2012 DJ

UCD Teaching and Learning

Assessment in Practice
Supplemental_2.1

Contributing Lecturer David Jennings

Essay Advantages (from the wall) Potential to demonstrate deeper learning, and construction of critical thought Ability to stratify student abilities Ability to demonstrate synthesis of thought and higher order learning Demonstrable writing skills Opportunity to demonstrate freedom of thought, expression Opportunity to capture creativity Time management (in unseen papers) implicitly assessable Ability to demonstrate research protocols and skills Advantages (from elsewhere) Unseen: Familiarity, Equality of opportunity, Economical Disadvantages (from the wall) Difficult to grade Time to correct (objectively) Potential for pre-prepared essays in unseen exams to be written verbotem Not all may be able to write academically (or have had support in developing this) Inconsistency in grading. Quality control the halo effect (one good essay may un-intentionally determine how we view and grade others i.e. harder!) Large student load time required to compose essay (in lieu of other elements of the module i.e. if the essays assesses Z whats assessing A-Y!?) Potential for plagiarism Disadvantages (from elsewhere) Unseen: Little or no feedback, may promote surface learning, Technique over learning (i.e. I can do a good exam!), Reliability issue (snapshot rather than comprehensive indicator)

 Poster Advantages (from the wall) Develops/promotes; team building, co-operative and collaborative learning Engages social interactions Ability to demonstrate freedom of expression / creativity Demonstrable presentation skills Opportunity to demonstrate synthesis of concepts - succintly Acts as an enabler, a motivational hook to provide a finished product Deemed enjoyable (in comparison to what!) Captures inclusivity in the process and potentially the product Advantages (from elsewhere) Offers diversity of assessment protocol, opportunity for peer assessment, development of transferable skills Disadvantages (from the wall) Difficult to grade individual contributions Issues with group dynamics Presentation of the kernel of a concept too little!? Need to devise process and product criteria May be financially prohibitive printing costs Logistics of assessing multiple posters Stylistic issues need to develop objective assessment criteria to embrace creative artistic impressions Potential technical issues PPT, IIlustrator, Graffle which package to use and how Disadvantages (from elsewhere) Reliability issues, difficult to remain truly objective through visual presentation and perhaps aural support of such potential dilemma of assuring external examiners grades i.e. if a QA were required in a borderline case, difficulty in clearly addressing learning outcomes (as multiples may be present),

Short Answer Questions Advantages (from the wall) Easy to mark Quick to write Good measure of recall May be designed to assess higher order learning Acts as a motivational / formative tool Drives revision Easy to assess large groups Advantages (from elsewhere) Opportunity for feed forward and feed back, development of question banks Disadvantages (from the wall) Often, too focused on recall Identifies what is unknown Provision of choice, may lead to surface learning or avoidance of areas Encourages cramming (and un-intentional stress for learner Disadvantages (from elsewhere) Writing good questions is labour intensive and hard work, often have limited (if any feedback), difficult to manage large amounts of answers (nigh impossible - without model answers, marking schemes)