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Re-engineering Assessment Practices in Scottish Higher Education

Re-engineering Assessment Practices in Scottish Higher Education. Dr David Nicol Project Director Centre for Academic Practice University of Strathclyde d.j.nicol@strath.ac.uk. Rationale for project. Assessment – key driver of student learning

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Re-engineering Assessment Practices in Scottish Higher Education

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  1. Re-engineering Assessment Practices in Scottish Higher Education Dr David Nicol Project Director Centre for Academic Practice University of Strathclyde d.j.nicol@strath.ac.uk

  2. Rationale for project • Assessment – key driver of student learning • Assessment is a major cost in HE: economies of scale limited • Assessment influences a wide range of organisational, pedagogical and business processes in HE

  3. Educational basis • Enhanced formative assessment resulted in learning gains that were ‘among the largest ever reported’ (Black & Wiliam, 1998) • Assessment does not fully prepare students for learning throughout life (Boud, 2000). • Assessment predominantly teacher-centred –must develop learner self-regulation (Nicol & Macfarlane-Dick, 2004: 2005; Yorke, 2003) • Gibbs & Simpson (2004). FAST project

  4. Educational basis • Technologies can enrich assessment (Bull & McKenna, 2004) • And help develop learner self-regulation (Nicol & Milligan, 2005). • So far, little attempt to integrate a range of technologies to support assessment for learning.

  5. Aims of Project • Re-engineer assessment practices in 3 HE institutions using supportive technologies. • Increase range of approaches - self, peer, tutor, to enhance motivation & self-regulation • Integrate technologies – online tests, e-voting, e-portfolios, VLEs, admin systems and online-offline interactions • Focus is on large 1st year classes • Improve learning quality and/or reduce costs

  6. Partners & roles • Strathclyde Univ: 5 departments (one per faculty) with large 1st year classes (MechEng, Marketing, School of Pharmacy, Psychology, Primary Education) • Caledonian Business School (faculty reengineering – core divisions) • Glasgow Univ (electronic voting technologies) • Allows synergies and comparisons (dept/faculty/institution)

  7. Implementation models • Curriculum re-engineering - holistic • Departmental/faculty resources, core team in CAP and cross-institutional support [LS, ITS, VLE team] (Strathclyde University) • E-learning champions in divisions (Caledonian Business School) • Software engineer and educational developer (Glasgow University)

  8. Evaluation: baseline and comparison • Impact on learning quality –assessment experience questionnaire, documentation analysis (e.g balance of self, peer and tutor assessment) and interviews. • Cost/workload analysis (staff time on activities) • Cost-benefit analysis • Institutional changes (cultural, organisational, pedagogical and technical)

  9. Project deliverables • Case studies (exemplars) of re-engineered assessment based on learner self regulation • Document lessons learned through curriculum re-engineering (department/faculty/institution) • Evidence of impact: cost/quality improvements • Workload and cost-benefit models • Develop electronic voting software/approaches • Identify organisational and support issues

  10. Dissemination/ benefits to sector • Project website – complete documentation • Scottish network on e-assessment funded separately by Funding Council (£50k) • JISC & HE Academy & SFC • Conferences and workshops • Publications in refereed journals • Guidelines for practitioners

  11. Questions and discussion

  12. Departmental plans (examples) • Marketing: more effective feedback delivery and peer processes • School of Pharmacy: developing reflection and self-assessment skills supported by e-portfolios. • Psychology: self-testing and dynamic feedback through simulations and use of personal response system in lectures.

  13. Research Evidence • Black & Wiliam (1998) significant learning gains from active S involvement in assessment • Yorke (2003) & Boud (2000) assessment inhibiting development of learning society • Nicol & Macfarlane-Dick (2004: 2005); Nicol and Milligan (2005) – how self-regulation might be supported through assessment • Gibbs & Simpson (2004) – conditions for effective assessment in science

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