TOWARDS AN INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT RẾGIME.

Tim McLernon

TOWARDS AN INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT RẾGIME.

Tim McLernon

Research output: Non-textual form › Web publication/site

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to propose a radically revised assessment strategy to enhance the student learning experience and to better develop the graduate attributes of students in the Built Environment disciplines. Higher Education has changed in recent years. This study was conducted with the view that the design of assessment is of critical importance because it shapes the curriculum, guides the teaching and learning processes and is of strategic importance to the engagement of the student. Students in higher education today focus on the assessment. The paper explores current assessment practices in the modularised and semesterised system in which higher education now operates. The study considers assessment methods and, using feedback on assessment from tutors and students, argues for different assessment approaches, more integration of assessment and more reflective time in order to better contextualise and consolidate learning, thereby better engaging students.The rationale for the study is based on the proposition that the learning experience can be enhanced with a rethinking of our assessment methods. The Built Environment disciplines engage in an assessment régime that concentrates on the module and which does not patently make obvious the whole context of the programme. The hypothesis of the study is that by designing an integrated assessment regime to suit the learning outcomes of the particular level of the programme, as opposed to the discrete module, the learning process will be made to be more valuable and enjoyable. Feedback, both formative and summative, would be better, given more timely and on an individual basis, thus enhancing the learning experience. Some of the approaches used in the Studio format of teaching of the Arts disciplines that give more informal feedback on a continual basis, are explored.

Original language	English
Publisher	The All Ireland Society for Higher Education
Publication status	Published (in print/issue) - 29 Aug 2009

Bibliographical note

Paper presented at the All Ireland Society for Higher Education [AISHE] International Conference entitled ‘Valuing Complexity: Celebrating Diverse Approaches to Teaching and Learning’, and published in the on-line Proceedings of the same, 27th and 28th August 2009, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Ireland
Reference text: References:

John Biggs (1999): Teaching for Quality Learning at University, (SRHE and Open University Press, Buckingham)

Boud, D. (1988) Assessment in problem-based learning, Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, Vol. 13, pp87-91.

ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) Users’ Guide (2005) Brussels: Directorate-General for Education and Culture.

Guyer, C. (2006) Internal Report on the Outcomes of the 2006 National Student Survey, University of Ulster.

Laurillard, D.M. (1984) Learning from problem solving, in Marton, F. Hounsell, D. and Entwistle, N. (eds.), The Experience of Learning, Scottish Academic Press, Edinburgh.

Neumann, R. (2001) Disciplinary Differences and University Teaching, Studies in Higher Education, Vol 26, No 2, 135-146.

Quality Assurance Agency, (2009), accessed at www.qaa.ac.uk , Standards and Quality page, accessed at June 2009.

Scouller, K. (1999) ‘How assessment-driven are students really?’ in Rust, C. (ed.) Improving Student Learning: Improving Student Learning Outcomes, The Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development, Oxford.

Samuelowicz, K and Bain, J.D. (2002) Identifying Academics’ Orientations to Assessment Practice, Higher Education, Vol 43, No 2, Klewer Academic Publishing.

Shulman, L.S. (1993). Teaching as community property. Change (Nov/Dec) 6-7.

Thomas, P.R. and Bain J.D. (1984) Contextual Dependence of Learning Approaches: The Effects of Assessment, Human Learning, Vol. 3, 227 – 240.

Trowler, P. (ed) (1998) Academics Responding to Change: new higher education frameworks and academic cultures. Open University Press/SRHE, Buckingham.

Keywords

Index Terms: assessment
integration
modules
student learning
engagement.

Access to Document

http://ocs.aishe.org/index.php/international/2009/schedConf/presentations

Cite this

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title = "TOWARDS AN INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT RẾGIME.",

abstract = "The aim of this paper is to propose a radically revised assessment strategy to enhance the student learning experience and to better develop the graduate attributes of students in the Built Environment disciplines. Higher Education has changed in recent years. This study was conducted with the view that the design of assessment is of critical importance because it shapes the curriculum, guides the teaching and learning processes and is of strategic importance to the engagement of the student. Students in higher education today focus on the assessment. The paper explores current assessment practices in the modularised and semesterised system in which higher education now operates. The study considers assessment methods and, using feedback on assessment from tutors and students, argues for different assessment approaches, more integration of assessment and more reflective time in order to better contextualise and consolidate learning, thereby better engaging students.The rationale for the study is based on the proposition that the learning experience can be enhanced with a rethinking of our assessment methods. The Built Environment disciplines engage in an assessment r{\'e}gime that concentrates on the module and which does not patently make obvious the whole context of the programme. The hypothesis of the study is that by designing an integrated assessment regime to suit the learning outcomes of the particular level of the programme, as opposed to the discrete module, the learning process will be made to be more valuable and enjoyable. Feedback, both formative and summative, would be better, given more timely and on an individual basis, thus enhancing the learning experience. Some of the approaches used in the Studio format of teaching of the Arts disciplines that give more informal feedback on a continual basis, are explored.",

