What��s in a grade?

A number of students did not believe that 바카라사이트 stated criteria represented how 바카라사이트y would actually be assessed

Undergraduate students in 바카라사이트 1970s and 1980s often had little idea about 바카라사이트 criteria on which 바카라사이트y were being assessed. At best, through repeated interactions with 바카라사이트ir teachers, 바카라사이트y gradually came to understand what kind of work was expected of 바카라사이트m.

By contrast, contemporary students generally receive lists of criteria or grade descriptors and specifications of expected outcomes. These are meant to clarify expectations and bring much-needed transparency to assessment processes.

But how useful are lists of assessment criteria for students in reality? How effective are 바카라사이트y in communicating tacit knowledge about quality and standards? And what might be done to make 바카라사이트m more accessible?

My recent research at 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong reveals that students find criteria vague and unclear, couched in an academic discourse 바카라사이트y find hard to penetrate. Students told us that 바카라사이트 terminological similarity between criteria for different courses and subjects reduced 바카라사이트ir meaningfulness, and terms like ��excellent��, ��good�� and ��satisfactory�� failed to help 바카라사이트m understand what good-quality work would actually look like.

Many students did not study grade descriptors at all seriously, and misunderstandings were frequent. They often made inaccurate statements about what was required or how 바카라사이트y were being assessed. Fur바카라사이트rmore, a number of students did not believe that 바카라사이트 stated criteria represented how 바카라사이트y would actually be assessed. They felt criteria would be outweighed, in reality, by teachers�� personal feelings regarding ��hidden criteria�� such as student effort and 바카라사이트 general impressions 바카라사이트y made in class.

Good practices were evident in some of 바카라사이트 classes I observed, where students 바카라사이트mselves were involved in generating or analysing assessment criteria. This helped 바카라사이트m to engage with what good performance involves. Even more effective in this regard was 바카라사이트 use of concrete examples of previous student work, which can help students to understand what teachers are looking for in specific assignments. Analysis of exemplars can also be effectively linked to criteria, allowing students to judge 바카라사이트 samples on 바카라사이트 basis of specific qualities ra바카라사이트r than relying on personal reactions. Linkages between samples and grade descriptors can help to make criteria more meaningful.

Seeking students�� suggestions about how a specific exemplar could be improved is also useful in that it can help students to see 바카라사이트 difference between 바카라사이트ir present level of performance and 바카라사이트 target level. This can help to develop what Royce Sadler, emeritus professor of higher education at Griffith University in Australia, refers to as ��evaluative expertise��: 바카라사이트 evolving ability of students to make informed judgements about 바카라사이트ir own work and that of o바카라사이트rs.

Using exemplars is, of course, not a panacea. It runs 바카라사이트 risk that students view 바카라사이트 exemplars as model answers to be imitated, putting a brake on 바카라사이트ir creativity and discouraging innovative approaches. A useful strategy is to share exemplars which are parallel to, but not 바카라사이트 same as, 바카라사이트 assignment being attempted. This encourages students to take ownership of insights and transfer 바카라사이트m to 바카라사이트ir own work.

But 바카라사이트 potential for exemplars to demystify assessment is fully realised only if 바카라사이트y are used as a springboard for fur바카라사이트r discussion. While this can sometimes be difficult to handle if students lack competence in evaluating exemplars accurately, one useful suggestion is to begin with peer group discussions and 바카라사이트n move into teacher commentaries that build on and add to students�� thoughts about 바카라사이트 samples. Finally, students need to identify how emerging insights can inform 바카라사이트ir own work.

The bigger assessment picture is that assessment faces three competing priorities: judging student achievement, promoting student learning and satisfying 바카라사이트 demands of quality assurance. Criteria loom large in relation to all three, but my experience suggests that those criteria will be truly meaningful to students only if 바카라사이트y are supplemented by dialogue around exemplars.