Frances Chetwynd

EATING 2011 16th June 2011

Marking Guides and Effective Feedback

Talk outline

My COLMSCT Project

Proposal for TU100 new Assessment and Tutor Guides

A TU100 example

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COLMSCT Project

Assessment feedback – a new taxonomy

The survey: tutor attitudes to feedback and marking guides

The current T175 assignments, marking guides and feedback – a brief analysis:

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The Taxonomy

A possible taxonomy of feedback

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Retrospective-on-content

Retrospective-on-skills Future-altering-on-skills

Future-altering-on-content

Con

ten

tS

kil

ls

ConceptsTheoriesetc.

VerbalNumericalPlanningStudyetc.

(Brown & Glover 2006)

Refer to assignment just completedPoints out omissions, misconceptions, etc.Explain how answer could have been improved

Retrospective

Future-altering

How concepts and skills can be applied in futureClarify concepts and avoid future errors

(Walker 2009)

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The surveyT175 tutors – 140 distributed, 70

respondents

The survey

Background91% OU tutor for 5+ years, 29% 10+ years

experience

Tutors’ methodsPrimary aim of PT3 comments to improve grade

on next TMA (60%)On-script comments most effective future-

altering device (71%)Additional home-made templates (54%)Duplication and triplication of comments (35%)

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The survey

Relative importance of feedback categories

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Marking guides – a brief analysis

Feedback – Retrospective on Content

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Mainly checklistsIdeal minus approachExcludes other

possible, or arguable answers

Generally no help for tutors in closing the gap, correcting misapprehensions, clarifying concepts

Used principally for mark allocation

Students are simply asked to list these components so bullets are acceptable here. Award 1 mark per ICT component listed below:

The touch screen RFID readerRFID tagComputer terminalLibrary computer network Library databaseSensor gates Alarm

Feedback – Retrospective on Skills

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Tend to fall back on model answers

Underlying concepts may be implied only

No specific help on corrections and typical errors

Award up to 4 marks. 1 mark for correct use of scientific notation, 2 for correct conversions of KB and Mbps and 1 for answer.

File size = 42KB = 42 x 1024 x 8bits = 344 064 bitsDownload speed = 0.9Mbps = 0.9 x 106 bpsTime to download = file size/ speed

= 344 064/(0.9 x 106) = 382 293 x 10-6 s

= 3.82 x 10-1 s

Feedback – Future altering on Skills

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Again, tutors are left very much on their own

Language skills??To what extent

should we expect tutors to be tutors in basic skills?

Award high marks for clear and well structured notes suitable for intended audience. Give fewer marks if students use jargon, acronyms or unexplained technical concepts, but also use this as a teaching point about writing for specific audiences. Also do not award full marks to students that use full sentences rather than notes, as required.

Do not deduct any marks if students go over the suggested 200 word limit but explain the importance of word limits in TMAs and generally.

Analysis of feedback opportunities

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T175 – 1 Marking Guide

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TU100 – the proposal

TU100 TMAs – general principles

Assessment for learning not assessment of learning

Support tutors in giving highest quality feedback

TMAs have a clear thread of progression and achievement

Promote re-use by CTCan grow to match developments in the

digital world.

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TU100 Tutor Guides - general principles

Skills criteria properly flaggedOverall mark and comment on skillsGeneric advice and documentationShould look forward and back

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Detailed TMA principles

TMAs need to explicitly develop skills, with skills requirements clearly stated

Should offer an opportunity to showcase achievement

Questions on SENSE should be, initially, a set of independent tasks

TMAs should focus on tutor feedback for learning;

All retrospective-on-skills marks should be gathered together into single mark

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Detailed Tutor Guide principles

Advice on future-altering feedback presented separately from the retrospective-on-content and marks

Information on how each question links to other TMAs and module skills development

Granularity of marks reduced and simplifiedClear notes included on language skills

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TMA01 & TMA02

Now an opportunity to discuss the first two TMAs and Tutor Guides.

Have we achieved our aims?Has it worked??How can we make the skills strands

more explicit?

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Future plans

eSTEeM project led by Chris Dobbyn:

Transforming retention and progression in a new Level 1 course

Staged interviews with group of 15 tutorsFeedback on assessment and tutor guidesEstablish leakage points and threshold concepts

http://www.open.ac.uk/about/teaching-and-learning/esteem/p3.shtml

EATING 2011

References

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Brown, E. and Glover, C. (2006) ‘Evaluating written feedback’, in Bryan, C. & Clegg, K. (Eds) Innovative Assessment in Higher Education Abingdon, Routledge, pp 81 – 91

Gibbs, G & Simpson, C. (2004) ‘Conditions under which assessment supports students’ learning’. Learning and Teaching in Higher Education 1 pp3 – 31

 Hounsell, D. (2007)‘Towards more sustainable feedback’, in Boud, D. & Falchikov, N. (Eds) Rethinking Assessment in Higher Education. Abingdon, Routledge, pp 101 - 113

 Huxham, M. (2007) ‘Fast and effective feedback: are model answers the answer?’ Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 32:6 pp 601 – 611

 Nicol, R. & Macfarlane-Dick, D. (2006) ‘Formative assessment and self-regulated learning: a model and seven principles of good feedback practice.’ Studies in Higher Education. 31:2 pp 199 – 218

Nicol, R. (2008) ‘Transforming assessment and feedback: Enhancing integration and empowerment in the first year.’ Quality Assurance Agency, Scotland. 

Sadler, D. R. (1989) ‘Formative assessment and the design of instructional systems’. Instructional Science 18 pp 119 - 144 

Walker, M. (2009) ‘An investigation into written comments on assignments: do students find them usable?’ Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education. 34:1 pp 67 - 78