The Assessment Busters: A collaborative approach which turns assessment preparation into an effective

‘must-do’ activity for year one tertiary students

National Tertiary Teaching & Learning Conference10-12 October 2012Nelson

Targeted Learning Sessions: Two Goals

1. Help students complete an assignment2. Help academics refine assessment

Poor Year One Assessment: Some concerns

• Causes student disengagement • Fosters negative attitudes towards learning

(Rust, 2002)• Believed to be a more powerful influence on

student behaviour than teaching (Boud, 2012)• One of the least sophisticate aspects of T & L

in higher education (James, 2010)

The Problem – for students• Don’t know where to start• Afraid to go to office hours• Don’t want to appear remedial• Are victims of poor assessment• No roadmap to resources• Help is not discipline specific

The Problem – for academics• Poor understanding of stage one assessment• Unaware of need for assessment scaffold• No help refining assessment• Low access to students• Don’t know where students are stuck• Poor submission rates• Poor pass rates

The Problem – for professional staff• Low student numbers seeking help• Marginalised from teaching & learning• Poor understanding of integrated help• Poor communication with academics• Underutilised

The Problem – for the University

• Paying for unused tutor office hours• Paying for underutilised professional

staff• Losing money due to poor progression• Losing valuable postgraduate students

Targeted Learning:Why it works for students

• Everyone goes – not remedial• Convenient – one stop

shopping• Targeted – only get the help

they need• Don’t get trapped• Facilitated by peers• Learn value of staff resources

Why it works for professional staff• Brings students to them• Makes them an integral

part of assessment scaffold• Referral is easy & students

will use it• Saves time answering e-

mail questions• Makes them re-evaluate

their service delivery• Enjoyable

Why it works for academics• A chance to see learning in action• See the value of integrating with student support services• Encouraged to scaffold assessment support and resources• Saves time answering e-mail questions• Ability to see more clearly where assessment is confusing• Advice on better assessment practises• A highly productive use of tutor office hours

Why it works for the Uni• Best utilisation of academic & professional staff• Encourages collaboration• Results – lower DNS, higher GPA, increased

retention to year two

Some Benefits of Collaboration

• Clearer understanding of the “year one mind”• Better hand off between support groups• Combining research for big picture solutions• Sharing internationally with other FYE programmes

Why it works for everyone: Results!

Contact Information

Margaret HenleyAssociate Dean, Equitym.henley@auckland.ac.nz

Carol CameronManager, First Year Experiencec.cameron@auckland.ac.nz