Instructor: Lee Dunn

Materials: Assessing Learning

Please download and read Section 4: Assessing Learning from. Pathways to Good Practice: a guide to flexible teaching for quality learning.

Workshop description:

The first thing that students do when they begin a course is to ask ‘what do I have to do? what is the assessment?' This is a sensible way to direct their studies. Student learning is shaped by the kinds of assessment tasks required of them. This means that assessing student learning is one of the most important academic responsibilities.

This workshop will focus on the principle that while assessment is important to measure student progress, it is more than this: it is also a powerful tool for student learning. Participants in the workshop will explore how assessment can be designed to promote meaningful learning; the types of assessment tasks that will best encourage meaningful learning in a variety of disciplines; the importance of marking and grading and how to promote student learning by providing feedback on student performance in assessment tasks.

The workshop is designed to have a balance information-sharing, activities and application of ideas presented by Lee and other colleagues to participants' own assessment practices.

Worshop Content:

I. Designing assessment as a powerful tool for learning
II. Assessing the ‘right thing' for quality learning
III. Marking, grading and giving feedback

Jueves 7 de diciembre
Salón: A6-Auditorio

Welcome & overview of the workshop

• Introductions to Lee and participants
• Introduce the principles of this workshop, and in particular: ‘assessment for learning'
• Discuss with participants why each decided to attend the workshop
(revisit this activity towards the end of the workshop)

Topics:
• What capabilities (skills, knowledge, abilities) – do you want your students to acquire by the time they graduate? Why?
• Sequential development of knowledge and skills over the years of a degree course
• Designing assessment to promote the acquisition of this knowledge & these skills
• How to integrate all the assessment in a course to ensure students acquire all the capabilities required

Activities: Combination of input from Lee, small group activities by participants and plenary discussions.

Theme II: Assessing the ‘right thing' for quality learning

Topics:
• What is meant by assessing the ‘right thing in the right way?'
• Identify the most commonly assessed learning outcomes in higher education
• How to select the assessment tasks that best promote quality learning for specified outcomes and
• that encourage students to take deep and meaningful approaches to their learning

Activities:
• Combination of input from Lee, discussions around scenarios, small group activities and plenary discussions.

Theme III : Marking, grading and giving feedback

Topics:
• Purposes of marking and grading
• Criterion-referenced assessment, norm-referenced assessment and standards-based assessment practices
• Feedback to guide student learning (on formative and summative tasks, qualitative and quantitative)
• Marking to criteria and standards
• Final results and awards
• Upholding disciplinary standards
• Accountability to stakeholders
• Validation of student work (deter/detect fraud and plagiarism)

Activities:
Combination of input from Lee, discussing and sharing practices with other participants and a practice marking activity in small groups (possibly discipline groups.)

Activity: Assessment issues: sharing and problem solving

• Revisit the reasons participants attended this workshop (Thursday morning activity). Discuss whether all issues have been adequately covered during this workshop. Discuss other issues that are of concern to participants.

• Discuss any changes participants plan to make in their assessment practices and why. Discuss the challenges – problem solving activity.