Encouraging reflection and creativity in assessment and feedback practice

Fiona Doherty, Catherine O’DonnellTechnology Facilitated Learning, University of Ulster

Assessment for Learning - 9th March 2010

Session Outline (45 mins)

1. Introduce session (2 mins)

2. Assessment and feedback (A&F) group activities (40 mins)

1) Select cards (5 mins)

2) Select ideas (10 mins)

3) Tailor a solution (15 mins)

4) Feed back to the group (10 mins)

1. Questions (3 mins)

Viewpoints Overview

Viewpoints is a JISC-funded curriculum design project.

Its remit is to create a series of user-friendly reflective tools (in workshop and online format) to promote and enhance effective curriculum design.

The tools will help staff consider areas such as:- assessment and feedback, information skills, student interactions, teaching & learning and options & pathways.

The A&F Workshop

An activity-based workshop that aims to encourage reflection and creativity in assessment and feedback practice, considering the learner perspective.

It uses large laminated worksheets (with a student timeline) and best practice assessment and feedback cards as prompts.

Participants work together in groups to plan how to address their assessment and feedback objective(s).

Participants produce visual output.

Activity Introduction

You have been assigned to a team to design an A&F strategy for a Master’s level dissertation project module. As a group, you are going to plan a possible A&F strategy for teaching this module.

As a group, chose one or more of the following objectives to focus on when planning your A&F strategy:

1. Improve dissertation standards2. Improve student engagement3. Improve feedback methods4. Introduce effective peer-feedback5. Make effective use of collaborative learning

Activity 1 – Select Cards (5 mins)

Write your chosen group focus on the worksheet. Chose relevant A&F cards that might address this

and place them on the timeline, where relevant, considering the student perspective.

Activity 2 – Select Ideas (15 mins)

Turn over the most important card(s) and as a group discuss and tick any ideas that might help address your group focus.

Activity 3 - Tailoring a solution (10 mins)

Discuss how your selected ideas could be used in practice to address your group focus.

As a group make notes on the worksheet using post-its or markers.

Activity 4 – Group feedback (10 mins)

One member from each group briefly feed back your progress.

Share the key featuresof your group output.

(Approx 1 min each)

Any Questions?

Further information

Project blog: http://viewpoints.ulster.ac.uk

Catherine O’Donnell Academic E-Learning Consultantc.odonnell@ulster.ac.uk

Fiona Doherty Instructional Technologistfp.doherty@ulster.ac.uk