Oxford Centre for Staff and
Learning Development
Developing a variety of assessment methods
Chris Rust
Oxford Centre for Staff
and Learning Development
Oxford Brookes University
Oxford Centre for Staff and
Learning Development
Constructive alignment - issues of validity
“We continue to assess student learning - and to graduate
and certify students much as we did in 1986, 1966, or 1946,
without meaningful reference to what students should
demonstrably know and be able to do”
(Angelo, 1996)
“Assessment systems dominate what students are oriented
towards in their learning. Even when lecturers say that they
want students to be creative and thoughtful, students often
recognise that what is really necessary, or at least what is
sufficient, is to memorise”
(Gibbs, 1992)
Oxford Centre for Staff and
Learning Development
Constructive alignment - what is it?
“The fundamental principle of constructive
alignment is that a good teaching system aligns
teaching method and assessment to the learning
activities stated in the objectives so that all
aspects of this system are in accord in
supporting appropriate student learning”
(Biggs, 1999)
Oxford Centre for Staff and
Learning Development
Constructive alignment: 3-stage course design
• What are “desired” outcomes?
• What teaching methods require students to
behave in ways that are likely to achieve those
outcomes?
• What assessment tasks will tell us if the actual
outcomes match those that are intended or
desired?
NB Importance of consistent use of the same
appropriate verb in all three stages
This is the essence of ‘constructive alignment’
(Biggs, 1999)
Oxford Centre for Staff and
Learning Development
Why variety?
• Constructive alignment and validity
• Traditional assessment only assesses a narrow
range of skills
• Fairness
• Logic of outcomes-based course design
• Choice and variety can interest & motivate
(& aid flexible learning)
• Be strategic
• Economical & efficient
• Student learning & skills development
(& retention)
Oxford Centre for Staff and
Learning Development
Student learning and strategic assessment
“Assessment defines what students regard as
important, how they spend their time and how
they come to see themselves as students and
then as graduates.........If you want to change
student learning then change the methods of
assessment”
(Brown, G et al, 1997)
Oxford Centre for Staff and
Learning Development
Maximising student potential 1 - Clarify
expectations/keep them busy
“Setting students assignments as soon as soon as they
arrive at university could help cut dropout
rates………integrate students into university life as
quickly as possible. This involves making them aware of
the quality and quantity of work expected from
them…..The freedom…is too much for some and they
probably need more structure in the first year.”
Higher, 24/1/03
Reporting Student Transition and Retention (STAR) project
(in 5 universities)
Oxford Centre for Staff and
Learning Development
Maximising student potential 2 - Pace learning
Multiple-staged assignments
• Self-assessment
• Peer-assessment
CAA
Oxford Centre for Staff and
Learning Development
Maximising student potential 3 - Skills
development
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information retrieval
ICT skills
academic writing skills
time & project management
self-assessment
marking exercises/peer assess
reflection
group skills
etc……
Oxford Centre for Staff and
Learning Development
Maximising student potential 4 - Positively
reinforce/allow for early failure (a)
Low self-belief can adversely affect achievement
(leading to drop-out):
• Believe failure due to lack of intelligence
• Leads to ‘learned helplessness’
• Difficult tasks prompt giving up
• Overly concerned with ‘saving face’
Mantz Yorke, based on study of six institutions.
ILT symposium on widening participation and promoting
student retention, 27th September, 2001
Oxford Centre for Staff and
Learning Development
Maximising student potential 4 - Positively
reinforce/allow for early failure (b)
Possible assessment solutions:
• Adjust the curriculum to foster development
• Set sub-goals for longer assignments
• Allow for ‘slow learning’ in the programme’s
assessment strategy
• Make first semester assessments primarily
formative
Mantz Yorke, based on study of six institutions.
ILT symposium on widening participation and promoting
student retention, 27th September, 2001
Oxford Centre for Staff and
Learning Development
Maximising student potential 5 - Feedback
11 conditions under which assessment supports learning
(Gibbs and Simpson, 2002)
5. Sufficient feedback is provided, both often enough and in enough
detail
6. The feedback focuses on students’ performance, on their learning
and on actions under the students’ control, rather than on the
students themselves and on their characteristics
7. The feedback is timely in that it is received by students while it still
matters to them and in time for them to pay attention to further
learning or receive further assistance
8. Feedback is appropriate to the purpose of the assignment and to its
criteria for success.
9. Feedback is appropriate, in relation to students’ understanding of
what they are supposed to be doing.
10.Feedback is received and attended to.
11.Feedback is acted upon by the student
Oxford Centre for Staff and
Learning Development
5 Strategies for diversifying assessment
• Change the criteria
• Change the task
• Mechanise assessment
• Assess groups
• Involve the students
See:
Brown, S., Rust, C. & Gibbs, G (1994)) Strategies for diversifying
assessment in higher education, Oxford, Oxford Centre for Staff
Development
Rust, C. (2001)A briefing on assessment of large groups: LTSN Generic
Centre Assessment Series No. 12, York, LTSN, available at:
http://www.ltsn.ac.uk/application.asp?app=resources.asp&process=
full_record&section=generic&id=12
Oxford Centre for Staff and
Learning Development
Involve the students - 1 marking exercise
Immediate results
Cohort 1 (99/00)
Cohort 2 (00/01)
Cohort 3 (01/02
participants av. mk
non participants av. mk.
59.78
59.86
55.7
54.12
52.86
49.7
57.91
56.4
51.3
51.7
Results 1 year later
Cohort 1
Cohort 2
Rust, C., Price, M & O’Donovan, B.(2003) "Improving students’ learning by
developing their understanding of assessment criteria and processes”
Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, Vol. 28, No. 2
Oxford Centre for Staff and
Learning Development
Involve the students - 2 self assessment
Strengths of this piece of work
Weaknesses in this piece of work
How this work could be improved
The grade it deserves is…..
What I would like your comments on
Oxford Centre for Staff and
Learning Development
Involve the students - 3 peer marking using
model answers
Scenario:
• Engineering students had weekly maths problem sheets
marked and problem classes
• Increased student numbers meant marking impossible
and problem classes big enough to hide in
• Students stopped doing problems
• Exam marks declined (Average 55%>45%)
Solution:
• Course requirement to complete 50 problem sheets
• Peer assessed at six lecture sessions but marks do not
count
• .Exams and teaching unchanged
Outcome: Exam marks increased (Av. 45%>80%)
Oxford Centre for Staff and
Learning Development
Involve the students - 4 peer feedback
Scenario
• Geography students did two essays but no apparent
improvement from one to the other despite lots of tutor time
writing feedback
• Increased student numbers made tutor workload impossible
Solution:
• Only one essay but first draft required part way through
course
• Students read and give each other feedback on their draft
essays
• Students rewrite the essay in the light of the feedback
• In addition to the final draft, students also submit a summary
of how the 2nd draft has been altered from the1st in the light
of the feedback
Outcome: Much better essays
Oxford Centre for Staff and
Learning Development
So why don’t we?
• Not convinced (personally)
• Institution/colleagues/students not
convinced
• Tradition/inertia/no incentive to change
• Time and/or other costs?
• Too difficult (need help/training)
• Not allowed (regulations/procedures)
• Other