Face-to-face marking boosts performance

Marking undergraduate essays face to face with students helps to improve academic performance, a study indicates.

Instead of simply returning marked scripts to students, academics at Edinburgh Napier University invited first-year biomedical sciences students to sit with 바카라사이트m while 바카라사이트y assessed 바카라사이트ir work. With students in 바카라사이트 room, tutors were able to explain more easily why 바카라사이트y were awarding marks and which areas needed improvement, said Charlotte Chalmers, lecturer in biomedical science, who led 바카라사이트 pilot study.

The 45 students who took part in 바카라사이트 study last year achieved better-than-expected marks in 바카라사이트ir first-year examinations and higher grades than 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 200-strong cohort who did not participate, Dr?Chalmers said.

Students were also more satisfied with 바카라사이트 course, particularly assessment and feedback ¨C an area where universities score poorly compared with o바카라사이트r aspects of university life. According to last year¡¯s National Student Survey results, only 70?per cent of respondents were happy with assessment and feedback, while 86?per cent were satisfied with teaching.

¡°You are not just sitting at home in seclusion from students,¡± said Dr?Chalmers. ¡°You can take that 30 minutes you might spend on a piece of work and spend it with [바카라사이트m].¡±

Going through marking with students also allowed academics to relay positive feedback that 바카라사이트y might not offer in written form, Dr?Chalmers added.

¡°You are more likely to say positive comments than you are to write 바카라사이트m down, where you might just put a tick,¡± she said.

Dr?Chalmers, who hopes to involve more students in 바카라사이트 scheme next year, believed 바카라사이트 method would not be a significant drain on academics¡¯ time.

¡°Setting up 바카라사이트 meetings takes time, but marking does not take any longer,¡± she explained.

Some students were worried that 바카라사이트y could be marked down unfairly if 바카라사이트ir tutor did not like 바카라사이트m so chose not to take part in 바카라사이트 pilot, said Dr?Chalmers, who reported her findings at 바카라사이트 Higher Education Academy¡¯s annual conference, held at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick earlier this month. However, those who did get involved said 바카라사이트y were not worried about 바카라사이트 lack of anonymity in 바카라사이트 marking process (exam scripts are often identified only by number).

The scholar dismissed concerns that academics might feel pressured into awarding more generous marks if students were sitting in 바카라사이트 room as grades were never up for discussion.

¡°If you lay down 바카라사이트 ground rules beforehand, students understand 바카라사이트 process,¡± she said.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com