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Nick Lund and Kathy Kinmond Manchester Metropolitan University

Being a ‘real psychologist’: Reflections on presenting at a student conference as a final assessment. Nick Lund and Kathy Kinmond Manchester Metropolitan University. Overview. Background Practice Study Findings Discussion Questions. A good way to learn?. Background – assessment in HE.

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Nick Lund and Kathy Kinmond Manchester Metropolitan University

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  1. Being a ‘real psychologist’: Reflections on presenting at a student conference as a final assessment Nick Lund and Kathy Kinmond Manchester Metropolitan University

  2. Overview • Background • Practice • Study • Findings • Discussion • Questions

  3. A good way to learn?

  4. Background – assessment in HE • A report on teaching quality in Higher Education in the UK found problems in assessment practices (QAA, 2003) • Boud (2000) -assessment practices in HE focus on the short term needs of feedback on achievement and of certification rather than equipping students for their future needs • Boud and Falchikov (2006) - the ‘raison d’être of a higher education is that it provides a foundation on which a lifetime of learning in work and other social settings can be built’.

  5. Background – assessment in HE • To do this students need assessment that is like the kinds found in life and work • But - • Most assessment practices in UK universities have not changed to equip students for the skills they need or for employability - ‘A Marked Improvement’ HEA (2012)

  6. Background – assessment in Psychology • QAA Psychology Benchmarks (2010) – number of skills psychology students should develop • ‘traditional assessment in psychology has involved examinations, some essays, some statistics, some practicals and an empirical dissertation’ (Banister, 2004) • MacAndrew and Edwards (2003) call for assessment to move beyond the use of essays and examinations to more ‘authentic’ assessments • they define authentic assessments as those that ‘resemble the tasks that graduates will be required to perform in the workplace’

  7. Background – assessment in Psychology • Kenkel and Peterson (2010) argue there is a need to move to competency-based education to develop psychology as a profession. • The ability to present information clearly and to answer questions about it is key skill in many professions – a benchmark skill for psychology • Use of presentations at a conference • Zeedyk (2003) • Lund (2013)

  8. Practice • Final assessment for all psychology courses MMU Cheshire programmes have been student presentations at an undergraduate conference • designed is to mimic the format and atmosphere of a professional conference • students present a summary of their final year project (10mins), then defend it in a question and answer session (5 mins) • The presentation at the conference accounts for 25% of the mark for the Psychology Project

  9. Practice • Two members of staff in the audience mark the student’s presentations and ability to answer the subsequent questions using a range of criteria (including content, structure, analysis, clarity and ability to answer questions). • The timing of the conference is organised for the week following the level 6 (3rd year) final examinations. • In the words of past students ‘the course ends with a bang’!

  10. Study • Free text questionnaire given to final year students. The questions were; • 1. What were your thoughts about the conference before you did your presentation? • 2. What are your thoughts about the conference looking back? • 3. Did you learn anything from the conference? • 4. Was the conference a good social experience? • 5. Looking back, do you feel the conference was a valuable experience? • Thematic analysis (Braun & Clark, 2006)

  11. Findings - themes • Anxiety (before conference) • Personal development • confidence, • real life applications, • real life conference • PG study • Social ‘closure’

  12. Anxiety • Reflections on feelings before the conference • I was very anxious and was keen to get it over and done with (female – CH Psychology & Drama). • Initially I had a huge amount of performance anxiety around presenting (male PSE) • More than a bit worried and concerned(female mature). • PANIC! (female)

  13. Personal development: Confidence • It did.. give me the tools to be able to talk about academic research with confidence and conviction (female 2 years post graduation) . • I do feel that it has given me a confidence boost if I’m ever required to make a formal presentation in future (male)

  14. Personal development: real life • It made me think about psychological models and principles and this has aided my learning in my professional life (female 2 years post graduation) • It supports students with their learning as well as being able to put these skills into real life practice (female) • Provid[ed] good experience for my future career (female 3 years post graduation)

  15. Real life conference • …. the excitement of getting a taste of what real world research conferences feel like (male). • it prepared us …… an insight into an academic conference (female 2 years post graduation)

  16. Personal development: PG study • it gave me ideas for what I would study further (male). • Interesting learning experience as many of the projects and ideas presented still remain with me now. I feel it was a useful platform as it gave me the wish to present future research at similar conferences (female 2 years post graduation). • The conference was a great way to delve into aspects of Psychology which you may otherwise have not been taught, it also provides a great basis for the way research is run and particularly from a student’s perspective what sort of research you could achieve with further education. It also provided the opportunity to receive great advice on the pathways which you could take to reach your own personal goals (male 1 year post graduation).

  17. In summary: • Personally I believe the conference was a very valuable experience, and would highly recommend it to anyone with aspirations of continuing their education post degree. Before attending the conference I was at that pinnacle question “What’s next?” and the conference provided me with the opportunity to ask questions to a wide variety of academics, from the people who have been there and done it, to the young academics who are both in the same position as you and one step ahead (male 1 year post graduation).

  18. Finally: important social ‘closure’ • It was a good fun ending to university, and had the chance to see everyone for a last time • It was a great way to end my time at university

  19. Discussion • An authentic assessment • A valuable experience • A means of developing professionalism • However - • Staff time (both preparation and at conference) • Student anxiety • Sample – • Despite our efforts to reach all respondents tend to be ‘successful’ students (2i or 1st class degrees)

  20. References • Banister, P. (2004) Assessment as a tool for fostering key skills. Psychology Learning and Teaching, 3, 109–113. • Braun, V. and Clarke, V. (2006) Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3 (2). pp. 77-101. • Boud, D. (2000) Sustainable assessment: rethinking assessment for the learning society. Studies in Continuing Education, 22, 151–167. • Boud, D. and Falchikov, N. (2006) Aligning assessment with long-term learning. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 31, 399–413 • Higher Education Academy (2012) A Marked Improvement: Transforming education in higher education. Retrieved February 12, 2013 from http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/assessment/A_Marked_Improvement.pdf • Kenkel, M. B. (Ed) and Peterson, R. L. (Ed) (2010) Competency-based education for professional psychology. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

  21. References • Lund, N. (2013) Ten years of using presentations at a student conference as a final assessment. Psychology Learning and Teaching Journal (in press) • MacAndrew, S.B.G. and Edwards, K. (2003) Essays are not the only way: a case report on the benefits of authentic assessment. Psychology Learning and Teaching, 2, 134–139. • Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) (2003) Learning from subject review 1993–2001: sharing good practice (Gloucester, Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education). • Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (2010) Subject benchmark statement: psychology. Retrieved June 10, 2012 from http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Documents/Psychology2010.pdf • Zedek, S. (2003) Scottish psychology undergraduate dissertation conference. LTSN Psychology Issue 18. Retrieved June 10, 2012 from http://www.pnarchive.org/docs/pdf/p20030610_issue18.pdf

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