keywords = "Index Terms: assessment, integration, modules, student learning, engagement.",

author = "Tim McLernon",

note = "Paper presented at the All Ireland Society for Higher Education [AISHE] International Conference entitled {\textquoteleft}Valuing Complexity: Celebrating Diverse Approaches to Teaching and Learning{\textquoteright}, and published in the on-line Proceedings of the same, 27th and 28th August 2009, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Ireland Reference text: References: John Biggs (1999): Teaching for Quality Learning at University, (SRHE and Open University Press, Buckingham) Boud, D. (1988) Assessment in problem-based learning, Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, Vol. 13, pp87-91. ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) Users{\textquoteright} Guide (2005) Brussels: Directorate-General for Education and Culture. Guyer, C. (2006) Internal Report on the Outcomes of the 2006 National Student Survey, University of Ulster. Laurillard, D.M. (1984) Learning from problem solving, in Marton, F. Hounsell, D. and Entwistle, N. (eds.), The Experience of Learning, Scottish Academic Press, Edinburgh. Neumann, R. (2001) Disciplinary Differences and University Teaching, Studies in Higher Education, Vol 26, No 2, 135-146. Quality Assurance Agency, (2009), accessed at www.qaa.ac.uk , Standards and Quality page, accessed at June 2009. Scouller, K. (1999) {\textquoteleft}How assessment-driven are students really?{\textquoteright} in Rust, C. (ed.) Improving Student Learning: Improving Student Learning Outcomes, The Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development, Oxford. Samuelowicz, K and Bain, J.D. (2002) Identifying Academics{\textquoteright} Orientations to Assessment Practice, Higher Education, Vol 43, No 2, Klewer Academic Publishing. Shulman, L.S. (1993). Teaching as community property. Change (Nov/Dec) 6-7. Thomas, P.R. and Bain J.D. (1984) Contextual Dependence of Learning Approaches: The Effects of Assessment, Human Learning, Vol. 3, 227 – 240. Trowler, P. (ed) (1998) Academics Responding to Change: new higher education frameworks and academic cultures. Open University Press/SRHE, Buckingham.",

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N2 - The aim of this paper is to propose a radically revised assessment strategy to enhance the student learning experience and to better develop the graduate attributes of students in the Built Environment disciplines. Higher Education has changed in recent years. This study was conducted with the view that the design of assessment is of critical importance because it shapes the curriculum, guides the teaching and learning processes and is of strategic importance to the engagement of the student. Students in higher education today focus on the assessment. The paper explores current assessment practices in the modularised and semesterised system in which higher education now operates. The study considers assessment methods and, using feedback on assessment from tutors and students, argues for different assessment approaches, more integration of assessment and more reflective time in order to better contextualise and consolidate learning, thereby better engaging students.The rationale for the study is based on the proposition that the learning experience can be enhanced with a rethinking of our assessment methods. The Built Environment disciplines engage in an assessment régime that concentrates on the module and which does not patently make obvious the whole context of the programme. The hypothesis of the study is that by designing an integrated assessment regime to suit the learning outcomes of the particular level of the programme, as opposed to the discrete module, the learning process will be made to be more valuable and enjoyable. Feedback, both formative and summative, would be better, given more timely and on an individual basis, thus enhancing the learning experience. Some of the approaches used in the Studio format of teaching of the Arts disciplines that give more informal feedback on a continual basis, are explored.

AB - The aim of this paper is to propose a radically revised assessment strategy to enhance the student learning experience and to better develop the graduate attributes of students in the Built Environment disciplines. Higher Education has changed in recent years. This study was conducted with the view that the design of assessment is of critical importance because it shapes the curriculum, guides the teaching and learning processes and is of strategic importance to the engagement of the student. Students in higher education today focus on the assessment. The paper explores current assessment practices in the modularised and semesterised system in which higher education now operates. The study considers assessment methods and, using feedback on assessment from tutors and students, argues for different assessment approaches, more integration of assessment and more reflective time in order to better contextualise and consolidate learning, thereby better engaging students.The rationale for the study is based on the proposition that the learning experience can be enhanced with a rethinking of our assessment methods. The Built Environment disciplines engage in an assessment régime that concentrates on the module and which does not patently make obvious the whole context of the programme. The hypothesis of the study is that by designing an integrated assessment regime to suit the learning outcomes of the particular level of the programme, as opposed to the discrete module, the learning process will be made to be more valuable and enjoyable. Feedback, both formative and summative, would be better, given more timely and on an individual basis, thus enhancing the learning experience. Some of the approaches used in the Studio format of teaching of the Arts disciplines that give more informal feedback on a continual basis, are explored.

KW - Index Terms: assessment

KW - integration

KW - modules

KW - student learning

KW - engagement.

M3 - Web publication/site

PB - The All Ireland Society for Higher Education

ER -

TOWARDS AN INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT RẾGIME.

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access to Document

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Cite this