| Presenter | Title | Abstract |
| Mette Anwar-Westander – Disabled Students UK | Making Assessments Inclusive through Accessibility Insights from Disabled Students |
A short bio: Mette Anwar-Westander is the founding director of Disabled Students UK, recognised by Shaw Trust as one of the most influential disabled-led organisations in the UK. DSUK uses an evidence-based approach, empowering disabled students to share their insight, with the ultimate goal of informing policy and increasing accessibility in higher education. Their latest survey aims to paint a picture of accessibility at each UK university. Mette graduated from Oxford and is currently studying for an MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience. A keynote blurb: “Making Assessments Inclusive through Accessibility Insights from Disabled Students” Join Mette Anwar-Westander as they delve into the critical intersection of accessibility and assessments in higher education. In this session, Mette will share their insights as the founder of Disabled Students UK and the three essential tools required to take responsibility for accessible education provision. Drawing inspiration from the transformative lessons learned during the pandemic, attendees will be empowered to make their assessment practices more adapted both to the 16% of students who declare a disability in a way that also benefits the wider student population. Discover the five key insights that disabled students want you to leverage to foster a more inclusive educational environment. |
| Jamal El-kalaway – Students’ Union | Students’ Mindsets and Wellbeing at Assessment time | An insight from the Students’ Union around how to identify students who may be struggling during the assessment period and what can you do to best to support their wellbeing. The session will touch upon how a student may display signs of struggle and provide some further insights on how students’ generational and cultural backgrounds may impact on this. |
| Manzoorul Abedin – SHSS | What to do? Teachers Dealing with AI-assisted Student Assignments |
Unlike straight plagiarism, AI writing is not easy to detect. Although Turnitin claims a high degree of success in its detection, there is still considerable uncertainty. This is because AI-assisted writing – students’ submitted assignments, for instance – can write brand new content based on user inputs and synthesising relevant information available on the net sidestepping plagiarism detectors. Many educators see AI writing tools as a powerful means of collaboration helping students mind map or synthesise information, while others feel it is now difficult to ascertain students’ academic integrity in traditional written assignments, such as essays or literature reviews. This paper argues that in order to design AI-proof assignments, educators need to balance the use of AI in their classroom by allowing students to use the tool for outlining or research but banning it for writing final written content and/or participating in live discussions. For essays, dissertations or longer pieces of written work that students typically submit online on their own, emphasis can be assigned to a developed individual student voice and/or style. This can be done by actively encouraging student to take the lead in bringing personal and contextual connections in writing, essentially following the constructivist approach. Furthermore, teacher can probe deeper questions following a Socratic dialogic method by going beyond simplistic questions, such as ‘what are your thoughts?’, instead focusing on the whole process of how the student has arrived at or engaged with the ‘thoughts.’ Explicit teacher instruction about personal engagement dimension can also encourage students to compare perspectives, self-reflect and reconcile conflict of point of views between students, across disciplines, or inside the self. In this way, by increasing the authenticity of assessments – by incorporating ideas, evidence, perspectives from contemporary or personal events or contexts – teachers can make it difficult (although perhaps not impossible) for students to ask an AI to write their assignments. |
| Racheal Aina – LSFMD | The effect of gamification and learning technologies on encouraging student engagement and information retention | Recapping and retrieval practice has been proven to help with long term learning and the recall of information (Pastötter and Bäuml, 2014), and can be used to improve student engagement. An example of a tool that aligns with this practice is Kahoot. An interactive game-based learning device which compliments other VLEs i.e. BlackBoard, to create a holistic learning environment that students can refer to, pre and post lectures. This form of learning technology can help to enhance student interaction and collaboration whilst reiterating learning outcomes. Kahoot can be used to recap sessions throughout the module to gauge the understanding and retention of content delivered. Recall testing has been shown to positively affect learning and memory (Pastötter and Bäuml, 2014) and student responses are typically positive towards such methods.Gamification generates a positive response with students as evidenced through feedback, and the competitive element creates a lively and engaging classroom environment that motivates learning, studying (Aleksic-Maslac et al.,2018), and offers students a richer experience in classrooms (Arthurs, 2007). The intention is to create camaraderie and discussions in the class whilst improving employability through the development of soft skills such as; research, collaboration, idea generation and encouraging students to work synergistically. Succi and Canovi, mention there is an increased emphasis on soft skills by employers over the last 5–10 years’ (2019) and the development of hard and soft skills is said to be more important than just a student’s degree (Clarke, 2018 and Andrews & Higson 2008).Interactive tools can help to reiterate key information for assessments and learning points. Indicating areas students may need further support and can lead to more effective and impactful learning outcomes. Students take an active role in their learning, initiating conversations, and grasping concepts easier, leading to better outcomes in formative and summative assessments. |
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Amelia Au-Yeung – CLBS Waqar Abbasi – CLBS |
CLBS Enterprise Expo: An Innovation to Authentic Assessment that Enhanced Student Engagement and Learner Success |
Authentic assessment has been widely used in CLBS. While UG students’ pass rate was very good, 2022 Education Review data suggest engagement, submission, continuation and progression rates could be enhanced. The new level 5 BABS suite curriculum is running for the first time in academic year 2022/23 with a new pedagogy that focusses on the integration of theories, skills and practice. This provided an impetus for innovation in our authentic assessment harnessing the new curriculum’s pedagogy to enhance students’ engagement and outcomes.
An innovative authentic assessment starting with the CLBS Enterprise Expo 2023 with 16 start-up companies’ presence was created for level 5 BABS students this semester. The assessment design incorporated tracking of students’ progress over time (Kearney, 2013; Wiggins, 1990), portfolio format (Mhlauli and Kgosidialwa, 2016), industry experts’ involvement (Jopp, 2019), service-learning (Nikolova and Andersen, 2017), game and play elements that create an unconscious obligation to fulfil a series of requirements and ‘flow’ that makes one being absorbed in the activities (Cialdini and Csikszentmihalyi in Wood, 2019), choices within assessment (Spinney and Kerr, 2023), all of which have been claimed to improve students’ engagement, effort to achieve, satisfaction and learning; and promotion of entrepreneurship as a career choice.
About 150 out of 167 L5 students attended the Expo. Students highly commended the experience describing the event ‘useful’, ‘insightful’ and a ‘great experience’. The first portfolio element was submitted. Submission rate was 88%. Marking is in progress but quality of work submitted seems very high. For the 102 students first-marked so far, the average mark is 71%.
