assessment and feedback

PGCAP, EESL module

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add the assessment approaches you have

used/are currently using

to our flower (1 pedal for each approach)

Assessing & Feeding Back

PGCert

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Intended Learning Outcomes

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• Apply Bloom's taxonomy and Constructive Alignment

to the design of assessment.

• Discuss variety and innovation in assessment

including self and peer assessment.

• An the reliability and validity of the marking of rk

• Evaluate how feedback can be used to enhance

student learning, especially in relation to formative

feedback

Why do we assess?

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something to think about

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“There is nothing more powerful in influencing what our students do, how they do it and what they learn than what we do in assessment & feedback”

(Boud, 2010)

Something to think about

“There is too much emphasis in higher education on

summative assessment […] a shift away from the

„testing‟ and judgement culture associated with

summative assessment would alter the learning

environment in higher education and provide positive

student learning opportunities, encourage dialogue

between teachers and students (and between

students and students), enhance the learning

experience, provide motivation for students by

moving towards a formative assessment ethos and

allow students to take responsibility and ownership

for their learning and education.” (Irons, 2008, 8)

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Let’s go outside

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smell-activity

Bloom’s Cognitive Domain

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What exam / essay / assessment questions could you ask for each of these levels in your own subject?

evaluation

synthesis

analysis

application

comprehension

knowledge

Constructive alignment

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Biggs (1999) - Two aspects to constructive

alignment:

Students construct meaning from what they do to learn.

The teacher aligns the assessment with the planned

learning activities and the learning outcomes.

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Learning activities

desig

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Intended Learning Outcomes

desig

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learn

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Assessment

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“Assessment is not something bolted on to the end of

the course as an afterthought, merely measuring the

learning after it took place.”

Butcher et al (2006) Designing Learning. From module outline to effective teaching, Oxon: Routledge, p. 93

Formative v. Summative

assessment

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Formative: during module, forward looking, should

change our teaching, aims to improve learning –

assessment FOR learning.

Summative: end of module, measurement /grading /

competence – assessment OF learning

Low and high stakes assessment

(Knight, 2002)

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scenario

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“Mahmoud takes a lively interest in class

discussions. His written work is just pass standard

as he finds it difficult to structure an argument

supported by evidence. However, he makes

progress as the semester progresses. When it

comes to the final unseen written exam which

accounts for 50% of the marks on the course, he

does not achieve a pass, which is required for an

overall pass. He explains that he finds it extremely

challenging to write to the required standard in the

short time-frame of the exam.” (Duhs, 2010, 6)

Assessment as…

product

Process

psp activity

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You will be given 2 innovative assessment

approaches to investigate within your groups

Use the web/library and resources provided to

understand what this assessment approach is all

about. Identify the key characteristics and show how

it could be used within your practice. Remember

intended learning outcomes!

Illustrate your ideas as a group by creating an

advert.

storytelling and performance

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portfolios and patchwork text

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Good Practice?

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Avoid

Generic assessment questions

repeating the same questions / task every year

bunching all assignments at the end of the semester

setting tasks that require information that is easily obtained from

Google searches.

Do personalised tasks

collaborative tasks

self- and peer assessment and feedback opportunities

(benefits/challenges?)

performance assessment

reflection

real-life & contemporary situations

Using technology?

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Discuss benefits and challenges

Self- and peer-assessment

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• Learners need training in order to benefit

– Exposing their own work to others

– Being critical of others

– Seeing benefit for effort

– Understanding standards required

• Skills needed by graduates for working and

learning lives

– Self-efficacy

– Metacognition

• Potential to minimise staff costs/time (efficiency)

Why do students want

feedback?

Let’s ask them!

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Current feedback practice

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What kind of feedback do

your students receive?

When does it occur in the

learning process?

What methods do you

use?

How often?

What feedback do you get

about providing

feedback?

What other methods

could you try?

What are you going to

try?

Feedback

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• tutor > individual student

• tutor > group of students

• student A > student A (self-evaluation)

• student A > student B

• students > students

(usually called evaluation)

• student > tutor

• students > tutor

Formative Feedback

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“The dialogic feedback

system puts the students at

the centre of learning,

providing them with a series

of opportunities to act on

feedback.” (Duhs, 2010, 5)

•recognising strength

•developmental

•motivational

•opportunity for dialogue

feedback activity

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Remember:

Real, anonymous feedback (extracts) examples from

learning statements (randomly chosen)

All of them have good elements

It doesn‟t matter who wrote them

Are you ok to proceed?

