Aligning assessment with long‐term learning

Abstract

Assessment in higher education is commonly held to contribute to feedback to students on their learning and the certification of their achievement. This paper argues that this short-term focus must be balanced against a longer-term emphasis for learning-oriented assessment to foster future learning after graduation. The paper proposes that students need to become assessors within the context of participation in practice, that is, the kinds of highly contextualised learning faced in life and work. It discusses the kinds of practices that are needed to refocus assessment within higher education courses to this end.

Facilitating and integrating learning within sport studies cooperative education: Exploring the pedagogies employed by students, academics and workplace supervisors

“…Arguably Gibb's model is focused more on reflection-on-action, but it can also be used to focus on reflection in and before action. It is consistent with Boud's notion of lifelong learning and its focus on forward thinking (Boud & Falchikov, 2006;Boud, Keogh & Walker, 1985). While it can be argued that students may have difficulty undertaking purposeful reflection in the workplace setting, modern technologies allow academic supervisors to foster such reflection via, for example, on-line reflective journals/discussion.…”

“…However, for this learning to occur in a measured fashion, placement practitioners must design programmes and placement structures that encourage learning as a situated, participatory and socially-mediated activity (Eames & Bell, 2005). Boud and Falchikov (2006) argued that WIL should not be purely for the preparation of work-ready graduates but also enable students to develop skills as lifelong learners. Gray (2007) distinguished between personal reflection of the reflective practitioner (Schön, 1991) and critical reflection involving professional learning.…”

In search for the most informative data for feedback generation: Learning analytics in a data-rich context

“…This information should help to better shape teaching and learning and is especially useful when it becomes available prior to or during the learning process. Feedback plays a crucial part to assist regulating learning processes (Boud & Falchikov, 2006;Hattie, 2009;Lehmann, Hähnlein, & Ifenthaler, 2014;Whitelock et al, 2014). Several alternative operationalisations to support feedback are possible.…”

“…According to test tradition, feedback resulting from such "classical" tests are typically limited to a grade (Boud & Falchikov, 2006;Whitelock, Richardson, Field, Van Labeke, & Pulman, 2014). Another limitation of classical summative testing is that feedback becomes available only after finishing all learning activities (Segers, Dochy, & Cascallar, 2003).…”

Adopting a blended approach to learning: Experiences from Radiography at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh

“…2,3 In order to respond to the external professional requirements and those of the university, radiography programmes need to provide opportunities for students to learn in ways that will increase student responsibility for their own learning, reduce their level of dependence on staff and prepare them for the rigours of the workplace by developing high level cognitive and transferable skills. This paper outlines significant and substantial changes to the following three programmes at QMU: Postgraduate Diploma in Radiotherapy and Oncology; BSc (Hons) Diagnostic Radiography and BSc (Hons) Therapeutic Radiography.…”