CHEP Strategic Work-stream Assessment and Feedback for Learning

1. CHEP Strategic Work-streamAssessment and Feedback for Learning Dr Alan Masson

2. Strategic Work-stream Purpose To consolidate the achievements from existing projects and initiatives i.e. • Viewpoints, • Ulster Principles of Assessment and Feedback for Learning • SU ‘Focus on Feedback’ • CHEP Development Fund projects • TFL projects • Student Competition • ………..

3. Scope for further work • Harness technology to facilitate the assessment process in an effective and efficient manner (Hepplestone and Parkin, 2012) • Tackle the specific issues encountered by those working with very large classes or who are using group work assignments as an assessment approach • Encourage and maximise opportunities for dialogical assessment and feedback processes – both staff-student and student-student (Beaumont et al., 2008; Boudet al.,1999; Blair & Cartney, 2010; McGinty, 2012; Nicol, 2010) • Consider the role of on-going feedback for undergraduate and taught masters students undertaking research projects

4. Encourage creativity in assessment design to engage and motivate students, particularly the use of active learning approaches such as problem-based learning and authentic assessment (Boud, 1997; Gulikers, 2004; Savery, 2006) • Engage staff in conducting action research projects that explore and disseminate their assessment and feedback practices more fully (Norton 2009a;) • Utilise institutional processes to drive and measure changes in practice and their impact e.g. the student survey on the quality of teaching, programme management system and evaluation/ revalidation.

5. Aims • to establish a culture where assessment design and feedback practices drive curriculum design and engender student learning (Crisp, 2012; Norton, 2009b; Price et al., 2011; Olsson & Roxå, 2012). • to embed the Ulster Principles of Assessment and Feedback for learning in the practice of all involved in teaching and supporting student learning • to further develop staff student partnerships and interactions to support this theme • to disseminate effective practice and encourage pedagogical research and dialogue in assessment and feedback

6. Constructive Alignment

7. Focusing on Assessment: • The newly adopted Ulster Principles of Assessment and Feedback for Learning aim to promote and encourage effective assessment and feedback practice, for students and staff at Ulster. • Ulster staff are requested to familiarise themselves with the seven principles and to consider and plan how to embed the principles into their teaching, to enhance assessment and feedback practice. • This should be evident in the revalidation documents

8. Clarify good performanceHelp to clarify, from the early stages of a programme, what good performance means (goals, criteria, standards); Encourage time and effort on taskEncourage 'time and effort' on challenging learning tasks, which recognise the importance of learning from the tasks, not just demonstrating learning through tasks; Deliver timely high quality feedbackDeliver timely learner-related feedback information that helps students to self-correct and communicates clear, high, expectations and professionalism; Provide opportunities to act on feedbackProvide opportunities for students to act on feedback and close any gap between current and desired performance through complementary and integrated curriculum design and pedagogic practice;

9. Encourage positive motivational beliefsEnsure that all assessment has a beneficial, constructive, impact on student learning, encouraging positive motivational beliefs, confidence and self-esteem; • Develop self-assessment and reflectionFacilitate the development of self- and peer-assessment skills and reflection on learning, to enable students to progressively take more responsibility for their own learning, and to inspire a lifelong capacity to learn; • Encourage interaction and dialogueEncourage interaction and dialogue around learning and professional practice (student-student, lecturer-student and lecturer-lecturer) including supporting the development of student learning groups and peer learning communities.

10. Raising Awareness of the Principles • Principles Website • Principles Poster • Assessment Conference • Student Feedback Guide

11. Website:http://www.ulster.ac.uk/centrehep/assessment

12. Implementation Ideas (pdf cards) Clarify good performance Encourage time and effort on task Deliver timely high quality feedback Provide opportunities to act on feedback Encourage positive motivational beliefs Develop self-assessment and reflection Encourage interaction and dialogue

13. Student Perspective • For students… • by students… • with students… • Students were involved in the working group that devised the Principles and received HEA funding to develop the ‘Focus on Feedback’ Student Feedback Guide. • Student Feedback Guide • http://uusu.org/files/focus-on-feedback-2011.online.pdf

14. Further Information • Ulster Principles of Assessment and Feedback for Learning website • http://www.ulster.ac.uk/centrehep/assessment • Ulster Assessment and Feedback for Learning Conference 2012 – presentations on webpage • http://www.ulster.ac.uk/centrehep/conference2012.html

15. Further support • Viewpoints workshops to support revalidation teams reviewing A&F practices • Contact: Sarah Floyd & Alan Masson