Look at the feedback in front of you. What was done

well? What could be improved?

feedback sample 1

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I believe my learning statement shows a high degree of reflection on my past learning experiences and how that in turn relates to my current teaching practice. By openly exploring past learning experiences in detail, from school through to re-training in animation, I was able to present a clear picture of the impact these experiences now have on my teaching practice.

Although I feel my plan for future development is informed by the deep level of reflection I have shown, it could perhaps be more clearly laid out and precise. This part of the Learning Statement was for me the most difficult part of the exercise to tackle. Knowing where to go and how to get there feels like a daunting task at the early stage of my teaching career. Having more experience of teaching in HE would give me the perspective to have a clearer vision of where I would like to direct my ongoing actions.

On the whole I think my learning statement does a very good job of critically exploring my learning experiences and reflecting on how those experiences impact on the way I teach and the way my students learn. Well done you.

feedback sample 2

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Hi,

Really enjoyed reading your learning statement and listening to your audio on areas to develop. I have to say that I agree with you, I think working as trainers we try to encourage reflection and feedback on past experiences such as good/bad interview experiences, CVs, assessment exercises etc, which means that students can really engage in a debate but then we have to know when to bring a discussion to an natural end and try to refocus the group so that they take away some useful (tangible) information and not just have 1-2 hours of a nice chat. I have to say that I also find it hard to know how to stop these discussions and hope to pick up some tips on managing discussions more effectively.

feedback sample 3

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Self Assessment on L&T Statement

It is always a little strange to go back to your own work once you believe / want it to be finished and to then look at

it with a more critical eye. Even stranger to have to write about your observations!

My initial thought on completion was that it was perhaps a little long, and that the action plan was too general. The

first part of this was certainly confirmed when returning to the assessment guide and criteria which indicated an

equivalence of 500 words for this component. Having said that, I do feel that the content in the main justifies

inclusion and relates strongly to how my own learning journey impacts on my teaching and support of students.

There are a few occasions though where my desire to give a broader context by scene setting does get the better

of me. With regard my action plan, I actually felt that this was far clearer than I thought and also that the goals set

were realistic within my current role, and importantly that they were achievable.

Competence and engagement within an area(s) of relevance to the module (and as appropriate, to the UK

Professional Standards Framework.

The learning and teaching statement encompasses many areas related to the module including learning styles,

student centred learning, relation of theory to practice, and supporting self directed learning. Additionally the

statement is a clear example of reflection on teaching and learning activities which I believe demonstrates the key

professional values of the PSF. The action plan, as well as being evidence of professional development,

incorporates many activities that relate to development in accordance with the PSF.

Engagement and application of relevant literature and theory.

I do feel I have engaged quite extensively with the literature and embraced general teaching sources as well as

those related to teaching in my own discipline. On reading back, I feel I could have integrated them better into the

text, but I always find with reflection that this is harder as there is a tendency to start with your own experience

and then

Reflection on your learning and the development of your practice.

The statement analyses key incidents and demonstrates what learning has been developed from them. Where it

isn‟t as strong is on the evaluation of what this learning might mean for future practice, which is implied rather than

explicit.

Feedback example 4

There was good reflection in your learning statement

but there were no references to theory, the PSF or

the module criteria. You did reflect on your teaching

and learning and engaged with the activity but did

not produce an action plan or provide a needs

analysis.

Improvements could be found by adhering to the

criteria laid out more closely and fulfilling all

requirements. The work was a good story and an

interesting read and would fit in a well followed blog.

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Feedback sample 5 Overall a weak pass, only superficial reflection and

engagement with the literature - the action plan was better but

could have done with more specific detail

…

Application of literature

Range of literature sources was limited to a couple of those

that had been mentioned in the wk1 PowerPoint. Could do

with more investigation into educational theory literature and

considerably more engagement with it; and reflection on how

the literature could inform future practice – what are you going

to do to implement “deep not surface learning as suggested by

Ramsden (2003)?

