Assessment for learning: quotes and questions

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Assessment for learningquotes and questions

• Professor Ranald Macdonald
• FSEDA, FHEA
• National Teaching Fellow
• Chair, SEDA Research Committee
• Associate Director, Centre for Promoting Learner
  Autonomy
• Head of Strategic Development
• Learning and Teaching Institute
• Sheffield Hallam University, UK
• r.macdonald_at_shu.ac.uk

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• There is probably more bad practice and
  ignorance of significant issues in the area of
  assessment than in any other aspect of higher
  education.
• This would not be so bad if it were not for
  the fact that the effects of bad practice are far
  more potent than they are for any aspect of
  teaching.
• Students can, with difficulty, escape from
  the effects of poor teaching, they cannot ()
  escape the effects of poor assessment.
• (Boud, 1995)

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• When we put together in one scheme such elements
  as a prescribed curriculum, similar assignments
  for all students, lecturing as almost the only
  mode of instruction, standard tests by which all
  students are externally evaluated, and
  instructor-chosen grades as the measure of
  learning,
• then we can almost guarantee that meaningful
  learning will be at an absolute minimum.
• Carl Rogers, Freedom to Learn, 1969

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What for you is the main issue with respect to
assessment?
Why?
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The quickest way to change student learning is to
change the assessment system. (Elton
Laurillard, 1979)
Learning takes the subordinate position in
official writings about assessment (Boud, 2007)
Course characteristics associated with a surface
approach to learning include a threatening and
anxiety provoking assessment system (Gibbs, 1992)
Assessment is the most powerful lever teachers
have to influence the way students respond to
courses and behave as learners. (Gibbs, 1999)
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Reviewing your assessment practice

• What are the four main assessment methods you use
  and what do they assess?
• rank each one from 1 5 where 1 equals students
  dont like to and 5 equals students like a
  lot. Sum your scores.
• also rank where 1 equals assesses poorly and 5
  equals assesses well. Sum your scores

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Institutions encourage assessment practice that
promotes effective learning
(QAA Code of Practice on the assessment of
students, General Principle 3, 2006)
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Aligning learning, teaching and assessment
(Biggs, 2003)
Why
How
With whom
What
Learning
What effect
When
How well
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Institutions provide appropriate and timely
feedback to students on assessed work in a way
that promotes learning and facilitates
improvement but does not increase the burden of
assessment.
(QAA Code of Practice on the assessment of
students, General Principle 9, 2006)
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• Summative assessment is high stakes
• encouraging students to conceal ignorance and
  suggest competence
• Formative assessment should emphasise providing
  useful feedback
• low stakes
• it is more helpful when learners are open about
  their limitations and dont try to conceal
  ignorance or bury mistakes
• (P.Knight, 2001)

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Activity
Which aspects of your assessment practice would
you like to change and why?
What would be the benefits to you and your
students of making the change?
How would the change improve student learning
and how would you know?
What is stopping you making the change?
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Assessment practices are often the major barrier
to developing increasing student responsibility
if students look to others for judgements of
their competence, how can they develop their
ability to assess their own learning? (Boud 1988)
How do you think they contribute to improved
student learning?
What aspects of self, peer and group assessment
and feedback do you use and how?
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From students point of view, assessment has a
positive effect on their learning and is fair
when it
Emphasizes the need to develop a range of skills
Represents reasonable demands
Relates to authentic tasks
Encourages students to apply knowledge to
realistic contexts
Is perceived to have long-term benefits
(Sambell, McDowell Brown, 1997)
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Holistic changes to assessment
Cross-cutting themes
QA QE Leadership Management Administration
(Macdonald Joughin, 2008)
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