Inclusive Assessment External Examiners Conference 2015

1. Inclusive Assessment External Examiners Conference 2015 Professor Pauline Kneale and Jane Collings Educational Development

2. Challenging myths and changing approaches to assessment • Difficult territory • Powerful myths about assessment • Disciplinary defences • Pockets of resistance • Transformational learning that is equitable.

3. Why inclusive assessment? Through inclusive design wherever possible, and through individual reasonable adjustments wherever required, assessment tasks provide every student with an equal opportunity to demonstrate their achievement. (QAA (2013) UK Quality Code for Higher Education, Ch B6) Traditional assessment practices that were once dominated by the unseen examination and the standard essay…have proved unable to capture the range and nature of the diverse learning outcomes now sought from courses.” (Boud& Falchikov,2006)

4. Plymouth University SPACE Project. Waterfield and West (2006)

5. Inclusive Assessment - why at Plymouth • Student voice – assessment and feedback is an important theme for NUS & UPSU • NSS & SPQ low scores for assessment & feedback • An increase in disabled students 13% (2014) & modified assessment costs – DSA cuts 2016. • A review of the PU assessment (2012) indicated inconsistent practices • Student retention through regular meaningful assessment tasks and prompt feedback. • Inclusive development project 2014/15 ‘enhancing assessment in partnership with students’

6. Assessment Policy:2014 • Pre- assessment / feed-in activities & information, discussion, feed-in with clear assessment and marking criteria • A range of authentic, MAP free/ simple assessment methods aligned to learning outcomes. • Scheduling - throughout the year, normally only 2 summative assignments • Access to electronic submission and originality checking software. • Fairly marked, anonymously ( if appropriate) with moderation and second marking • Feed-forward & feedback with marks (asap) but within 20 days

7. Feed-in, feed-forward, feedback model of assessment Student engagement and learning in assessment can be enhanced through:- Feed-in Well designed assessment, briefing & preparation , DLE resources Practice sessions, assessment & marking criteria Learning Space Feedback end of task, written, verbal, mp3, YouTube, constructive marks/grades, legible, DLE Feed-forward Formative ‘feedback’, cues, discussion, mid-way reviews, tutor, peer & self review and feedback

8. Embedding inclusive assessment @PU

9. Improved design • Assessments aligned to learning outcomes & explicit criteria & marking schemes • Use of a range and balance of assessment methods low MAP implications • Detailed pre-assessment activities/ feed in/ practice/ examples of past work/presentations • Offers progression and practice • Weighting of exams & assessments ( 50:50%) • More inclusive exams (e.g open book; seen, take home, typed (Mogey et al 2012) ) • Consider offering a choice of assessment methods (maximum of 2)

10. Improved scheduling • Assessments ( summative and formative ) evenly scheduled throughout the year -avoiding bottle necks for staff & students • Avoid over assessment – normally 2 summative assignments • Consider the length of tests and exams (max 2hours) • End the use of summer vacation re-sits

11. Resources 1.- review of assessment in programmes Rating - Red – Amber – Green

12. Resources 2: Assessment planner ( across each stage )

13. Resources 3: – assessment methods and their MAP implications

14. Improving student learning through feedback

15. A perspective on feedback: Our students experience of feedback pre-HE have not prepared them for the demands of higher education and many could benefit from better induction into what feedback is for, how to recognise the diverse ways it is offered and how to use it to actively develop their learning. (Price et al., 2012)

16. What PU students say about feedback …. Content of feedback Time Fast turn around SSTAR (2014) What is Excellent teaching ? UPSU

17. Feed-in, feed-forward, feedback model of assessment Student engagement and learning in assessment can be enhanced through:- Feed-in Well designed assessment, briefing & preparation , DLE resources Practice sessions, assessment & marking criteria Learning Space Feedback end of task, written, verbal, mp3, YouTube, constructive marks/grades, legible, DLE Feed-forward Formative ‘feedback’, cues, discussion, mid-way reviews, tutor, peer & self review and feedback

18. Impact of intervention at Plymouth University • National Student Survey: 2014.

19. Teaching and Learning website Assessment pages https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/your-university/teaching-and-learning/guidance-and-resources/assessment

20. References • Boud,D. & Falchikov,N. (2006) Aligning assessment with long term learning. Assessment & Evaluation in HE. vol31.no4.p399-413 • Mogey.N.,Purcell.M., Pateson.J., Burke.J.; ( 2013) Handwriting or typing exams – can we give students the choice? • Price, M., Rust, R., O'Donovan, B., Handley, K. and Bryant, R. (2012) 'Assessment literacy: The Foundation for Improving Student Learning', , OCSLD: Oxford, • QAA: (2013) UK Quality Code for HE. Chapter B6. Assessment of students and recognition of prior learning • Waterfield,J., & West,B.,(2006) Inclusive Assessment in Higher Education: A Resource for Change. Plymouth University