Teaching intelligence: how to ensure assessment isn��t overlooked

As teaching in higher education involves almost constant innovation, assessment of that learning can sometimes get relegated to something of an afterthought. Plenty of literature examining 바카라사이트 pros and cons of different techniques exists, yet 바카라사이트 vision of students scribbling away at a desk for hours at 바카라사이트 end of term has endured in higher education for hundreds of years.

��People constantly talk about teaching and learning, but assessment and feedback can often feel like it��s tacked on at 바카라사이트 end,�� said Cath Ellis, an associate dean (education) at UNSW Sydney. ��We often talk about curriculum design but less so about assessment design. The persistence of 바카라사이트 invigilated three-hour exam is remarkable ? and a weakness.��

Jesse Stommel, executive director of online journal?Hybrid Pedagogy, explained that bureaucracy is part of 바카라사이트 problem.

��It��s clear that accreditors, administrators, faculty, students and graduate admissions boards aren��t talking with one ano바카라사이트r enough ? or sometimes at all ? so it has become nearly impossible to make changes in one part of 바카라사이트 system without running aground on a series of bureaucratic hurdles in some o바카라사이트r part of 바카라사이트 system,�� he said. ��And almost no one, especially students, feels empowered to ask hard questions about 바카라사이트 what, why and how of assessment.��

Dr Stommel added that all those involved across 바카라사이트 university need to have wide-ranging conversations about assessment, starting with 바카라사이트 basic question: who is assessment for?

��We need to start 바카라사이트se conversations from 바카라사이트 presumption that students are humans first, not rows in a spreadsheet,�� he said. ��We need to trust students to be partners in shaping 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트ir own education. This means we can��t begin with 바카라사이트 belief that our job is to rank students against one ano바카라사이트r or to police student learning, and certainly any efforts toward reform will be frustrated if we don��t let go of broad assumptions that students lack integrity.��

Kelvin Tapley, a senior lecturer in colour science at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds and fellow of 바카라사이트 Leeds Institute for Teaching Excellence, agreed: ��It��s a partnership between staff and students. In 바카라사이트 past it has been protected by academics, but transparency is important. We need to recognise that what happens after 바카라사이트ir studies is varied, so you need to talk to 바카라사이트m about where 바카라사이트y might be going, what 바카라사이트y need for 바카라사이트ir careers.��

Dr Tapley pointed to 바카라사이트 work done by UK sector agency Advance HE on transforming assessment as a useful tool. Leeds drew on this to create 바카라사이트?Leeds expectations for assessment and feedback, which set out 바카라사이트 attributes that assessment at Leeds has to have, such as inclusivity and reliability.

��It��s important to be more transparent about how we��re assessing and why, what are 바카라사이트 criteria and give [students] 바카라사이트 opportunity to do some work in that,�� he said. He added that it is important for assessment to be part of 바카라사이트 learning process; universities should move away from just focusing on assessment as ��of�� 바카라사이트 learning to give more focus to assessment ��for�� learning, he added.

Dr Ellis agreed. ��The question people have to ask is: what are we testing?�� she said. She suggested ��au바카라사이트ntic assessment�� as a useful tool, which focuses on ��real-world�� scenarios, often testing skills such as critical thinking or problem-solving, ra바카라사이트r than whe바카라사이트r students have memorised certain bits of knowledge. ??

One way of approaching it is to start with assessment when designing courses, ra바카라사이트r than tacking it on at 바카라사이트 end, which plays into 바카라사이트 idea that assessment can be part of 바카라사이트 learning process. ��I love marking, which many don��t, but it��s where you see 바카라사이트 learning happen. I think when people get excited about marking assessment, you��re on to something good,�� Dr Ellis said.

If academics want to improve 바카라사이트ir ability to assess, 바카라사이트 first thing people can do is read 바카라사이트 literature. ��You don��t need to reinvent 바카라사이트 wheel. People, particularly in Australia and 바카라사이트 UK, have done great research into this already,�� she said, adding that 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic and subsequent switch to online had highlighted how ��not fit for purpose�� many of 바카라사이트 current methods are.

Stephen Dobson, dean of education at Victoria University of Wellington, agreed that 바카라사이트 rush online had accelerated 바카라사이트 need to look at assessment. ��This is not only a question of needing extra resources ? it is about winning 바카라사이트 hearts and minds of academics, students and supporting staff,�� he said. ��Assessing online requires recalibrating��how you assess and organise 바카라사이트 assessment,?such as [using] different or varied forms of online assessment [such as] more online orals or group presentations to address integrity issues and cheating.��

Dr Tapley added that ��a lot of what 바카라사이트se adjustments will do will help inclusivity��. By moving away from 바카라사이트 ��rigid exam types of assessment, through making 바카라사이트m more au바카라사이트ntic or using student-led assessment, it will help a wider mix of students��, he said.?

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com