DescR - Descriptive Reflection Hatton‟s and Smith‟s (1995),

Pass (weak)

Reflection on own learning and practice

Vague reflection at a superficial level, very difficult to ascertain

what events are being reflected on, and what was learned.

There is no structure to the reflection (Gibbs 1988, Kolb 1984,

etc)

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The OU Feedback Sandwich

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something...

... positive – to improve - positiveClear

SpecificConstructive

PersonalHonestKind

Feed-forward

Make it fresh!

Keep filling straightforward

aim for a balance of tastes

The seven principles of good

feedback practice

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1. Facilitates the development of self–assessment (reflection) in

learning.

2. Encourages teacher and peer dialogue around learning.

3. Helps clarify what good performance is.

4. Provides opportunities to close the gap between current and

desired performance.

5. Delivers high quality information to students about their

learning.

6. Encourages positive motivational beliefs and self-esteem.

7. Provides information to teachers that can be used to help

shape teaching.

Juwah et.al.(2004)

feeding back > feeding forward

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clear

engage

point out success

stimulate improvement

link to action

challenge and stretch

timely

non judgmental

dialogue (feedback loop)

Create…

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• … a portrait of the person

who is sitting next to you

• Show portrait to the person

you created

• Person on the portrait to

provide feedback to the artist

digital feedback

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Nothing can replace face-to-face feedback

Technology brings more options

Audio

Video

Screen cast

Clickers

…

scenario

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“Solange arrives at her English university. She is a keen student and wants to do well.

After a few weeks, she is asked to write an assignment. When she sits at ther computer,

she find that she can only think of the complex ideas she has grappled with on the course

in her mother tongue, which is not English. It is an enormous strain to write these ideas

and she cannot think directly in English. She has to translate her thoughts one by one.

When she gets the essay back, she is extremely disappointed with her mark. She is used

to excellent results. Some of the feedback relates to her use of English and is very

discouraging. Her tutor has written:

„There are hints of some interesting ideas in this essay but they are often difficult to

understand because you do not express them clearly. Please check your English

carefully before you hand in your work There are too many errors here.‟” (Duhs, 2010, 6)

Discuss the feedback. Try to redraft it so that it feeds

forward and helps Solange to feel less apprehensive about

her next essay.

1 min paper

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What are the 3 things you are taking away today?

References 1

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Biggs, J. (1999) Teaching for Quality Learning at University SRHE/OUP

Bloom, B.S. et al, Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: Cognitive Domain New York: McKay

Bloxham, S. & Boyd, P. (2007) Developing Effective Assessment in Higher Education, Open University Press: Maidenhead

Boud (2010) Keynote, University of Salford Assessment and Feedback Good Practice event, 6 July 2010

Brown, S., Race, P. and Smith, B. (1996) 500 Tips on Assessment. London: Kogan Page

Butcher et al (2006) Designing Learning. From module outline to effective teaching, Oxon: Routledge

Duhs, R. (2010) „Please, no exam”‟ Assessment strategies for international students, in: SEDA Educational Developments, Issue

11.4, Dec, pp. 3-6

Earl, L.M. (2003) Assessment as Learning, Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press.

Gibbs, G. and Simpson, C. (2004) Conditions under which assessment supports students‟ learning. Learning and Teaching in

Higher Education, vol. 1. pp.1-31

Irons, A. (2008) Enhancing Learning through formative assessment and feedback, Oxon: Routledge.

References 2

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Juwah, C. et.al (2004) Enhancing student learning through effective formative feedback. HEA. At http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/York/documents/resources/resourcedatabase/id353_senlef_guide.pdf

Knight, P. T. (2002) Summative assessment and higher education: practices in disarray, in: Studies in Higher Education, 27, 3, pp. 275-286.

Price (2007) „Should we be giving less written feedback?‟ in Centre for Biosciences Bulletin Autumn 2007, HEA

Schofield, M. (2010) “Taking the „ass‟ out of assessment” [keynote], First level assessment project conference, 16th

June 2010, LeedsMet university

assessment and feedback

PGCAP, EESL module

Chrissi Nerantzi and Neil Currant

@pgcap

www.ldu.salford.ac.uk

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