This presentation outlines the full design of the aforementioned enhanced, innovative authentic assessment, analyses its effectiveness in engaging and incentivising students and enhancing their learning based on student feedback and module outcome, and discusses how each element/feature in the design helps achieve that.
References
Jopp, R. (2019) ‘A case study of a technology enhanced learning initiative that supports authentic assessment’, Teaching in Higher Education, (2019), pp. 1-17.
Kearney, S. (2013) ‘Improving engagement: The use of “Authentic self and peer assessment for learning” to enhance the student learning experience’, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 38 (7), pp. 875-891.
Mhlauli, M. B. and Kgosidialwa, K. (2016) ‘The use of a portfolio to enhance authentic assessment among in-service student-teachers’ in social studies education at the University of Botswana’, Journal of Education and Human Development, 5(3), pp. 84-96.
Nikolova, N. and Andersen, L. (2017) ‘Creating shared value through service-learning in management education’, Journal of Management Education, pp. 1-31.
Spinney, J. E. L. and Kerr, S. E. (2023) ‘Students’ perceptions of choice-based assessment: A case study’, Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 23(1), https://doi.org/10.14434/josotl.v23i1.31471.
Wiggins, G. (1990) ‘The case for authentic assessment practical assessment’, Research & Evaluation, 2(2), pp. 28-37.
Wood, R. (2019) Gamification Increase Interaction to do Business and Marketing, Simone Ercolani. Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 197–207. ISBN 9788835324409.
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| Phillip Beckles-Raymond – CLBS | Bio-economic public pedagogy: When Being Human IS the Assessment | This paper will introduce questions concerning the scope and focus of assessment as a tool in teaching and learning practice. It will suggest such practice within the university setting is mitigated by structures of social cognition (how society comes to ‘know’). This paper will advance the concept of public pedagogy to suggest that learning outside of students’ classroom encounter with formal curricula de-centres higher education institutions as the principal sites of teaching and learning. As a specific example,this paper will frame the domain of economics as transcending the boundaries of academic discipline. In so doing it will pose critical questions about the role that assessment plays in the wider process of social cognition. The paper will suggest that the assessment as a pedagogical tool is constructively aligned to an evaluation of ‘knowing’ what it means to be human. |
| Phillip Beckles-Raymond – CLBS | Assessment Fraud: Towards a Reflexive Ethics of Consideration and Strategies for Avoidance | Legal definitions of fraud and their economic implications for winners and losers can be usefully applied to thought experiments that relate to the integrity of assessment administration within the higher education context. In this workshop participants are invited to reflect on their teaching and learning practice and examples from other settings to explore ethical implications of presumably hidden compliance risks. The workshop will introduce ethical dilemmas within the frameworks of social cognition, intersectionality and standpoint epistemology, that stem from unexamined working within the parameters of pedagogical practice, where such compliance contravenes with the wellbeing of students. The case of assessing the learning development of students who enter the classroom as ‘knowers’ is introduced as the basis of an interactive forum. Participants will be asked to consider ways in which inferences about what has been learnt might trespass on already claimed territory of what was already known, such that the accounting for teaching becomes a double counting exercise of reappropriating students’ pre-existing knowledge. The activity will allow participants to reflect on their own practice and examples of case studies to consider how assessments can be critically and ethically (re-)designed to accommodate students’ prior knowing, whilst maintaining integrity in truly assessing what has changed through the delivery of the curriculum to which a given assessment is aligned. Using dialogue and feedback participants will explore novel ways of designing and administering assessments that avoid misrepresentation, lack of disclosure and abuse of position. Participants will benefit from reflexive insights into the teaching and learning process that support their ongoing efforts to ensure students receive the highest quality of education in settings that avoid loss or harm to parties involved. |
| Rachel Branham – CELT | Comics as Reflective Practice | “Comics are a sequential graphic form that includes visuals and text to tell a story. This format can also be used for authentic reflection and assessment of learning (AoL) that is creative, tactile, meaningful, and AI-proof! The inclusion of visuals in addition to written expression, deliberate sequencing of events, and continual revision throughout the creative process are just a few of the attributes of this versatile and adaptable format that can be applied to many educational settings, regardless of (perceived) artistic expertise. Citing literature in comics scholarship from Nick Sousanis (2015), Lynda Barry (2012, 2014), and others, this session aims to highlight benefits and applications of comics in higher education settings, for both students and tutors alike. Participants will engage in interactive drawing sessions in addition to receiving a zine (handmade magazine) containing key points. This session addresses all 2023 Festival themes: “Innovations in assessment” (authentic assessment, AI-proof assessment), “Assessment design for learner success” (assessment for and of learning), “Integrating digital tools” (overcoming barriers, personalised assessment), and “Assessment: learning communities, social justice, diversity and well-being” (student engagement in assessment, inclusive assessment, alternative assessment, self-assessment, peer-to-peer assessment).” |
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Moira Cachia – SHSS Siobhan Lynam – SHSS |
Student feedback on assessment design for learning success: Findings from a qualitative study | “ABSTRACT Both formative and summative assessments are an integral part of teaching and learning. University students have various opportunities to provide feedback on their experience of assessments, such as the Module Evaluation Surveys. However, the results are not always detailed enough to help teaching staff to effectively enhance student learning. A qualitative study utilising three focus groups for data collection was conducted with 23 students reading psychology undergraduate programmes at University of West London. It was found that both teaching and student factors affect student engagement with assessments, and both these factors were found to be mediated by the relationship between tutors and students. Teaching factors included the timing of assessments and relevance of tasks to employability (transferable skills), while student factors included partnership in assessment and feedback (student voice). This research provides a better understanding of the role that personal qualities and emotional factors have on learner engagement with assessments. Integrating ways to reduce assessment-related stress and fear, and to develop academic maturity, within the taught programme is recommended, in order to promote a more inclusive approach to learning.” |
| Antonio Castells-Delgado – LCM | Assessment in the ChatGPT era |
