assessing student learning

principles and practices of effective student

assessmentA workshop developed for

Bilkent University by Gordon Suddaby

Assessing Student Learning

Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]

RationaleStudents can, with difficulty escape

from the effects of poor teaching, they cannot (by definition if they wish to graduate) escape the effects of poor assessment. (Baud, p.35 in Knight, 1995)

Assessment is at the heart of student learning. (Brown and Knight, 1994).


An assessment riddle!Why do we measure with a

micrometer, mark with chalk, and cut with an axe?


Why we assess?Crooks identified 8 reasons:1. Selection and placement2. Motivation3. Focusing learning4. Consolidating and structuring learning5. Guiding and correcting learning6. Determining readiness to proceed7. Certifying and grading achievement8. Evaluating teachingCrooks, 1988.


Assessment as part of learningThere are two critical factors:Formative approaches to assessmentSummative approaches to assessmentScriven, 1967.


Formative assessmentBiggs and Tang note:Formative assessment is provided during

learning, telling students how well they are doing and what might need improving (p.97)

In formative assessment, the results are used for feedback during learning. Students and teachers both need to know how learning is proceeding. Formative feedback may operate to both improve the learning of individual students and to improve the teaching itself. (p.163)


Assumptions related to formative assessmentIt is a powerful teaching and learning

activityIt promotes growthIt encourages autonomyFactors:Involves intrinsic motivationEncourages reflectionRequires prompt feedbackRequires clear criteriaRequires shared understandingGordon Suddaby - [email protected]

What formative assessment activities do you use?I would like to record these on the board


Summative AssessmentBiggs and Tang...summative [assessment is provided] after

learning, informing how well students have learned what they were supposed to learn (p.97)

In summative assessment, the results are used to grade students at the end of a course or to accredit at the end of a programme. Summative assessment is carried out after a teaching episode has concluded....That result, the grade, is final. (p.164).


Assumptions related to summative assessmentRepresents reliable and valid sample and

judgementIts purpose is explicitFactorsIt is taken seriouslyIt grades and ranksIt sums up achievementIt is an endpoint


Activity: 8Who are assessment “stakeholders”?Identify an ‘end user’ of your assessment

other than the student?What sort of information does that user

need?Is that what they get?How do you know?Compare that information with that which

the student wants/gets?Discuss with colleagues sitting nearby

and compare differences and similarities


The assessment stakeholders”?1. The student2. Other students3. Teachers4. Mentors5. Employers6. University management7. Funders8. ...


Some assessment issuesIf we are not careful our assessment

practices may;Tend to focus on what is easiest to

assess/markInfluence students approach to learning

(surface)Encourage a focus on gradesEncourage students to seek cuesNot reveal misconceptionsEncourage students to focus ONLY on what is

assessedGordon Suddaby - [email protected]

Some principles of effective assessmentAssessment should foster improvementStudents need self-assessment skillsWe should only assess what really mattersAssessment should enhance motivationAssessment should encourage cooperationAssessment shouldn’t be a burdenThink about assessment ‘due dates’Think about flexibility!Requirements need to be explicitCrooks, 1993How do your assessment practices measure

up against these?


Activity 10: The big lieIt doesn’t matter what I think, write

what you believe!Or should this be?It doesn’t matter what is said or

written, just make sure you learn the stuff that will be assessed!

Remember, the students are always looking for cues and clues!!!

So make a note of the messages you give students?


Activity 11Task specificationMake a paper dart from the paper

supplied completing the task within 3 minutes

StipulationThe dart must flyThe dart must look like a paper dart


Assessment criteriaNow:Develop a schedule for marking and grading the finished product


Assessment criteriaNow:Develop a schedule for marking and grading the finished product

Give your dart to a colleague to assess using their assessment schedule (you will mark another colleagues dart using your schedule)

Mark 2 other colleagues darts using your schedule

Compare gradesWhat comments can you make about the marking process?


