PrinciplesofAssessmentandFeedback

Centre for Learning and Teaching

Aims of this presentation

• Tohighlightsomeofthekeyconceptsinassessmentandfeedback

• Topresentsomeofthekeyresearchinthisarea

Why do we assess students?

• Spendafewmomentsthinkingaboutthis.

Assessment is:‘aboutreportingonstudents’achievementsandaboutteachingthembetterthroughexpressingtothemmoreclearlythegoalsofourcurricula.Itisaboutmeasuringstudentlearning;itisaboutdiagnosingmisunderstandingsinordertohelpstudentstolearnmoreeffectively.Itconcernsthequalityofteachingaswellasthequalityoflearning;itinvolvesusinlearningfromourstudents’experiences,andisaboutchangingourselvesaswellasourstudents’.

(Ramsden,2003:177)

From our students’ point of view, assessment always defines the actual

curriculum

(Ramsden, 2003: 182)

(Some) issues with assessment and feedback

Students:• Assessmentsbunchedtogether• Assessment‘burden’• Confusionaboutstandards&

criteria• Timeliness• Emotions(anxiety;anger)• Howtounderstandcriteria• Howtounderstandfeedback

(language,terminology)• Lackofrelevance• Don’tknowhowtouseit/apply

ittoafuturetask

Staff:• Assessment‘burden’–

assessmentnotreflectedinworkload

• Studentsobsessedwithmarks,notfeedback

• Studentsdon’treadfeedback• Time• Emotions

(anger/frustration/pleasure?)• Howmuch?• Language&tone

Recent developments

The REAP projectAssessmentactivitiessupportstudentlearningifthey:1.Capturesufficientstudytimeandeffort(inandoutofclass)2.Arespreadevenlyacrosstopicsandweeks3.Leadtoproductivelearningactivity(deepratherthansurfacelearning)4.Communicateclearandhighexpectations.(GibbsandSimpson2004)

The REAP project – 7 Principles of good feedback

1.helpsclarifywhatgoodperformanceis(goals,criteria,expectedstandards);2.facilitatesthedevelopmentofself-assessment(reflection)inlearning;3.delivershighqualityinformationtostudentsabouttheirlearning;4.encouragesteacherandpeerdialoguearoundlearning;5.encouragespositivemotivationalbeliefsandself-esteem;6.providesopportunitiestoclosethegapbetweencurrentanddesiredperformance;7.providesinformationtoteachersthatcanbeusedtohelpshapetheteaching.

Nicol,D.J.&Macfarlane-Dick,D.2006

Bigg’s constructive alignment

Designassessmentcriteria

Phil Race

VALID:Arewemeasuringwhat

wearetryingtomeasure?

RELIABLE:Isitfair?Would

multiplemarkersgivethesamemark?

TRANSPARENT:Dostudentsknow

‘wherethegoalpostsare’?

AUTHENTICDoesitreflect‘real-world’scenarios?

Assessment: partnership

Engagesstudentsinproductive/challenging(learning)activities–motivateslearning

Choice/variety–content&

processforass&feedback

Studentsinductedintoass

practices/culture

Appropriatetime&efforttoimpaspects

Formative&summativeass

Informsteachingpractice

Assinclusive&trustworthy

Clarifieswhatgood

performanceis

Studentsinvolvedindecision-making

Assforlearning

focusforstaffdev

Assforlearningatheartof

coursedesign

E-submission

Anonmarking

incremental

Feedback: dialogue

F2Ffeedbackforatleastfirstpieceofassessmenteachyear

Encourages+ivemotivationalbeliefs&self-

esteem

High-qualityfeedback

Feedbacktimely

Feedbackonallassessment

tasks

Feedbackisappropriate

Feedbackaddressesperformance(notcharacteristics)

Helpsstudentsself-assessed

andself- correct

Feedforward

Self-assessment,peerassessment,

reflection

Enoughdetail

Oftenenough

Feedbackimprovesstudentlearning

Studentsusingfeedback

Assessment and feedback planning

• Whatistheassessmentandfeedback‘diet’acrossthewholecourse?

• Foraparticularassignment– Whattypeofassessment?Whattypeoffeedback?– Wheninthecourse,andwhatwillthetimingsbeforreturningfeedback?

– Howcancleargoalsandstandardsbesharedandunderstood?

– Howwillthefeedbackbeorganised?– Howwillstudentsusethefeedback?

• Howcanthisinvolvemarkingteams,newstaff,students?

Your experiences: What ways can students be encouraged to engage with their feedback?

Getting students to engage with feedback

Givefeedbackwithoutrevealingmarks

Givestudentspracticeinwritingfeedbackusingmarkingcriteriae.g.peermarking

Dostudentsknowwhereto

findit?

Feedbacktimely

Givefastgeneric

feedbackandaskstudentstogaugetheirperformance

Feedforward

Involvestudentsinplanningfeedback

Makesurestudents

understandit

Setasidetimeinfacetofacesessionstoworkthrough

Includeareflectiononfeedbackinnext

assignmentFeedbackimprovesstudentlearning

Makefeedbackaccessible

Firetheirenthusiasm

Findtimeswhentheyareengaged

Inclusive?

Diversity of assessment types• Avarietyofmethodsisdesirable:

– tomeasuredifferenttypesoflearning– toenablestudentstoworktotheirstrengthsatsometimesbutalsofacenewchallenges

– tofacilitate‘reasonableadjustments’forstudentswithdisabilitieswhileretainingrigourandconsistencyofmarking

– toenablestudentchoice• Butnotsomanydifferentformatsthatstudentsdon’tgetenoughexperiencetodevelopexpertiseineachapproach.

Find out more

References cited/resources• Nicol,D.J.&Macfarlane-Dick,D.(2006).Formativeassessmentandself-regulated

learning:Amodelandsevenprinciplesofgoodfeedbackpractice.StudiesinHigherEducation,31(2),199-218

• NationalUnionofStudents(2010).Charteronfeedbackandassessment[Online].Availableat:http://www.nusconnect.org.uk/news/article/highereducation/720/

• Race,P.2010(2nd edition)MakingLearningHappen:AguideforPost-compulsoryEducation.London:SAGE

• Race,P.(2015)Thelecturer'stoolkit:apracticalguidetoassessment,learningandteaching 4thed.London:Routledge.

• PhilRace:https://phil-race.co.uk/assessment/• Ramsden,P.2003(2nd ed)LearningtoTeachinHigherEducation.London:

Routledge• Simpson,H.&Gibbs,G.(2004-5).ConditionsunderWhichAssessmentSupports

StudentLearning.LearningandTeachinginHigherEducation Issue1[Online].Availableat:http://www2.glos.ac.uk/offload/tli/lets/lathe/issue1/issue1.pdf#page=5