“Higher education institutions are facing significant changes in their approach to assessment. Traditional forms of assessment, always reliant on written work, are being challenged by new AI technologies such as ChatGPT that can produce this work instantly and without student participation. To adapt to this new ecosystem, I am reviewing both the format and content of my assessments. In terms of format, I am asking my students to accompany their written work with a time-limited video where they need to explain the content of their assessment. They cannot explain something they do not understand so, even if they decided to use AI technologies to generate their content, they need to engage with it, learn it and make sense of it to be able to explain it. At the same time, other essential transferable and soft skills are being asked of the student. In terms of content, I am asking my students something they would not be able to generate using AI, which is to reach out and interview a relevant personality in the particular field of the assessment, a person that can provide the knowledge they do not have in their particular chosen topic for the assessment. Again, invaluable skills are learned in the process, taking the student away from their insulated digital world and making them engage with people that might become their mentors or employers. In essence, I believe that it’s not important anymore to deliver content to students and assess them on it. The content they learn now will be obsolete by the time they finish their studies. Thus, I’m teaching my students instead to be lovers of learning instead and I’m assessing them in a way that they are forced to explore and practice the real skills they will need in this new world we are all entering.” |
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Laura Cole – SBMS Eleanor Lee – SBMS Kajal Chaudhary-SBMS |
Innovative authentic assessments for a global dementia workforce |
“With increasing numbers of people with dementia and their families needing support, dementia is a concern for health and social care services globally. Consequently, an informed, effective, and competent dementia workforce is required to enhance quality of life, promote excellence in care and create positive change. Advanced multi-disciplinary workers are looking for continued professional development in the area of dementia, to develop specialist knowledge and leadership skills; however limited higher educational institutes provide opportunities in a flexible and supportive learning environment. Academics from the Geller Institute of Ageing and Memory (GIAM) designed the new UWL Dementia Studies programme to be contemporary, innovative and flexible, reflecting the needs of students and employers. Authentic module assessments (Leedham, 2019) were designed to reflect activities and skills required, in the ‘real world’, by practitioners and professionals in dementia care. Examples of authentic assessments used on the course include writing a blog, designing an infographic, and presenting a ‘dragon’s den’ type pitch for an innovative approach to dementia. These assessments allow students to be creative and demonstrate a range of academic skills which also accommodates for diverse learning needs. Embedding assessment literacy and formative assessments in the modules allows students to understand the necessity to transfer knowledge and share learning to maximise impact; whilst also supporting students to achieve their true potential (Huertas Barros & Vine, 2019). This presentation will provide the perspectives and experiences of staff and students on the course, demonstrating the range of assessments used to achieve effective learning outcomes and student progression, and prepare students for future employment. Further development and future work will also be discussed to ensure module assessments remain contemporary and continue to promote the development of future leaders in dementia. REFERENCES Huertas Barros, E. & Vine, J. (2019) ‘Training the Trainers in Embedding Assessment Literacy into Module Design: A Case Study of a Collaborative Transcreation Project’, Interpreter and Translator Trainer, 13(3), pp. 271-291. Leedham, M. (2009) ‘From traditional essay to “Ready Steady Cook” presentation: reasons for innovative changes in assignments’, Active Learning in Higher Education, 10(3), pp. 191-206.” |
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Priyank Dakhani – SCE Fateme Dinmohammadi – SCE Hashiq Umer Umerthabi – SCE |
“Building Blocks for Student Achievement: Creating an Ideal Assignment Environment” |
“As a student, assignments are an integral part of our learning journey. They play a crucial role in assessing our understanding of the subject matter and preparing us for our future careers. An ideal assignment should not only be informative but also engaging and interactive. Let’s take a look at some of the key components that can make an assignment ideal for any student. “Today’s challenging economic situation means that it is no longer sufficient for a new graduate to have knowledge of an academic subject; increasingly it is necessary for students to gain those skills which will enhance their prospects of employment” (Fallows & Steven, 2000). In today’s world of competition employers are demanding graduates with excellent communication competence (Morgan, 1997; Alshare & Hindi 2004). Therefore, with effective communication and presentation skills, experience and knowledge, students will gain a competitive advantage over others in the job market. A physical presentation should be there as one of the submission format. Live presentations can help students to overcome their fear of public speaking and boost their confidence. It also prepares them for future career requirements where they will be required to present their work to clients or colleagues. Additionally, giving students the option to choose this submission format can enhance their motivation and creativity. As Group work appears to offer teachers an effective way to engage students, to increase the complexity and challenge of the tasks that students gain experience of working on, to offer students the opportunity for collaborative working, and to offer the possibility of reduced marking loads (Gibbs 2009). We have a new idea to propose live group assessments for student assignments. This concept aims to encourage critical and quick thinking among students. By conducting assignments in the live classroom setting, with pre-assigned groups, students can enhance their teamwork and collaboration skills, leading to the development of innovative ideas and solutions. To ensure fairness, we suggest assigning a relatively low weightage of around 20% to these live classroom group assessments. This percentage takes into consideration that some students may not be familiar with this approach, thus preventing any compromise in the marks of other group members if certain students require more time to think. It is important to note that this activity is not just a random classroom exercise; it holds academic significance and can impact students’ overall scores. Breaking down the assignment into different components can ensure students are actively engaged throughout the assessment. By providing checkpoints at regular intervals, students will pay more attention to the assessment and be more invested in the learning process. For an example there is one assignment to present, the tutor should break it down in 3 components. 1st component should be submitted in 10 days, after evaluation and submission, tutor will give a small and a very brief feedback to the students, and then 2nd & 3rd components will follow as the same. It has numerous benefits for students , it benefits students with Clearer Understanding of what they are doing in the assignment, it Enhances student’s Time Management skills, Reduces Procrastination, Effective Feedback and Revision and students come up with Higher Quality Outputs. Another key component to consider is the timing of the assignment. Assignments should be well-timed, and deadlines should be set realistically. By providing adequate time for students to complete the assessment, we ensure that they can produce their best work, without being under unnecessary stress. Furthermore, an ideal assignment should provide different scenarios to different groups or students. By presenting various scenarios, students can develop independent thinking and come up with different ideas for different topics. It also provides them with a diverse range of skills, which they can apply in different contexts. Lastly, an ideal assignment should be challenging, but also achievable. By challenging students, it should help them to think outside the box and develop their critical thinking skills. However, it must be ensured that tutors equip students with all the necessary knowledge to succeed in the assessment. This will not only prepare them for their future careers but also instil in them a sense of confidence and self-belief. In conclusion, an ideal assignment should incorporate physical presentation, live group assessment, component-based assignments, considerate timing, different scenarios, regular evaluations, and challenging yet achievable tasks. By implementing these components, we can create an effective and engaging learning environment for all the students. References: Alshare, K. & Hindi, N.M. (2004). The Importance of Presentation Skills in the Classroom: Students and Instructors Perspectives. Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges, 19 (4), 6-15. Fallows, S. & Steven, C. (2000). Building Employability Skills into the Higher Education Curriculum: A University-wide Initiative. Education & Training, 42(2), 75-83. Gibbs, G. (2009). The assessment of group work: lessons from the literature, Assessment Standards Knowledge exchange, Brooks University, UK. Morgan, G. J. (1997). Communication Skills Required by Accounting Graduates: Practitioner and Academic Perceptions. Accounting Education, 6(2), 93-107.” |
