mark Link the grade with comments Never make personal comments Set criteria and your expectations for the standard of any future work

23 Saving Time Proformas –Examples shown in the booklet Assessing students and giving feedback Group feedback sheets – providing summary of common problems What % of the student mark is the assessed work?

24 Reasonable Adjustments Discrimination against a disabled student, or prospective students, occurs: –When he or she is treated less favourably compared to other students. –When there is a failure to make a reasonable adjustment and the student is placed at substantial disadvantage compared to other students

25 Systems in place: –Alternative Examination Arrangements –Marking Guidelines for Dyslexic Students Further info is available from: –Academic Support –Disability Policy Advisory Unit