Assessment and Feedback Essay Example for Free

legal opinion and Feedback EssayAssessment drives the choices schoolchilds make about their training. It is widely recognize that prizement and feedback double back the strongest authority to change how, and what, students do to succeed in their learning (Ramsden, 2003). This Effective Teaching Guide on Assessment bids practical suggestions on perspicacity and feedback.Assessment of development and Assessment for LearningDavid Boud, a recognised look forer and scholar of judgement in higher education, suggests that discernment has many purposes, but particularly to ease students to improve their learning and certify students learning. These two purposes lead to different ways of thinking about what, how, and when to assess studentsAccording to Boud and Associates Seven Propositions for Assessment Reform in Higher Education (2010), mind has most effect when1. Assessment is used to engage students in learning that is productive (including the accept for assessment to be designed to focal point students on learning) 2. Feedback is used to actively improve student learning 3. Students and teachers rick responsible partners in learning and assessment 4. Students be inducted into the assessment practices and cultures of higher education 5. Assessment for learning is placed at the centre of subject and project design 6. Assessment for learning is a focus for staff and institutional development and, 7. Assessment provides inclusive and trustworthy representation of student achievement.The power of feedbackFeedback plays an pregnant role in improving students learning. A useful summary is that provided by Gibbs and Simpsons (2004). In their meta-study of the research about how assessment and feedback support student learning, 7 of their 10 identified conditions relate to feedback, and students understanding of feedback. These are Sufficient feedback is provided, both often enough and in enough detail Feedback focuses on students performance, on their learning and on actions under the students control, rather than on the students themselves and on their characteristics Feedback is timely in that it is received by students spell it still matters to them, and in time for them to pay attention to however learning or receive further assistance Feedback is appropriate to the purpose of the assignment and to its criteria for success Feedback is appropriate, in relation to students understanding of what they are supposed to be doing Feedback is received and attended to and, Feedback is acted on by the student.Hounsell (2004) also makes the following points about feedback It chamberpot be extrinsic (assessment-focused) or intrinsic (activity andpractice-based) It can be immediate and verbal (in order to address the potential lack of engagement when it arrives after an assessment) It can be provided to be a whole class It can be many to many where students are involved in identifying the strengths and weaknesses (peer feedback) and, Feedback can be a entwine it can be offered on unfinished work.Another useful idea is feed-forward. Feed-forward encourages students to use something like a fall guy claim (also captured by the idea of criteria and ideals) to help plan their approach to an assessment. While a marking rubric is routinely used by university teachers to mark/ coterie students work (as an expression of what a student needs to demonstrate (and the train they need to achieve) to receive a particular grade), the idea of feed-forward is about boost students to use that same information in the rubric to plan their work, and perhaps even, to self-assess it before submitting it for formal feedback. In summaryFeedback example Develop a marking rubric as a cover sheet. The rubric identifies the elements of the assignment, together with a breakdown of marks for each element or a description of the standard for an A, B, C, D, P etc.Feed-forward example Provide the marking rubric to students before the assignment is due so that they agnisely understand whats expected, the levels of achievement, and can plan their approach accordingly.In marking student work, youll need a suite of feedback techniques. Remember, if youre going to be spending a lot of time providing feedback, you necessity to make sure that students read, use and engage with your feedback to improve their next assignment. The best way to do that is to gravel a range of techniques that you can draw on, when you need to. The table below describes some feedback techniques.One ceremony you might make about each of these techniques is that they are focused on (i) engaging students with the criteria and standards, and (ii) with what the student does with the feedback they receive. If youd like to read more than about these two ideas (and others like them), two articles may be in particular useful to you Rust, Price ODonovan (2003) and Price, ODonovan Rust (2004). unison and fairness in marking and feedbackConsiste ncy in marking, or moderation, is aimed at ensuring fairness in marking, and requires finding or establishing agreement between markers. reservation sure that assignments contain criteria and standards is a good start because the expectations involved are clear to the student and clear to the marker. Although this does not absolve the marker from interpreting students work, without criteria or standards, the job of marking ends up being a good deal harder.The procedures for marking are set out in the Universitys Assessment Procedures (an excerpt of the principles is below)Where there is more than one marker, selected pieces of work from each assessment task should be reviewed by the subject coordinator to verify the level and consistency of the marks allocated by the marker.This process, called moderation, increases the reliability of the assessment process and application of standards, promotes consistency, supports objectivity and establishes a overlap understanding of standard s and fairness in assessment.The university also has a grading schema with a range of winnow out grades.Graduate capabilitiesAlongside the conventional grading schema, from 2012, all commencing first year students will receive a result on the achievement of the universitys six graduate capabilities at the end of the year report Speaking Inquiry/Research Critical thinking Creative Problem-solving TeamworkThere are some subjects which confuse been designated cornerstone, mid-point and capstone status. This means that their curriculum has been designed to teach, assess, provide feedback and report specifically on these graduate capabilities. For each graduate capability, students will receive one of three results exceeded expectations, met expectations or did not meet expectations. Each skill has carefully crafted a description of what these standards look like. It may be the case that you will be asked to provide feedback to students about their graduate capability achievement as well. Because faculties will have already done square(a) work outlining those standards, it is likely you will be asked to offer students that feedback.SummaryWhen considered together, assessment and feedback are incredibly fibrous levers for influencing the direction of students efforts, and their learning. For many students, the assessment in the subject is the actual curriculum. It is largely students reading and perception of what the assessment demands of them which is a key determinant in how they spend their time in a subject. Therefore, the messages that students take onward about assessment from the documents the Subject Guide from interaction with other students, are important considerations. In the sustain week, you will discover just how crucial feedback is to this process and how theadoption of standards and criteria will help you mark and grade more efficiently and effectively.ReferencesGibbs, G. and Simpson, C. (2004). Conditions Under Which Assessment Supports St udent Learning. Learning and Teaching, Issue 1, pp 3-31.Hattie, J. Timperley, H. (2007). The Power of Feedback. Review of educational Research, 77(1), 81-112.Hounsell, D. (2004). Reinventing Feedback in the Contemporary Scottish University. Scottish Quality Enhancement Workshop on Assessment, University of Glasgow available online at www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/documents/events/20040604/Hounsellpaper.pdf.ODonovan, B., Price, M., Rust, C. (2004). Know what I mean? Enhancing student understanding of assessment standards and criteria. Teaching in Higher Education, 9(3), 325-335.Orrell, J. (2006). Assessment beyond intuition. Central Queensland University available online at http//www.learning.cq.edu.au/FCWViewer/view.do?page=8896, accessed Feb 2011.Price, M., ODonovan, B., Rust, C. (2004).Know what I mean? Enhancing student understanding of assessment standards and criteria. Teaching in Higher Education, 9(3), 325-335.Ramsden, P. (2003). Learning to teach in higher education. (2nd e dition). Routledge, NY London.Rust, C., Price, M., ODonovan, B. (2003). Improving Students Learning by Developing their Understanding of Assessment Criteria and Processes. Assessment Evaluation in Higher Education, 28(2), 147-164.Taylor, J. (2008). Assessment in First Year University A model to manage transition. Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice, 5(1).