| Dr. Janice Fernandes – Library Services | Assessing the impact of personalised library instruction: A case study of LCM | It is a well-known fact that libraries are firmly entrenched in the fabric of Higher Education. Subject librarianship is embedded throughout the students’ academic journey through a series of individual and group library instruction sessions. However, the relationship between personalised library instruction and student achievement although profound and ongoing has been difficult to measure. This assessment sits within the context of problem-based assessment and yet it is difficult to map it to student achievement an outcome. This paper will seek to find ways to evidence the impact of problem-based assessment through the personalised sessions that this subject librarian had with LCM students. It will endeavour to put forward the challenges and suggest measures to document this impact within a framework of lifelong learning. Standing on the pillars of Information Literacy and Lifelong Learning, subject librarians are seeing a shift in their skill sets in a knowledge driven economy. It is envisaged that this paper will help subject librarians in the Higher Education sector to design and develop innovative techniques as they share best practices and grow together. |
| Colin Fu – CLBS | Designing AI-Driven Assessments to Enhance Critical Thinking Skills – A Step-by-Step Guide |
Since the launch of ChatGPT, reactions have varied widely across different sectors. Some view it as revolutionary (Hern, 2022; Lock, 2022; Piper, 2022; Roose, 2022, etc.), while others see it as a harbinger of doom (Krugman, 2022; Pipa News, 2022; Cowen, 2022, etc.). Educators, in particular, fear that AI tools like ChatGPT might erode education standards and hinder students’ learning capabilities (Christodoulou, 2023; Clarence-Smith, 2022; Hern, 2022). Despite these valid apprehensions, merely banning ChatGPT will prove futile, as numerous organizations compete to develop their own versions, such as Google’s Bard, Baidu’s Ernie Bot, SnapChat’s MyAI, Microsoft’s NewBing, BloombergGPT by Bloomberg and more. A more pertinent question should be: how can we equip our graduates with the necessary skills and adaptability to thrive in a rapidly evolving AI landscape? This paper investigates methodologies for developing AI-based assessments for and of learning, employing existing CLBS L4 modules as a case study. A cutting-edge thinking and learning framework was conceived, rendering traditional approaches like Bloom’s Taxonomy ineffective in the context of AI advancements. Beginning with the modules’ learning outcomes, an iterative process was adopted to formulate assessment tasks with improved cognitive, practical, and interpersonal skills. These tasks employ scaffolding to incrementally challenge students, encouraging them to critically tackle complex problems, collaborate with AI systems, and maintain agility while using human judgment and interventions to scrutinize various outputs. The newly created assignments are able to foster cognitive growth and understanding of AI ethics. Implementing this innovative learning and thinking framework in assessment strategies that integrate AI enriches the educational experience for graduates. It fosters critical thinking and problem-solving skills necessary for AI collaboration. Furthermore, it equips students for job market transformations and enhances their economic competitiveness. As we stand at a pivotal juncture in human history, failure to prepare will render our graduates irrelevant amid rapidly advancing technology and global challenges. References: Christodoulou, D. (2023). ChatGPT: Why AI should be banned from assessment and regulated. [online]. https://schoolsweek.co.uk/chatgpt-why-ai-should-be-banned-from-assessment-and-regulated/ [Accessed: 28 Jan 2023] Clarence-Smith, L. (2022). Schools could get official chatbot guidance to stop pupils cheating.[online] https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/12/30/schools-could-get-official-chatbot-guidance-stop-pupils-cheating/ [Accessed: 25 Jan 2023] Cowen, T., (2022). ChatGPT Could Make Democracy Even More Messy. Bloomberg News. 6 Dec. Hern, A. (2022). AI bot ChatGPT stuns academics with essay-writing skills and usability. The Guardian. 5 Dec. Krugman, P., (2022). Does ChatGPT Mean Robots Are Coming For the Skilled Jobs?. The New York Times. 6 Dec. Lock, S., (2022). What is AI chatbot phenomenon ChatGPT and could it replace humans?. The Guardian. 5 Dec. Pipa News (2022). ChatGPT a landmark event for AI, but what does it mean for the future of human labor and disinformation? [online]. https://pipanews.com/chatgpt-a-landmark-event-for-ai-but-what-does-it-mean-for-the-future-of-human-labor-and-disinformation-pipa-news/ [Accessed: 25 Jan 2023] Piper, K., (2022). ChatGPT has given everyone a glimpse at AI’s astounding progress. Vox. 18 Dec. Roose, K., (2022). The Brilliance and Weirdness of ChatGPT. The New York Times. 18 Dec. |
| Janet Goddard – CNMH | Rainbow Assessment Tool for Course Design | When designing courses, there is predisposition to engage written coursework as the mode of assessment. To hierarchise it as the primary choice for evaluating students’ learning and development (Bryan and Clegg, 2019), limits the lecturers and disadvantages many students from diverse backgrounds. Nortvedt et al (2020) propose assessments are not value-free, nor do they demonstrate cultural awareness, in that, a student’s way of knowing might not be accommodated in this narrow approach (Hong-Meng Tai et al, 2022). There are a range of other effective, more diverse, inclusive, and authentic, means of evaluating a student’s work, which opens the door to dialogic engagement and encompasses other subject-specific competencies (Han, Colarelli, and Weed, 2019). Effective assessment requires more creativity in assessment design and planning. Assessment repetition can be uninspiring for the students (Ellis et al, 2020) and so to assist and simplify this process, a colour has been added to each assessment choice to create an assessment rainbow ‘tool’. The tool can assist in delivering clarity of options and show the range to assist in course design. Those involved in designing and developing a course can consider the assessments in each module and create an overarching visual guide of whether a diverse and varied diet of assessments is offered on the course (Hong-Meng Tai et al, 2022; Han, Colarelli, and Weed, 2019). If the rainbow is limited in colour, then it can be seen the assessment diet is weighted in favour of one or two options. Any adjustment can then be applied strategically to create a more balanced diet which will be evidenced visually with a broader range of colours. The tool may be manipulated to make it course specific, so for example, for some courses, a category might be added or amended to include placements but, overall, this simple visual tool allows for an immediate visual understanding of the diet of assessments (QAA, 2021) in any course design. Essay Oral Assessment Poster Practical Assessment Dissertation Synoptic Assessment Patchwork Assessment Podcast *Sample assessment rainbow References Bryan, C. and Clegg, K. (2019) Innovative Assessment in Higher Education. 