e-assessment (f)or learning

I went to an excellent meeting yesterday, the next step in bringing ‘joined-up thinking’ to assessment in modules in our Physics and Astronomy and Planetary Sciences pathways. There are issues, not least that some of the modules are also used by other qualifications/pathways – and we don’t own all of them. But, as at the Faculty Assessment Day in October, it was lovely to be able to spend several hours discussing teaching with a room-full of colleagues, and indeed the debate continued onto the bus to Milton Keynes Station at the end of the day!

The debate hinged around the use of learning outcomes. (more…)

So what is funnelled assessment? A chance to insert an image into what is becoming a rather boring blog? Maybe! But there is a serious idea here. If we are moving towards programme-focused assessment whilst keeping the assessment itself at the level of the module, the idea of ‘capstone’ assessment (in the sense of putting important assessment in the final module studied, frequently a project module) is not new.

Funnelled assessment is a similar concept – if there are important modules in your qualification, especially if these modules are compulsory (so students are ‘funnelled’ through them) then these modules become key assessment points.

If funnelled assessment takes off, remember that you first heard about it here!

One of the themes that is buzzing around in the circles in which I move is ‘programme-focused assessment’. That terminology comes from Chris Rust who gave a workshop on the PASS (Programme Assessment Strategies) Project at the OU something over a month ago. This project aimed to ’confront a fundamental issue for every HE course/programme leader: how to design an effective, efficient, inclusive and sustainable assessment strategy which delivers the key course/programme outcomes.’ (more…)