IssuesWhat assumptions have been

made in relation to this task?What were the difficulties

encountered in carrying out the task?

What would have made the task more do-able?

What difficulties were there in assessing the outcomes?


AssumptionsYou know what a dart is and looks likeYou have some knowledge of dart-

makingYou know what the assessor is

looking forEveryone has the same perceptions

of ‘standards’i.e. There is an understanding of the assessment criteria


Seven Principles of good feedback

From the conceptual model and the research literature on formative assessment it is possible to identify some broad principles of good feedback practice. A provisional list might include the following seven.

1. Facilitates the development of self assessment (reflection) in learning.

2. Encourages teacher and peer dialogue around learning.3. Helps clarify what good performance is (goals, criteria,

standards expected).4. Provides opportunities to close the gap between current and

desired performance.5. Delivers high quality information to students about their

learning.6. Encourages positive motivational beliefs and self-esteem.7. Provides information to teachers that can be used to help

shape the teaching.8.From; Juwah, Macfarlane-Dick, Matthew, Nicol, Ross

and Smith for the Higher Education AcademyGordon Suddaby - [email protected]

Examples of criteriaAppearanceFlying abilityPaper usageShapeDecorationDistance flownSizeComplexity...


Formative assessmentUsing assessment to improve learning. It is assessment provided during the

teaching process.Strongly linked to processes of evaluating

own teaching


Guiding principlesEffective Assessment should:Promote and reward desired outcomesDistinguish between essentials and extrasRecognise workload implicationsReflect consistency of standardsCommunicate requirements to studentsProvide effective feedbackCombine marks with careGive weight to professional judgementCrooks, 1993.


Levels of assessment criteriaImplicit to the tutor (I know one when I

see one!)

Known to the tutor, but not revealed to the student

Revealed to the student, but what counts as evidence isn’t!

Criteria and examples of what counts as evidence revealed to the studentsGordon Suddaby -

[email protected]

How do the students know what is important?Clarify criteriaTell the students what is important in

the beginning, as you teach it, and at the end.

Tell them what is important when you set your assignments

Tell them why you are giving them a particular assignment

Tell them what the marks will be awarded for


Don’t be afraid to use a variety of approachesTestsAssignmentsCase StudiesProjectsJournalsOrals (vivas)SeminarsPostersLearning contractsDebates and

presentationsArtifacts/products

Lab workUsing a digital

presentationClinical observationWorkbooksPortfoliosExaminationsOpen Book ExercisesReportsSimulations/role PlaysScenariosField work


Reflecting on assessmentDo you provide/develop clear, explicit

criteria for your own courses?Is there a performance component

associated with the criteria?Are you clear as to what constitutes

evidence that indicates the criteria have been met?

Are the students aware of this?What additional information would help your

students do a better job?What questions remain in your mind?Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]

Aligning assessment and learning“From our students’ point of view,

assessment always defines the actual curriculum” , (Ramsden, 1992), its the tail that wags the dog!!!! - the term used to describe this is ‘backwash’.


Constructive AlignmentA concept developed by BiggsConstructive because it is based on

Constructivist theory i.e reflects Shuell’s statement that;

“What the student does is actually more important in determining what is learned than what the teacher does” (Shuell, 1986)

Alignment demonstrates that the intended learning outcome, the teaching and teaching activity, and the assessment are all aligned


Designing constructively aligned teaching and assessmentDescribe the intended learning outcome in the

form of a verb (learning activity), its object (the content) and specify the context and standard to be attained

Create a learning environment using appropriate teaching/learning activities that address the verb and therefore are likely to bring about the outcome

Use assessment tasks that contain that verb thus enabling judgment using rubrics as to how well students performances meet criteria

Transform these judgments into standard grading criteria

Biggs and Tang, pp. 54 - 55.Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]

assessing student learning

Documents

endpointgordon suddaby

boardgordon suddaby

assessment stakeholders

assessment riddle

effects of poor assessment

formative approaches

formative feedback

learning activityit