2nd edn. Taylor and Francis. Janet Goddard and Deborah Taylor Page 2 of 2 Ellis, C., van Haeringen, K., Harper, R., Bretag, T. Zucker, I., McBride, S., Rozenberg, P., Newton, P., and Saddiqui, S. (2020). Does authentic assessment assure academic integrity? Evidence from contract cheating data. Higher Education Research & Development. V. 39:3. pp 454-469, DOI: 10.1080/07294360.2019.1680956 Han, K., Colarelli, S. M., & Weed, N. C. (2019). Methodological and statistical advances in the consideration of cultural diversity in assessment: A critical review of group classification and measurement invariance testing. Psychological Assessment, 31(12), 1481–1496. https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0000731 Hong-Meng Tai, J., Dollinger, M., Ajjawi, R., Jorre de St Jorre, T., Krattli, S., McCarthy, D., & Prezioso, D. (2022) Designing assessment for inclusion: an exploration of diverse students’ assessment experiences. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education. pp 1 – 15. DOI: 10.1080/02602938.2022.2082373 Nortvedt, G.A., Wiese, E., Brown, M., Burns, D., McNamara, G., O’Hara, J., Herbert, A., Fellner, M., Herzog-Punzenberger, B., Nayir, F., and Taneri, P.O. (2020) Aiding a Culturally Responsive Assessment in Schools in a Globalising World. Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability. Vo.32. pp 5-27. QAA (2021) Higher Education Toolkit. Part 12: Assessment. Workshop 3.2 Workshop (30 mins) The workshop will support an immediate visual understanding of the assessment diet in any course and will meet two of the criteria for the conference. 2. Assessment Design for Learner Success 2e. Assessment Mapping 4. Assessment: Learning Communities, Social Justice, Diversity, and Well-being. 4.c. Inclusive Assessment Methods Tools Paper, scissors, colouring tools (pens/pencils), Tables set out so participants can work together. Slides will be shown on day for clarity. Aim of Workshop To engage participants in an initial consideration of the assessment diet on their course and, in practice, it can be engaged with by all of the team involved in course design to develop their assessments to be more diverse and inclusive. |
| Faithfull Gonzo – LGCHT | Is ChatGPT influencing the types of assessment in Higher Educational Institutions? |
Is ChatGPT influencing the types of assessment in Higher Educational Institutions?
Abstract
A Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer (ChatGPT) was developed in 2022 by OpenAI. It is a chatbot which utilises an advanced natural language processing system to respond to questions and engage in conversations with users. The Artificial Intelligence (AI) has received over 1.6 billion visits since its inception and this triggered various debates in higher education. Its impact on academic integrity and student assessment being at the core of the discussions. However, the potential of ChatGPT to revolutionise teaching strategies and assessments designs provided academics with an opportunity to rethink their assessment practices. Despite this fundamental debate, limited research has been conducted to explore the impact of ChatGPT on assessments. The research utilises a descriptive research design to examine the impact of ChatGPT on assessment strategies. A survey instrument will be distributed to lecturers delivering modules in Tourism, Hospitality, and Events at London Geller College. Hence this paper explores whether higher education academics have altered their teaching strategies and determine whether this has influenced educators to develop innovative and inclusive assessments that accommodate the emergency of AI. Ultimately, it will provide recommendations on how higher education institutions and academics could respond to ChatGPT and other similar chatbots in relation to assessment, student engagement and employability.
Key words
Higher Education, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Assessments, ChatGPT, Chatbot
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| James Goodman – LGCHT | Measuring Learner Success and Higher-Order Thinking Skills in the Age of AI | “This workshop explores how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can transform how we evaluate student success and higher-order thinking skills in higher education. While AI has the potential to revolutionise assessment, it also presents challenges related to fairness, reliability, and validity. How can we be sure that written submissions were written by the student rather than by using Artificial Intelligence tools? To address these challenges, educators must implement effective assessment strategies incorporating formative and summative assessments, measuring non-cognitive factors, and adopting adaptive assessments. It’s also important to consider ethical considerations when using AI in assessments to ensure fairness, prevent bias, and respect student privacy. This workshop will present and discuss different examples and approaches. The workshop’s outcome is to generate discussion and debate and leave participants with food for thought. Accompanying this workshop is a discussion paper which provides academic research and literature and addresses employability. “ |
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Behnam Jafari Salim – CNMH Neus Carlos Martinez – CNMH Charlotte Bramanis – CNMH |
Implementation of Virtual Reality as a learning and assessment tool within UWL FLEX | ” This presentation explores the integration of Virtual Reality (VR) into each stage of the UWL flex pedagogy model as a teaching tool as well as an alternative method of assessment for the Pre-reg nursing curriculum. The application of theoretical knowledge in clinical practise is the ultimate objective of nursing education (Shin et al., 2015). However, current health care challenges and NHS staffing levels are impacting on placement providers and student’s learning opportunities. Clinical practice time has been highly affected, which has created a need to transform and adapt current provisions. As a result, the NMC recovery standards (2023) as well as the HEE national strategic vision for simulation and immersive technologies (2020) recommends use of evolving technologies including VR not only for improving patient safety but also delivering a modern workforce. In recognition of this, The College of Nursing Midwifery and Healthcare has implemented the use of virtual reality simulation technology into the nursing curriculum as a synchronous and asynchronous learning approach as well as an innovative assessment methodology. This scenario-based simulation provision provides an immersive, realistic experience that can help students develop skills and gain confidence in a safe, controlled environment within all three stages of UWL FLEX pedagogy model. It also offers the potential to support and enhance clinical reasoning, decision-making as well as critical thinking (Jans, C. et al, 2023). This presentation also explores how data and analytics generated by this tool provides important insight about each student’s interaction, learning development and achievements. It also helps identifying learners who are struggling or disengaged and providing them with additional support or resources. Finally, it concludes with potential challenges associated with integrating VR as well as best practices to improve student experience and engagement. “ |
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Jayanti Jayanti – LCGHT Veejay Mistry – Careers |
