Assessment in Geography, Earth

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Assessment in Geography, Earth Environmental
SciencesDr Helen King, Assistant Director, GEES
Subject Centre

• Discuss current practice in the School of
  Geosciences
• Look at some examples of practice elsewhere
• Identify key issues and further information
  required

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Current Practice in the School of Geosciences

• Discuss which type of assessment you find most
  effective and why.
• Presentations
• Examinations written, MCQ etc. unseen seen
  (open book)
• MCQ
• Peer self assessment
• Dissertations
• Oral
• Field and lab notebooks
• Coursework essays, projects, assignments
• Manipulating numerical data
• CAA
• Posters
• Practicals
• Assessments that
• Range of abilities
• Range of techniques
• Real world examples

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Some Examples of Practice Elsewhere

• In small groups (15 minutes)
• Look at the example and discuss
• What is useful?
• What could be improved?
• (How) could it be adapted for your School?
• Feed back comments to the whole group

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Key Issues and Further Info

• In small groups (10 minutes)
• What issues does a typical department / school
  need to consider with respect to assessment?
• Which of these are of particular concern /
  interest to the School of Geosciences?
• (5 minutes)
• In which areas of assessment would you like more
  examples of practice?
• On what would you like more general information?

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Assessment Issues

• Learning outcomes assessment
• Pedagogy - learning
• Feedback on end of session exams? Missed
  opportunity?
• Diversity / equality
• Benchmarks / level descriptors / marking criteria
• Group work / fieldwork / large classes etc.
• Peer assessment
• Plagiarism
• Communication to students
• Consistency /coherence across the programme
• Progression through levels
• Student expectations
• Do we need final exam if coursework is
  appropriate?

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More info please on
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Feedback to Plenary