1. Dr Alex Buckley 2 February 2017, University of Bath
Exploring TESTA: Under the skin of assessment and feedback
Dr Alex Buckley
2 February 2017, University of Bath

2. Transforming the Experience of Students Through Assessment testa.ac.uk

3. . . . . . . . . . . Where TESTA is now Over 50 UK universities
Over 100 programmes
Used in Australia, India, South Africa
TESTA at Strathclyde
4 programmes, 1800 students
685 survey responses
14 student focus groups, 80 participants

4. . . . . . . . . . . Plan for talk What is TESTA for?
How does TESTA work?
What does TESTA say about assessment and feedback?
What is the impact of TESTA?

5. What is TESTA for?
1. Assessment and feedback have a powerful impact on learning
2. Assessment and feedback are a particular challenge for higher education institutions
3. Teaching staff are often focused on modules
4. Challenges of assessment and feedback can’t be addressed by individuals
5. Students experience programmes, not isolated modules
6. Formative aspects of assessment and feedback extend beyond modular boundaries
“The modular structure has accentuated atomised approaches to designing a programme. It has enabled academics to prioritise the value of ‘my’ module over ‘our’ programme.” (Jessop and Tomas 2016)

6. . . . . . . . . . . How does TESTA work? Programme audit
Assessment Experience Questionnaire
Student focus groups
Compiled into case study
Workshop with programme team

7. . . . . . . . . . . What does TESTA say about assessment and feedback?
1. Students’ don’t have a clear sense of what is expected of them
“Most of the time, I feel completely lost, and I think with almost every assignment I’ve submitted, I have no idea of really what I’m going to get in this assignment. I don’t know where the marks come from, how to get better marks” (Second year)
“Arguably, for students to fully ‘come to know’ assessment standards of their discipline, they must participate as partners in the assessment process, both formal and informal.” (O’Donovan et al 2008)

8. . . . . . . . . . . What does TESTA say about assessment and feedback?
2. Assessment frames student learning
“I think they try to get us to think about what it is that we’re actually doing but when it actually comes to studying for the exams, it then becomes more about just remembering” (Fifth year)
“From our students’ point of view, assessment always defines the actual curriculum” (Ramsden 2003)

9. . . . . . . . . . . What is the impact of TESTA? National picture
Programme changes:
Reduction of summative assessment
Introduction of formative assessment opportunities (blogs, presentations, portfolios
Improvement in NSS results
Primary shift is cultural:
“The substantive change that TESTA has brought about has been a shift in
understanding about assessment and feedback, and particularly its influence on
student learning at the programme-level. TESTA has underlined the importance of
taking a whole programme approach to assessment design, and illustrated the
prominence of assessment for measurement over assessment for learning on
modular degree programmes.” (Jessop et al 2009)

10. . . . . . . . . . . What is the impact of TESTA? Strathclyde
1. Programme engagement “Perhaps most valuably of all, it encourages collective reflection on a process that is, understandably, often carried out under pressure. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the tool to other Schools.” (Director of Teaching) 2. Raises foundational issues “The crucial variable appears not to be the quality of the feedback (which is what teachers tend to focus on) but the quality of student engagement with that feedback” (Gibbs 2006) 3. Enlightened use of student experience data “Working with the grain of the best conscience of the academic enterprise” (Watson 2003)

11. References
Gibbs, G. (2006) ‘How assessment frames student learning’ in Bryan, C. and Klegg, K. (eds.) Innovative assessment in higher education (Abingdon, Routledge)
Jessop, T., Tomas, C. (2016) ‘The implications of programme assessment patterns for student learning’ Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education
Jessop, T., El Hakim, Y., Gibbs, G., Hyland, P., Reavey, D. and Scott, I. (2012) NTFS Project Final Report (York, HEA)
O’Donnell, B., Price, M. and Rust, C. (2008) ‘Developing student understanding of assessment standards: A nested hierarchy of approaches’ Teaching in Higher Education 13(2):
Ramsden, P. (2003) Learning to teach in higher education (Abingdon, Routledge Falmer)
Watson, D. (2003) ‘Preface’ in Ramsden (2003)