“The workshop fits very much with the theme of the festival as it includes the authentic assessment design as well as integrating Virtual Field Trip(VFT) technology in the curriculum and the assessment. Students learning in the class, how they are taught and what assessments do they produce at the end plays a crucial role in their effective career planning and progression. The aims of the workshop is: To design and embed authentic assessments to enable our students to achieve a graduate level role and be able to demonstrate their commercial and academic knowledge. To enable university students to develop the employability knowledge, skills and behaviours to fit their chosen career and build their world of work views. Thus increasing their chances for a graduate role in the hospitality sector. The activities that will be included in the workshop will require the participants to reflect at their curriculum, module design, authentic assessment, how they are bringing careers into the curriculum. Connecting careers education to authentic assessments aligned to the world of work, thus enhancing the attributes and skills required by the industry. Group activity to envisage their understanding of authentic assessment and how that connects to the curriculum and the employability. Interactive tool like Poll Everywhere as well as post-it sticky notes, flipcharts will be used during the workshop to present the findings. The take away from the workshop will be to recommend top ten skills at the end of the MSG and ask students to evidence how they have acquired these skills from the specific module. Gauging the understanding of the participants regarding the top ten transferrable skills employers are looking for, how they are acquired through authentic assessments. The workshop will introduce the career planning S.O.D.T model to the participants with guidance on practical elements the students can acquire to get them career ready. Thus enabling them to apply their academic research skills to find a suitable graduate role. “ |
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Chiedza Kudita – CNMH Dorothy Kupara-CNMH |
Unpicking the Assessment! | “Aim: The purpose of this presentation is to present a case study on the use of alternative assessment methods for a student named Jane (pseudonym NMC 2018) with specific learning difficulties. Approach: Nurse education has witnessed an increase in the number of nursing students with specific learning difficulties (L’Ecuyer, 2019). In our learning teaching and assessment approaches we need to reflect the diversity in student support that is needed. Traditionally the curricula are linear, and favours set strategies for assessing all nursing students. Traditional methods of assessment are not always effective in linking actual results and performance for students with specific learning needs. This group of students often require different and innovative approaches to assessment. Lazarus and Rieke (2013) propose for evaluating the progress of different student populations, with their specific learning difficulties in consideration. Jane failed her dissertation multiple times and had appealed the final attempt. Upon assessment of Jane’s learning needs it was noted that Upon assessment, she was able to verbally articulate her chosen dissertation topic. She was referred to the Wellbeing Team and was assessed to be an auditory and kinetic learner. A VIVA voce was appropriate for her. Outcomes: Having to adopt a VIVA Voce to assess Jane, she was more articulate and had a fair opportunity to successfully complete her course and register as a learning disabilities nurse. Conclusion: The benefits of adopting our approach to assessment included: enhanced inclusion and approach to student assessment (Beck, 2022), and Jane was able to achieve a pass on her dissertation. Despite some positive feedback, adopting the way we assess students is not always considered in the first instance for student with specific learning needs.References Beck, S. (2022) Evaluating the use of reasonable adjustment plans for students with a specific learning difficulty. British Journal of Special education, 49(3). p.399-419 L’ecuyer, K. (2019) Clinical education of nursing students with learning difficulties: An integrative review (part 1). Nurse Education in Practice, 34. p.173-184 Lazarus, S., and Rieke, R. (2013) Providing Leadership to Meet the Needs of ELLs with disabilities. Journal of Special Education Leadership 26(1). p.25-30″ |
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Maureen Mguni – CNMH Arlene Weekes – CNMH |
Utilising group dynamics to provide learning opportunities for social work students | Abstract “In both teaching institutions and the workplace, group working is proven to be an effective and powerful way to learn. Many organisations stress the importance of team working skills, especially in environments where the ability to collaborate with others is crucial, such as working in multidisciplinary teams. No less so than in the field of social work. However, while the practice of social work is fundamentally relational, most students shy away from working with others, despite believing themselves to be naturally accepting and open-minded. The fact, however, tell a different story: everyone is influenced by personal and professional values and beliefs, shaped by their individual background (Weekes 2021). Values and beliefs can, and almost always do, lead to an individualistic, and often discriminatory, form of professional practice that, in turn, leads to blame and burnout, often due to managing service-users in isolation, due to caseload pressure. Social work needs to move away from such individualistic forms of practice. This article describes how the authors, both with varying social work experience, applied experiences from practice to develop social work students’ understanding of the reality of practice, to enhance their skills using paired and group activities. Their experiences are combined with the work of pioneering thinkers such as Piaget, who argued that behaviours are contingent upon individual interpretation, as well as intergroup contact theory, as described by Allport (1954) and Pettigrew (1969). These theories are complemented by key experimental research that compared the behaviours of different student cohorts which were encouraged to integrate with different students on an individual and group level. While many in the marginalised groups continued to experience discrimination and prejudice, those in the majority group benefited from learning about groups they did not belong to, and students were generally found to have deepened their awareness of self, and to have developed a knowledge of ‘other’. The article also presents evidence from action research that shows how group work can provide a platform from which students can help each other, and act as a basis for integrated, cooperative group action for common ends – namely, constructing knowledge through students’ experiences, can contribute to today’s social work teaching framework.Given the recognition by many of the legacy of colonialism, and the prevalence of gender differences and intolerance of ‘others’ rather than acceptance, social work education must re-examine how a profession built around the core principles of empowerment and enablement can move beyond the assumption that students have an in-built ability to be non-discriminatory. It must work towards helping students to understand, and actively implement, anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory social work practices. To do so, lecturers need to move past their own fear of losing control of the class and develop confidence in addressing issues of intersectionality, positionality, equality and diversity to empowering students to feel confident enough to explore such issues as they arise in the classroom.” |
| Misrah Mohamed – CELT | Improving first submission rates using student workload specification | Student workload was found to be a significant predictor of assignment completion rates (Kovanović et al. 2017). Students who are overwhelmed with work tend to delay starting their assignments, leading to lower submission rates (Smit et al. 2019). Additionally, excessive workload can result in stress and burnout, which will ultimately impact the first submission rates among students (Liang 2019). To ensure that students have manageable workloads, it is important for lecturers to consider the students’ learning time when designing assessments and planning instruction. While many lecturers indicated that they did consider the students’ learning time, some of them did not realise that the workloads they assigned to students were indeed too much. Thus, a student workload specification was developed to guide them in planning the module delivery. A study was carried out to investigate the effectiveness of the specification which was created based on the time students spend inside (teaching contact hours) and outside the classroom (guided and independent study hours). The study was carried out on a module with 100 postgraduate students for 12 weeks. The findings revealed that all students agreed that they were provided with appropriate workloads throughout the semester. All students also managed to submit all assignments in time. The student workload specification has become a practical tool to guide the lecturer in planning their module delivery and ensuring that students have manageable workloads. Further research in exploring the applicability of the student workload specification across different disciplines and student populations would benefit all relevant stakeholders. |
