2. First Steps in Learning & Teaching in Higher Education (2016) Felix Shaba Tutor-Financial Management (year 3 Undergraduate students)

3. Evaluation of a Formative Assessment & Feedback of Year 3 Financial Management Top Up Class A Case Study Analysis Workshop.

4. Introduction  It was a 1 year programme designed for those who already obtained HND and intended to upgrade to a degree level.  It was a class of 20 students divided into 4 groups  In this formative assessment, a group case study was given to the students 2 weeks in advance to read and analyse, along with some guidelines and advice on how to analyse the case study. Further explanation was provided in the class and students were also told to contact me should they need further information or explanation

5. Activity  It was a workshop to test the students’ knowledge of their ability to demonstrate precise skills in collation and analysis of financial information and understand how financial skills are applied to a range of organisations.  Students to take charge of the class while the tutor serve as moderator  Group presentation  Individual/Group feedback

6. Course objectives  To develop ability to analyse case study scenario  To identify & extract important financial data from a given scenario  To apply financial theories, models and concepts into making financial decisions

7. Graduate Attributes  This particular workshop was to test the students’ knowledge of their ability to demonstrate precise skills in collation and analysis of financial information and understand how financial skills are applied to a range of organisations.  It is also to help the students foster team work spirit and improve their communication skills  To also develop ability to ‘be in charge’ of decision making and take responsibility for their actions/decisions.

8. Instructions for the assessment  The reason for giving them the case study in advance is for them to be able to investigate the industry & formulate their views regarding management actions in a business context.  They were also encouraged to work with their group members  Setting of the classroom was changed, they are seated in a roundtable rather than the usual rows.  Each group was to jot down strengths and weaknesses of other groups’ presentation and give feedback after each presentation.

9. Fundamental of Formative Assessment

10. Presentation  Clear criteria for specific learning targets, objectives and goals were made available in the classroom. This was presented in words, pictures and illustrations  Splitting them into groups foster interaction and communication among members of each of the groups.  Each group takes turn to present their result and receives feedback from their colleagues.  It was designed for the students and executed by the students!  Gives the tutor the opportunity to study each student and consider their learning needs

11. Some literature on formative Assessment  The intention was for the students to learn and understand through an active constructivist engagement with knowledge (Norton, 2009)  It was purely “conceptual change/student focused”, rather than “information transmission/teacher focused”(Prosser & Trigwell, 1999)  This type of assessment helps the students to know about how they are progressing and accommodate more flexible and planned teaching(Ramsden, 2003)  This mode of assessment focused more on formative approach and also on learning outcomes (Norton, 2009)

12. Contd.  It also tend to shape much of the learning that students carry out (Brown et al., 1997)  this gives the learners the opportunity to improve their learning as it was a step forward in their learning process (Birenbaum et al., 2005)  Such method was in line with QAA (2006) four main purpose of assessment: promoting student learning; helping to evaluate skills, knowledge, abilities and understanding of students; providing grade that shows students performance; and leading to award/certificate.

13. Feedback from students  The students showed that they enjoyed the workshop and the presentations made by each group was an eye opener for them, as they were not only able to learn from each other but was given the opportunity to give and receive feedback  They have a sense of being in charge of their own learning with minimal interruption from the tutor.  The students also said that such workshop foster the interaction among them and aided their communication skills as well.  Through the case study approach to learning, the students were able to build on their experience in subsequent sessions as they were able to put into practice the skills they acquired. This is in line with Kolb’s experiential learning cycle.

14. References  Birenbaum, M, Breuer, K, Cascallar, E, Dochy, F, Ridgway, J, Dori, J and Wiesemes, R (2005). ‘A learning integrated assessment system’, in R. Wiesemes and G Nickmans (eds) EARLI (European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction) series of position papers. Brown, G, Bull, J and Pendlebury, M (1997) Assessing Student Learning in Higher Education, London: Routledge.  Corpuz, B.B & Salandanan, G.G. (2007). Principles of Teaching I. Quezon City; Lorimar Publishing Company, Inc.  Norton, L.S. (2009) Action Research in Teaching and Learning. A Practical Guide to Conducting Pedagogical Research in Universities. Abingdon: Routledge  Prosser, M. and Trigwell, K. (1999) Understanding learning and teaching. Buckingham: SRHE and Open University Press  QAA (2006) http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/9713/2/COP_AOS.pdf (accessed 22/02/2016)http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/9713/2/COP_AOS.pdf  Ramsden, P. (2003) Learning to Teach in Higher Education 2nd ed. London:Routledge.  Wiliam, D., & Thompson, M. (2007) Integrating assessment with instruction: what will it take to make it work? In C. A. Dwyer (Ed.) The future of assessment: shaping teaching and learning (pp. 53-82). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates