Outputs from London assessment workshop

Strengths

Points which were commonly cited or identified as key strengths are in bold

Feedback practice

• Feedback that supports student development

• Using standard paragraphs in feedback for standard errors.

• Consistency of formal feedback to try to ensure fairness

Designing appropriate assessments

• Regular formative assessment – feedback

• Dynamic student engagement – fun!

• Pilots in various faculties taking place re various aspects of assessment and feedback

• Use of peer assessment

• Support student development, not just knowledge

• Students involved in the entire assessment process

• Range of assessment types

• ‘Remedial’ sessions

• Peer review approaches

• Specific learning objectives, skills to be assessed (regulated)

• Comprehensive feedback

Cultural issues

• Staff pushing for e-assessment (enthusiasm)

• The great unknown – a challenge worth doing!

• Student support services

• Commitment of majority of colleagues and their professionalism

• Training and support of staff – academic, support and PhDs

Implementation of technology

• Technology-supported plagiarism detection and prevention (Turnitin)

• Online delivery is geographically inclusive and offers student tracking

• Formative feedback – eg online quizzes – provide ongoing timely feedback to students

• Peer assessment with online reflection

• EVS for drop-quiz

• MCQ and MRQ for test

• PebblePad for assessing learning of information skills and getting reflective feedback

• Turning Point clickers to assess retention of knowledge from level 1 to 2

• Piloting online submission for distance learners

• Student/admin enthusiasm for online submission

• VLE for a repository of subject-based materials and information skills helpsheets

• Good practice in e-moderation – summarising responses to student work (especially in online forum)

• Enabling students to access Turnitin to check their referencing prior to submission

• Using tagging to identify feedback in forums

• Using different technologies including podcasting and screencasting

• Effective tracking through online assessment

• 1:1 feedback with the tutor via audio/video

• Convenience of online assessment

• Audio feedback

Administrative issues

• Coherent delivery for marking and results

Programme- and institution-level assessment issues

• Applying a rubric-based grading approach

• Coherent learning outcomes linked to assessment and feedback

• Range of assessment methods linked to employability

• Standardisation activities across ‘network’ provision

• Global diet of assessment and feedback in programmes – variability

• Using clear marking criteria which are shared with colleagues