Assessment Strategies

I believe, “the goal of the educator is to prepare students to be “effective performers in the business world” (Winer, L. 199, p 11).

“The fundamental principle of constructive alignment is that a good teaching system aligns teaching method and assessment to the learning activities stated in the objectives so that all aspects of this system are in accord in supporting appropriate student learning”. 

(Biggs, 1999:11). 

I found this module incredibly interesting and informative.  Assessment is so often used as a stick for students.  The age old question, "is this on the paper?" The module made me reassess how I view assessment and I have already been able to incorporate techniques learned into my class in the area of formative assessment. 

The module has highlighted to me key areas which when incorporated into my module will facilitate a better learning environment for my learners. Dare I say, it will make it a better teaching environment for me also. 

The special events environment module within the BA in Marketing in Dublin Business on which I lecture recently underwent a programmatic review and the following updates were made.

a)       The module was updated to demonstrate a better understanding of the entire events industry on a global scale. All original material was updated to give a more contemporary view of events, with the addition of new material to reflect emerging areas of importance such as volunteerism, market research specifically for events and project management.

b)       Assessment strategy was also altered to allow learners volunteer in events and build a portfolio of their event management experience.

c)        The rationale for change was based on the necessity for learners to understand the different perspectives of events and acquire the necessary skills to manage an event in the ever changing volatile market.

The assessment criterion for the module was changed from 70/30 in favour of final written exam to 50/50 giving more weight to continuous assessment.

The assessment strategy in this module requires learners to complete a proposal to create or engage on a voluntary basis with an event.  Requiring the learner to theoretically appraise the event and confirm its suitability.  Subsequently they are to write an individual reflective report requiring them to review their experiences and contrast theory to real life experience.

As a new lecturer and having only recently taken over this module, I have adapted the assessment strategy in the module as follows.  

The 50% continual assessment strategy now requires learners to complete a proposal for a fictional event and pitch it to an audience of their peers (20% of CA mark),

Each learner will engage on a voluntary basis within a real world event. The learner’s involvement would be assessed by a direct report and in turn the learner would write a reflective piece on their experience at the event and complete an evaluation report

Finally the learner will attend an event, thereby closing the loop and assess and critique an event from a consumer’s perspective (10% of CA mark). 

It is early days to see how these changes will impact on the module, but I will keep you posted.  The assessment module highlighted to me some definite areas that need to be changed to improve learning.  I also lecture to the part time BA (Hons) students and some of the assessment assignments I have put in place will prove difficult for them to complete while in full time employment.  

Some key areas I intend to address going forward:

• I must create more opportunities for formative assessment and feedback
• Facilitate constructive alignment through a more coherent strategy linking module learning outcomes, assignment briefs and marking criteria
• Provide more peer assessment opportunities
• Reassess the validity and reliability of current assessments and where possible get a second examiner.
• Create detailed criteria for each assessment and incorporate an assessment grid into the module.
• Use backwash as an advantage by aligning assessment to what students should be learning (Biggs & Tang, 2007, p. 169)
• Divergent assessment is more authentic and makes it easier to assess higher cognitive skills but it is harder to mark.

"Assessment is at the heart of the student experience”. (Brown and Knight, 1994: 1)

Took the students on a field trip to the Chinese Market. Working at the Chinese New Year Festival was their main CA Assessment this year.

The student’s learning depends on how they think they are assessed. This is why the assessment criteria need to be communicated openly so that the students focus on the correct aspects in their learning (Biggs & Tang,, 2007).

What I have learned during the assessment module has helped me greatly and as a new lecturer has given me much to think about and incorporate into my assessment strategy going forward.  

References:

Biggs, J, Tang, C. 2007, ‘Teaching for Quality Learning at University’, 3rd Edition, SRHE and University Press