PRESENTER: N. LEACH TRANSFORMING ASSESSMENTS An investigation into the assessment strategy for Commercial Law for Accountants 1

Assessment of learning Assessment for learning Assessment Transformation

Focus: Assessment strategy “Assessment is considered to be a fundamental by which the teacher can regulate his or her teaching activity along the way and by which the student can regulate his or her own learning process.” Coll, Rochera, Mayordomo, Naranjo (2007)

Criteria Assessments Inform the teaching and learning process fairnessreliabilityvalidity

Themes Preparation Degree of complexity Assessment criteria Management of assessments Appropriateness of the design of assessment Alignment with specific outcomes and CCFOs Feedback Recommendations

Sample Students Target population 711 Final sample 360 Lecturers Target population 5 Final sample 3

RESULTS

Results(Themes) Preparation of student Appropriateness of the level of assessment Appropriateness of the form of assessment Management of the assessment Assessment informed the teaching and learning process

PREPARATION

Fig.2: Students informed of the weekly tests?

Fig. 3: Students informed of tutorials?

Fig. 4: Timeous feedback on tutorials?

Fig. 5:WebCT Test -Did lecturer prepare student?

Fig. 6:Written Test-Did lecturer prepare student?

APPROPRIATENESS OF LEVEL OF ASSESSMENT

Fig. 7: Degree of difficulty of WebCT Tests?

Fig. 8: Degree of difficulty of tutorials?

Fig. 9: Degree of difficulty of WebCT test?

Fig. 10: Degree of difficulty of Written test?

APPROPRIATENESS OF FORM/DESIGN OF ASSESSMENT

Fig. 11: Tests helped prepare for lectures?

Fig. 12:Recommend the weekly WebCT tests?

Students’ reasons? informative Improves understanding Relevant and Clear Forced to prep for class easy Tests not challenging Law not for Accounting students

Lecturer’s reasons? Higher levels of Bloom’s taxonomy are reached Less time spent on rudimentary concepts Allows students to work independen tly Students take responsibility for their own learning Builds confidence Critical questions become the norm Class participation is fostered Relevant questions are posed in class

Fig. 13: Tutorials helped prepare for tests?

Fig. 14: Recommend tutorials?

Students’ reasons? Prepare for examinations Helps to understand the work Good foundation Helps to practice Identify and rectify mistakes Students fail because they did not do all the tuts No feedback or explanations are given Tuts are difficult Difficult but useful

Lecturer’s reasons? Gives fair opportunity to pass the subject Adds to variety of assessments Effective tool to assess deep learning Warns of problem areas prior to examinations Gradually develops the required skills Gives fair opportunity to pass the subject Require a good understanding of the work

Fig. 15: Recommend WebCT test?

Students’ reasons? Don’t have to explain the answer Answers are given Merely need to guess Perform better Boosts the marks Server is forever down You can’t express yourself Writing is better Test confusing and not easy Feedback quicker

Lecturer’s reasons? Focuses on the lower levels of Bloom’s taxonomy Capacity to evaluate the higher order skills is limited

Fig. 16: Recommend Written test?

Students’ reasons? True reflection of capacity Set at right level Tested thoroughly Easy when attending class and working Test is challenging Answers not given Tests forces you to study Allowed to express understanding Test difficult, stressful, time consuming Feel under pressure Must study all the work Fail the test Too much writing Must formulate answers logically

Lecturer’s reasons? Following specific outcomes in the subject guide enables students to handle even the most difficult of assessments Good mix of questions across Bloom’s taxonomy

MANAGEMENT OF FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS

Fig. 17: Number of weekly tests completed

Fig. 18: Were tutorials completed as scheduled?

Fig. 19: Number of tutorials completed?

2009 STUDENT PERFORMANCE

Fig. 20: Student Performance 2009

Fig. 21: Student Performance 2009

CONCLUSION Assessments meet criteria of fairness Assessments inform the teaching and learning process Assessment strategy fit for purpose HOWEVER

Creating most favourable conditions to encourage student involvement is not enough, lecturer has to TUTOR SUPPORT FOLLOW UP

RECOMMENDATIONS Implement mechanisms through which class room management can be evaluated Use of WebCT tests as a summative assessment in Commercial Law for Accountants 1 must be reconsidered