| Mthoko Ngobese – CNMH | The Cape – Narratives of Widening Participation in social work HE Recruitment | The cape is an outfit of choice for superheroes. One of the pictures we used in the interviews for social work depicted some children wearing capes. In the course of interviews, it became apparent that many candidates from Afro Caribbean backgrounds of a certain age were unable to name the cape as there is no cultural reference for it. My workshop presentation is the discussion of widening participation and how we are aware of widening participation in the recruitment process and ensuring that we can be fully inclusive in the recruitment process. |
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Samuel Ratzer – Study Support Jessica Dineen– Study Support Katherine Smythe-Study Support |
Applying principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to support neurodivergent students through independent research projects. |
“Independent research projects (e.g dissertations and final major projects) offer students a chance to consolidate their subject level knowledge and develop skills transferable to future employment. However, many neurodivergent students in spite of having tendencies towards creative thinking and problem solving, will find such projects challenging due to executive dysfunction (issues with organisation and regulation) (Champ et al., 2022; Sedgwick et al., 2022). This affects the gathering, structuring and filtering of information as well as the planning and decision-making needed to manage such projects. Furthermore, neurodivergent students experience, lower levels of self-esteem which affects motivation especially when tasks requires more cognitive effort than they feel achievable (Attoe and Climie, 2023; Champ et al., 2022). It is therefore important that students are supported accordingly and that research methods and project modules are designed to allow neurodivergent students, with or without a diagnosis, the chance to build confidence in their own research and project management skills Integrating insights from research and informed by lived experience, this workshop will explore how the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) (CAST, 2018) can be applied to the design and delivery research methods and project modules as well as supplementary supervisor support. With a specific focus on the “”internalise”” guidelines that explore self-regulation, comprehension and executive function, participants will be invited to share their current understandings of UDL and challenge their assumptions in groups to identify ways in which all students could benefit from a focus on these principles. Support based on UDL principles fosters conditions for maximizing learning opportunities and reducing barriers, especially important for those who have missed/ late diagnosis, chosen not to disclose and those ineligible for additional Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) funding. Furthermore, through facilitated group discussions, participants will reflect on their current practices, awareness of neurodivergence and UDL. Participants at the end of the session, will be invited to share adjustments they intend to make in the delivery of support they will provide those undertaking research projects. References: Attoe, D.E and Climie, E.A (2023) ‘Miss. Diagnosis: A Systematic Review of ADHD in Adult Women’, Journal of Attention Disorders, Advance of online publication. CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. Available at: http://udlguidelines.cast.org (Accessed:14/04/2023). Champ, R. E., Adamou, M., & Tolchard, B. (2022) ‘Seeking connection, autonomy, and emotional feedback: A self-determination theory of self-regulation in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder’, Psychological Review, Advance of online publication. Sedgwick Müller, J. A., Müller Sedgwick, U., Adamou, M., Catani, M., Champ, R., Gudjónsson, G., Hank, D., Pitts, M., Young, S., & Asherson, P. (2022) ‘University students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): A consensus statement from the UK Adult ADHD Network (UKAAN)’, BMC Psychiatry, 22(292), pp. 1-27. “ |
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Hannah Sam – CLBS Dalvony Savic – CLBS |
International Students: Guided Empowerment Practice in Assessment and Feedback |
“In the last decade, there has been increasing awareness of inclusive teaching and learning practices for students in higher education in the United Kingdom. The systematic diversity in United Kingdom (UK) higher education is associated with the inflow of international students seeking qualifications from the global south. The attractiveness of UK higher education in terms of opportunities and intentional access to experts. However, international students are challenged in different aspects. The challenges of language and students from different education cultures have been some critical indicators outlined by international students. These challenges have led to the concept of international students feeling deficient or not good enough for the standards of UK education. Tremendous efforts have been made in terms of inclusivity within the general environment of the universities. Nevertheless, the classroom experience significantly impacts international student experience and building their self-worth, which can lead to high engagement and performance. To develop good practices and to ensure that international students’ inclusivity goes beyond their presence in the teaching room, this research proposed a method of guided empowerment practice in assessment and feedback for international students within the International Business Management (MIBM) course at the Claude Littner Business School. The research uses primary data gathered through informal guided empowerment sessions. The three weeks sessions allowed students to identify areas of the assessments across the course for which they have approved strength to achieve on their own and areas that they will need guided empowerment to complete. A validating process of their approved strength was noted, and activities were set to measure their understanding. The challenges were discussed through 1:1 sessions and collaborative skills feedback sessions. Data on satisfaction and readiness for the assessment, time of submission, expected mark and other demographic characteristics were gathered after the three weeks of guided empowerment sessions. The results indicate that guided empowerment positively impacts the inclusivity of international students within higher education. This research contributes to the inclusivity and sustainable practices in higher education in assessment and feedback practice.” |
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Peter Sandy – CNMH Nicki Moone – CNMH |
Enhancing mental health student nurses’ learning and clinical practice: a measured-step group-based assessment strategy. |
“Background: Learning in clinical practice is an important aspect of pre-registration nursing programmes. It equips student nurses with the attitudes, skills and knowledge required for quality care provision. Newly registered mental nurses do not always have an adequate amount of these attributes. This is in part attributable to inconsistencies in clinical assessments and types of assessment strategies used. Patients in contact with this category of nurses would be at risk of receiving poor care. Student nurses are the future workforce in mental health settings. Yet, research concerning approaches to improving clinical assessments of student nurses is limited. Aim: To evaluate the effect of the measured-step group-based assessment strategy on student nurses’ learning and the application of their learning in practice. Measured-step group-based assessment strategy: This is a two-phase assessment strategy. Phase 1: The assessors explain the theoretical basis of the clinical skill to be learnt to the student nurses. Phase 2: The clinical skill is divided into sub-sections in a hierarchical order. Whilst being assessed, the student nurses are then encouraged to practise the skills to a specific level of proficiency. Design: The study utilised a phenomenographic design and was conducted in a mental health Trust in England. Participants: 15 student nurses and 10 mentors participated in the study. Methods: Data was collected using individual interviews guided by an interview schedule. Data was analysed thematically using a template analysis approach to analysis (Brooks et al. 2015). Findings: Five major thematic categories emerged from data analysis: Think small, focused assessment, opportunity to practice, immediacy of feedback, and safe environment. Conclusions: The measured-step group-based assessment strategy ensures a focused assessment and promotes learning in practice. Keywords: clinical assessment, mental health student nurses, phenomenography, template analysis” |
