Staff-Student Partnership
For Assessment Change and Evaluation
Disability Studies Conference: Putting Theory into Practice,
Lancaster University, July 2004
Critically Responding to Current Practice through the
Adoption of Inclusive Methods of Assessment
Melanie Parker, University of Plymouth
1
SPACE Project
The aims of this paper are:

To critically review the current practice in
HE of providing special examination
arrangements for students with disabilities

To consider inclusive forms of assessment
as an alternative
2
SPACE Project
The session will:
 Introduce SPACE
 Look at current practice
 Look at delivering inclusive education
through alternative forms of assessment
 Contextualize the debate
 Identify the challenges facing inclusive
assessment
3
SPACE Project
 HEFCE Strand 2 Project
 Continuation of the HEFCE SWANDS Project
 Collaboration across 8 HEI’s
Academics
Disability Officers
Educational Developers
Students
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SPACE Project
 Action Research Methodology
Disability research should be “about research with
rather than for or on disabled people.” Goodley, D
(1999, p.6)
Surveyed and interviewed over 100 first year
students with disabilities regarding:
Experience of current assessment methods
Effectiveness of any special examination
arrangements
Feedback about any alternative assessment
methods they may have had
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Contextualize the Assessment Experience


Legislation - DDA Part 4, Compliance in Post 16
Education
“anticipatory action”
“reasonable adjustments”
Special Arrangements
Equity
Limitations
Oversights

“Participation in education continues to be focused on
fitting people into what is already available …” (Stuart,
2002, p.22)

Medical Model of Disability
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Student voice
Special Examination Arrangements:
“Although the computer has made it easier for
me to answer questions as I find handwriting at
speed very difficult. I still feel I am struggling to
give my answers in the time given.”
7
Student voice
Examinations:
“Exams are dependent upon how well I am
on that particular day.”
“ … massive time pressure of an exam
and pain caused by sitting for long
periods …”
8
Student voice
In-class assessments:
“Sometimes I have had difficult periods where
assessments overlapped and I could not meet the
deadlines. I subsequently handed in substandard
work.”
“I find it takes me a long time to complete practical
sessions and tests due to my reading speed. I feel
very anxious and pressurised by time and staff and
partly my colleagues. This does not help me
concentrate or understand”
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Facilitating Inclusive Education

“I think alternative assessments are a good idea
however to other students it may seem unfair.”
“If the assessment system is changed I believe all
students should partake in order not to alienate those
with learning difficulties”

Government agenda of 50% population participation in
HE by 2010
“Diversity is upon us and we will be changed by it”
(Christine King, ILTHE Conference, 2004)
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Facilitating Inclusive Education

Post-modernism
“ … postmodern ideas can contribute an
enormous amount to the development of
inclusive societies …” (Corker & Shakespeare,
2002)




From capitalism to consumerism
Representation
Identity
Social model of disability
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Student voice
Student’s Preferred Methods of Assessment:
 Continuous assessment
 Multiple choice testing
 Oral examinations
 Coursework with discussion elements
 Portfolios
 Essay assignments
 Computer-based assessments and exercises
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SPACE & Inclusive Education
Putting together case studies of inclusive practice:
 Oral presentation (Health and Social Care)
 Video rather than written dissertation (Illustration)
 Oral assessment rather than traditional exam (Civil
Engineering
 Oral report rather than written report (Humanities)
 Design report rather than essay (Art and Design)
 Portfolio (Education, Science & Engineering)
 Providing students with a choice of assessment
(Construction Education)
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SPACE & Inclusive Education
Alternative Assessment Toolkit






Case studies
Tested examples of alternative assessment
methods
Critical review
Institutional/departmental/individual
procedures to support the process of
assessment change
Evaluation tools
Resource Issues
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The Challenges facing SPACE and Inclusive
Assessment








Cultural Shift/Transformation
“the change process is not about assimilation but
transformation” (Barton, 2003)
Discipline/strategic planning
Assessing core learning outcomes
Informed staff
Resources and time
Professional Bodies
Existing strategies
Plagiarism
15
SPACE Project
Thank you for listening and sharing your
thoughts and ideas.
For more information please contact us
mcparker@plymouth.ac.uk
www.space.ac.uk
01752 232284
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SPACE Project
References:
Barton, L. (2003) “Inclusive Education and Teacher
Education – A Basis for Hope or a Discourse of
Delusion” Professorial Lecture, Institute of
Education, University of London
Corker, M. & Shakespeare, T.
“Disability/Postmodernity”, Continuum, London
Crowther, J., Martin, I., & Shaw, M. (2000) “Turning
the Discourse” in Thompson, J. “Stretching the
Academy”, NIACE, Leicester
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SPACE Project
References:
Goodley, D. (1999) “Disablity Research and the
Researcher Template: Reflections on Grounded
Subjectivity in Ethnographic Research”, Qualitative
Inquiry 5 (1) 24-26
Stuart, M. (2002) “Collaborating for Change?”,
NIACE, Leicester
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