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Learning-oriented assessment in action
North-West University, South AfricaDavid Carless
University of Hong Kong October 21, 2015
The University of Hong Kong
Issues to be addressed1. Effective assessment designs2. Student self-evaluative capacities3. Student engagement with feedback4. Challenges & Implications
The University of Hong Kong
Competing assessment functions The University of Hong Kong
Learning-oriented assessment
A major priority in all assessment should be to promote effective student learning processes (Carless, 2014)
The University of Hong Kong
The University of Hong Kong
Productive assessment task design
Student self-evaluative capacities
Student engagement with feedback
Learning-oriented assessment framework
Research process The University of Hong Kong
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ASSESSMENT DESIGN IN HISTORY
Making History course• Foundation level, year 1, 110 students
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Making History LOsCritical engagement with representations of
past; interpret connections between past & present;
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History Assessment Fieldwork report (30%): Museum visit
Individual project (40%): draft 10%, final 30%
Participation (30%):tutorial participation 15%short weekly written responses 15%
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Museum report1000 words or podcast
Issues: key messages; use of space; coverage and omissions
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Project stages• Topic brief• Draft (10%)• Final version (30%): 3000 words
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Use of social mediaStudents could upload drafts of work in progress & receive peer feedback
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Short in-class written responses
20-30 word answers ontopic for next class
Promotes studentengagement but difficult to assess(Carless & Zhou, 2015)
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SELECTED TASK DESIGN PRINCIPLES
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Spreading student effort/sustained engagement
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Mirroring real-life uses of the discipline
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Incorporates feedback dialogues
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Flexibility & choice
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DEVELOPING STUDENT SELF-EVALUATIVE CAPACITIES
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Help students experience quality
Evaluative expertise is a necessary condition for improvement (Sadler, 1989)
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Use of exemplarsSharing of samples to illustrate expectations
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Connoisseurship
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Dialogue about exemplars The quality of dialogue around exemplars is crucial in determining student learning
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RubricsGenerating, applying or engaging with quality criteria
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STUDENT ENGAGEMENT WITH FEEDBACK PROCESSES
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Key aim of feedback
To enhance student ability to self-monitor their work in progress
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Closing feedback loops
It’s only feedback if students take some action
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Sustainable feedback
Enhancing student role to generate & use feedback (Carless et al., 2011; Hounsell, 2007)
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Peer feedback Potentially more plentiful …
But peers often viewed as lacking expertise
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To give is better than to receive
Providing feedback more cognitively engaging (e.g. Nicol et al., 2014)
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Guidance & feedback
Integrated cycles of guidance & feedback within learning activities (Hounsell, 2007; Hounsell et al. 2008)
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Technology-facilitated feedback
Learning Management Systems
Use of clickers, EVS
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Audio (& video) feedback
Providing recorded verbal commentary (instead of written feedback?)
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Same-day exam feedback Discussion immediately after Law exam
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Exam debriefing Supplemented by online discussion
Novel angles may be added to marking scheme
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Two-stage examsIndividual 80%
Group 20%
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Carl Wieman
Issues & Challenges The University of Hong Kong
Double dutyCompeting priorities in assessment
Reliability, Fairness,Workload, QA etc
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Trust or distrust Distrust as barrier for innovative assessment (Carless, 2009)
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Feedback failing to connectDifficulties for lower achievers to make sense of feedback (Orsmond & Merry, 2013)
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Student responseStudents interpret assessment based on their own preferences, experiences and motivations
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Feedback literacy
Teachers need to help students understand purposes of feedback & how they can use it
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Assessment literacyNeed for development in assessment (for learning) literacy of university teachers (cf. Price et al., 2012)
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Communication about assessment
Rationales
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Potential benefits
Processes
Tackling challenges
Teacher X factorTeacher determination to overcome challenges & strive for learning-oriented assessment
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THANK YOU
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Defining feedback
“A dialogic process in which learners make sense of information from varied sources and use it to enhance the quality of their work or learning strategies”.
Carless (2015, p.192) building on Boud & Molloy (2013)
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Shifts in feedback priorities The University of Hong Kong
Increase Decrease
In-class dialogic feedback within module time
Unidirectional comments after completion of module
Written feedback comments on first assessment task of module
Written feedback comments on final task of module
Feedback for first year students
Feedback for final year students
