An Exploration of Assessment
Practices at Cardiff University’s
Schools of Engineering, Psychology
and the Centre for Lifelong Learning
Jeremy Hall
Nicholas Jones
Wouter Poortinga
Key Questions
1. What does the Quality Assurance Agency
for Higher Education (QAA) say about the
breadth of assessment of our subject
areas?
2. How is this being met in our own schools’
course/programme design?
QAA Benchmark Statement for Music:
Assessment
Music programmes have assessment strategies which
reflect the variety of abilities and skills developed within
diverse curricula, and which enable students to
demonstrate progressive levels of attainment. A variety of
methods is desirable, involving both formative and
summative assessment.
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/benchmark/honours/music.asp
Lee Dunn: ‘Selecting Methods of
Assessment’ (2002)
When choosing assessment items, we tend to stay with
the known or the 'tried and true methods', because they
seem to have the ring of academic respectability, or
possibly because it was the way we were assessed as
undergraduates ourselves. From learners' perspectives,
however, it often seems as if we are turning them into
'essay producing machines' or 'examination junkies'.
When choosing methods it is important to offer variety to
learners in the way they demonstrate their learning, and
to help them to develop a well-rounded set of abilities.
http://www.brookes.ac.uk/services/ocsd/2_learntch/briefing_papers/methods_assessme
nt.pdf
Cardiff University Assessment Strategy
Assessment is at the heart of the student experience; it
shapes the curriculum and helps define what is important
for students. Assessment is thus an integral part of all
learning and teaching activities. The Cardiff University
Assessment Strategy is the vehicle through which
enhancement of assessment will be achieved. The
Strategy is based on the three principles that underpin
practice at University, School, programme, and unit of
study level. The principles of assessment are that it will
be: valid, reliable and explicit.
www.cardiff.ac.uk/learning/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Assessment-Strategy-final.pdf
Music Modules within LEARN’s Humanities
Programme: Embedding Assessment
Course Diary Short Class
(or Learning Exercises
Log)
Listening
Journal
These are
designed to
develop relevant
skills and count
for part of the
assessment
Short
Homework
Exercises
Oral
Presentations
• review of an
article, CD
recording, or a
concert
• annotated
bibliography
• essay plan
• questionnaire
• programme /
CD liner note
Practical
Performances
QAA Benchmark Statement for
Psychology: Assessment
The choice of assessment methods should be clearly
related to the learning objectives. Assessment methods
may include formal examinations, multiple-choice tests,
assessed essays, practical reports, other reports,
information technology use, case-studies, portfolios,
dissertations and formal assessment of performance in
oral presentations and debates, including seminar and
individual presentation.
To ensure that the full range of skills being developed (…)
a diversity of assessment methods is encouraged.
Benchmark Standards Psychology
A typical honours degree psychology
graduate should have obtained
1. subject knowledge and understanding
•
E.g. subject specific knowledge/ scientific underpinnings of
psychology
2. subject specific skills
•
Use statistical methods
3. generic skills, with a particular emphasis on
independent empirical research
•
E.g. communicating ideas, computer literacy, scientific reasoning,
presentation skills
Assessment in School of Psychology
•
Does breadth of assessment cover the benchmark
standards (i.e. overall learning outcomes)?
Conclusion Psychology
•
The assessment practices at the School of
Psychology are diverse and broadly reflect the
benchmarks of knowledge and skills that a typical
single honours psychology student is expected to
have acquired upon graduation.
•
However, main focus is on ‘traditional’ written
examination.
•
Incorporating assessment methods for more
generic academic skills?
–
E.g. performance in oral presentations and debates,
including seminar and individual presentations.
QAA Benchmark Statement for
Engineering: curriculum
Teaching, learning & assessment:
“There should be a holistic approach to the
design of the curriculum.
The methods of teaching, learning and
assessment should be constructed so that
the learning activities and assessment tasks
are aligned with the learning outcomes that
are intended in the programme”
QAA Benchmark Statement for
Engineering: curriculum
Teaching, learning & assessment:
“Existing engineering programmes have been
developed over many years and deploy a diverse
range of learning, teaching and assessment
methods to enhance and reinforce the student
learning experience. This diversity of practice is a
strength of the discipline.
Whichever methods are employed, strategies for
teaching, learning and assessment should
deliver opportunities for the achievement of the
learning
outcomes,
demonstrate
their
attainment and recognise the range of student
backgrounds.”
QAA Benchmark Statement for
Engineering: assessment
Assessment:
“Assessment is the means by which
students are measured against benchmark
criteria and should also form a constructive
part of the learning process. There should
be a programme level approach to
assessment that ensures output standards
are met”.
Assessment Method – BEng EEE
Total Marks
Total for 3 years
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Total Marks
%
860 + 90
853 +72
730 + 0
2605
73.3
60
60
1.7
10
0.3
65
1.8
30
30
0.8
Design tasks
35
35
1.0
Computer-based exercises
40
40
80
2.6
Lab reports
65
115
80
260
7.3
50
30
20
100
2.8
100 x 3
300
8.4
10
0.3
3555
100
Unseen exams (Exam / class test)
Lab exams
Oral exams
Open-book exams
Synoptic exam
Multiple-choice test
Problem solving exercises (example classes)
Essay assignments
10
Other types of extended writing
Oral presentations
65
Student-led seminars/discussions
Simulation exercises
Work placement reports
Learning logs/diaries … Learning portfolios
Exhibition/poster displays
Group projects
Independent projects (30 credit module)
Misc.
TOTALS
10
Overall Conclusion
• All three QAA subject Benchmark Statements
recommends that assessment methods should
be diverse.
• However, it is noteworthy that diversity is
somewhat neglected in the Cardiff University
Assessment Strategy.
• The Strategy was approved by Senate in
November 2005. We would suggest that
diversity of assessment methods is a topic that
should be addressed more robustly and
explicitly in the next update of the document.