Assessment and learning gain: are we measuring what's important to students?

Rochon, Rebecca (2019) Assessment and learning gain: are we measuring what's important to students? In: 12th Annual University of Glasgow Learning & Teaching Conference, 2-3 April 2019, Glasgow University.

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Abstract

This presentation presents findings from a research project on using live brief assessment with L5 and L6 students. Unsurprisingly, students seem to welcome the authentic experiences and related opportunities for learning and development that these types of assessments offer. It does raise the question, however, of what exactly, we are measuring with our assessments- and what is important to students. Findings suggest a disparity between the learning of subject-specific content articulated in module learning outcomes and the perceived learning of soft skills, such as communication and team work, reported by students. The students achieved the content-related learning outcomes and, as such, the live brief approach could be said to be effective. At the same time, learning reported by the students in focus groups remained largely unrecognized by the summative assessment. These findings raise a red flag on how learning gain is measured institutionally and within the sector: innovative and authentic pedagogical practice requires considerable staff time. If ‘safer’, less pedagogically intensive strategies achieve similar results in terms of achieving outcomes, there is a risk that these will be preferred on the basis of expediency (Gordon & McKenna, 2018).

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Keywords:	Assessment, Higher Education, Students
Depositing User:	RED Unit Admin
Date Deposited:	17 Jul 2019 11:52
Last Modified:	17 Jul 2019 11:52
URI:	https://bnu.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/17757

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