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Peter Sandy – CNMH Alicia Powell – CNMH |
A preliminary evaluation of the Peer Enhanced E-placement (PEEP) on pre-registration mental health nursing students. |
“Background: The numbers of pre-registration students in the universities in London are on the increase. This is particularly the case in the field of mental health, resulting in increased pressure on placement capacity across London. This change requires an innovative way of teaching and assessing mental nursing students to continue with their studies, relieve pressure on practice services and enhance learning. Hence, the introduction of PEEP. PEEP: This is an online placement model, which enables students to learn and achieve their practice proficiencies and enables them to be ‘ready’ for practice (Taylor, 2020). It is guided by a structured, integrated, blended and flexible assessment strategy for determining students’ readiness for clinical practice. Aim: Design: A post-test-only experimental design. Participants: 34 student nurses. Methods: Quantitative data was collected using a questionnaire. Qualitative data was collected using focus groups. The interviews were guided by an interview schedule. Qualitative data was analysed thematically using interpretative phenomenological analysis (Smith, Flowers and Larkin, 2009). Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics. Findings: Three thematic categories emerged from data analysis: length of PEEP, portfolio and satisfaction. These themes helped to explain the quantitative findings in relation to student assessment. The quantitative findings are presented as bar graphs and histograms. Conclusions: The PEEP programme prepares mental health nursing students for clinical practice as it equips them with mental health specific skills. Keywords: clinical assessment, mental health student nurses, PEEP” |
| Neda Sattarzadeh – LGCHT | Enhancing Research Methods Instruction with Active Learning and Poll Everywhere Software |
“This study explores the use of Poll Everywhere software as a tool to improve student learning in Applied Research Methods, a module taught at level 5 in the LGCHT school. Collaborating with CELT, the instructor introduced active learning strategies using Poll Everywhere, such as asking students to give examples, provide definitions, and report their understanding. This study draws on current research on formative assessment and active learning to inform the design of teaching strategies that promote student engagement and assessment. The use of Poll Everywhere for formative assessment is consistent with the principles of assessment for learning (AFL) (Boud & Molloy, 2013; Black & Wiliam, 2018). Poll Everywhere’s instant feedback feature supports AFL by allowing students to receive immediate feedback on their learning progress, encouraging reflection and self-regulation (Warnich and Gordon, 2015; Nicol & Macfarlane-Dick, 2006). Poll Everywhere’s ability to provide real-time feedback promotes engagement and motivation, which aligns with the current research on active learning that emphasises the importance of interactive and participatory teaching strategies (Freeman et al., 2014; Prince, 2004). By using Poll Everywhere to assess student knowledge and understanding, the instructor was able to provide targeted support and feedback, which led to improved student learning outcomes. Overall, this study supports the effectiveness of Poll Everywhere as a tool for active learning in research methods instruction. References: Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (2018). Classroom assessment and pedagogy. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 25(6), 551-575. Freeman, S., Eddy, S. L., McDonough, M., Smith, M. K., Okoroafor, N., Jordt, H., & Wenderoth, M. P. (2014). Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(23), 8410-8415. Nicol, D. J., & 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), 199-218. Prince, M. (2004). Does active learning work? A review of the research. Journal of Engineering Education, 93(3), 223-231. Warnich, P. and Gordon, C., 2015. The integration of cell phone technology and poll everywhere as teaching and learning tools into the school History classroom. Yesterday and Today, (13), pp.40-66.” |
| Sharon Vince – SHSS | Co-constructing the cover sheet: can student collaboration in creating an assessment checklist support assessment literacy? | “Checklists are an increasingly popular method of ensuring that essential components of tasks have been completed (Gawande, 2011). Having long been used in medical practice and education (Gawande, 2011), checklists have also been shown to be effective for use with research students, ensuring that all relevant aspects of research have been considered (eg Wilson & Onwuegbuzie, 1999; Protogerou & Hagger, 2020), and with academics prior to submission of a manuscript (Cho et al, 2015; Falcon Crack et al, 2023). The University of West London created the Fit to Submit checklist, to be completed prior to the submission of coursework, yet a project conducted in the Claude Littner Business School suggested that attaching marks for a module to the completion of the checklist widened rather than narrowed the attainment gap (Byrne, 2017). This resonated with my own experience as, despite formulating assessment specific checklists, they were underused by students. I considered how students could become more involved to increase 1) the use of checklists and 2) student’s assessment literacy. A cohort of Level 6 Education Studies and Early Years Education students were asked to construct a checklist for an assessment. Performing a gap analysis of the checklist created by students, and the marking criteria for the assessment, allowed for teaching that focused upon the areas neglected by the students, bringing these aspects to their attention. This activity is theorised as active learning (Bonwell & Eison, 1991), taking a constructivist approach to learning in which students build upon prior knowledge (in this case, prior knowledge of assessment requirements) (Bransford et al, 1999). The positive impact that this activity had upon student engagement in assessment and their understanding of assessment requirements, along with the effect on assessment marks, is discussed.” |
| Malte Ressin – SCE | Reflections on Test-Driven Marking for Programming Assessments | “””Code submitted for programming assessments can exhibit complex behaviour too difficult to predict by inspection alone. Since computer code is meant to be interpreted and executed by machines, it stands to reason to evaluate submissions by actually running the code. However, as manual process, this is a work-intensive and error-prone. To alleviate this, it was attempted to automate running and testing of code submissions by comparing actual code output to expected results for sets of pre-formulated input parameters, a concept known as unit testing in software development. This presentation looks back at three years of effort automating part of the marking process. While experience shows student acceptance and an increase in submission quality. However, a certain amount of additional support is required. Further, automated code testing requires significantly more assessment preparation and is a complex programming problem in its own right. Following reflection, future efforts using existing web-based solutions will be discussed.””” |
