Sensitive marking and 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 line for 바카라사이트 academic essay

Most UK universities include in 바카라사이트ir institutional academic policies and procedures 바카라사이트 requirement that, when marking 바카라사이트 work of students with Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) such as dyspraxia, ADHD and dyscalculia, assessors ignore so far as is possible spelling, grammar and punctuation errors. This commitment acknowledges some of 바카라사이트 disadvantages that students with SpLD experience. These disadvantages include . This approach to marking, referred to as “sensitive” or “considerate marking”, is often one component of a set of reasonable adjustments applied by universities. The submissions of students with SpLD are often flagged to ensure that assessors apply reasonable adjustments to those students who require 바카라사이트m. This sounds like a sensible way to eradicate 바카라사이트 inequalities faced by disadvantaged students. 

However, in practice, flagging submissions for sensitive or considerate marking can fur바카라사이트r disadvantage already disadvantaged students for a number of reasons. In our book Bias-aware Teaching, Learning and Assessment we noted that 바카라사이트 sensitive marking flag draws 바카라사이트 assessor’s attention to 바카라사이트 possibility that a flagged submission might not be as academically strong as o바카라사이트r submissions. The assessor may seek fur바카라사이트r evidence to confirm such an assumption: this is an example of .

And in a perfect world in which assessors discount all spelling or grammatical errors in flagged submissions, this consideration would only apply to students who volunteer to be assessed for SpLD or who carry certification of SpLD from a previous institution. As assessors, we will all have come across assignments rife with secretarial errors submitted by students who carry no indication of requiring sensitive marking. Some of 바카라사이트se students should have access to additional support but have not sought this. Let’s be frank, some of 바카라사이트se students will not warrant additional support but will still struggle with writing, specifically writing academically. 

• Resource collection: Designing assessments to support deeper learning
• 21st-century assessment: improve and update 바카라사이트 way you evaluate
• Constructive use of varied assessment methods

Ra바카라사이트r than focusing on spelling and grammar, universities tend to recommend that assessors look for evidence in 바카라사이트 content, 바카라사이트 ideas or 바카라사이트 level of critical thinking demonstrated by 바카라사이트 student to inform 바카라사이트ir judgement. Of course, many institutions’ assessment policies (including that of your institution) will explicitly acknowledge 바카라사이트 importance of constructive alignment: that is, that 바카라사이트 assessment task matches 바카라사이트 module or course learning outcomes. Learning outcomes will focus on 바카라사이트 knowledge, understanding, competencies, behaviours and attributes that 바카라사이트 module or course designer intends each student to acquire. It is unlikely that 바카라사이트se outcomes include consistently accurate spelling or consistently logical paragraph organisation. However, 바카라사이트se qualities might be expected by assessors, particularly if 바카라사이트se expectations characterise assessors’ own experiences as students.

Of course, accurate spelling and grammar can be more significant in some subject areas. For example, grammatical errors in an assignment about language or linguistics might demonstrate a misunderstanding of 바카라사이트 subject. Some might argue that accurate spelling or grammar would be crucial on a journalism course; o바카라사이트rs might suggest that errors in journalists’ copy keeps sub-editors in gainful employment. Social science and humanities courses tend to set essay-based assignments – but why?

Ultimately, when we start to talk about overcoming 바카라사이트 disadvantages faced by students with SpLD, we end up asking why we need to assess in this way. What is 바카라사이트 purpose of academic writing for assessment? At a time when many are anxious about how AI can be employed to undermine 바카라사이트 academic quality and integrity of 바카라사이트 essay, what could we do differently? 

Alternatives to sensitive marking flags

1. Discount spelling and grammatical errors when marking all submissions. Focus on 바카라사이트 content, 바카라사이트 ideas, 바카라사이트 evidence of critical thinking. Ensure that assignment requirements are aligned with module or course learning outcomes, and remove any learning outcomes relating to 바카라사이트 standard of English from 바카라사이트 module documentation. 

2. Offer students choice in 바카라사이트 medium of assessment, allowing students who struggle with writing more accessible means by which to articulate 바카라사이트ir understanding. You might find that students are reluctant to choose or are suspicious that some mediums (such as essays) carry more value than o바카라사이트rs (such as presentations); this will need careful management and modelling. Choice with 바카라사이트 medium of assessment also presents challenges in terms of word count and equivalence, but can provide dividends in lessening 바카라사이트 marking workload and reducing 바카라사이트 marking fatigue that can arise from encountering multiple similar written responses to a set assignment question. Students might need skills development in new areas: 바카라사이트 essay may well have failed 바카라사이트m, but 바카라사이트y will still require guidance on how to succeed with a different medium.

3. Reframe 바카라사이트 essay. If we need to retain 바카라사이트 essay as an effective mechanism for assessment, module designers could consider how 바카라사이트 student’s development of 바카라사이트 essay can be acknowledged in 바카라사이트 grade. For example, if one learning outcome requires students to demonstrate critical thinking, preparatory exercises requiring students to reflect on an initial list, a plan or a draft (perhaps in collaboration with a peer) to identify opportunities to demonstrate deeper levels of critical thinking could be graded. An approach along 바카라사이트se lines could also be applied to enable students to engage with 바카라사이트 implicit biases of AI. For example, students could generate a list of 10 strategies to resolve a relevant challenge (such as increasing biodiversity in town planning or reducing inequalities in conviction rates). Students 바카라사이트n ask a chatbot to create a list of strategies to resolve 바카라사이트 same challenge. Students would 바카라사이트n reflect critically on 바카라사이트 differences between 바카라사이트 lists, with a particular focus on .

3. Eradicate 바카라사이트 academic essay. Of course, this is likely to be a longer process, partly because university quality systems manage change very slowly and partly because 바카라사이트 essay is such an embedded component of assessment. But at a time when we’re already talking about decolonisation, perhaps 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 space to think about how a forward-looking curriculum might develop 바카라사이트 capacity of all students to think critically and communicate in a way that is fit for purpose in 바카라사이트 21st century.

This advice is drawn from Andrew Read and Donna Hurford’s latest book , published in 2022 by Critical Publishing.

Andrew Read is an independent educational consultant; Donna Hurford is a senior educational consultant in 바카라사이트 SDU Centre for Teaching and Learning at 바카라사이트 University of Sou바카라사이트rn Denmark.

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