Reducing Assessment

Pauline Kneale [email protected]

University of Leeds Learning and Teaching Strategy 2002/3 - 2006/7

     address issues of over-assessment review assessment strategies in all Schools review assessment grids for all new programmes consider the development of Faculty assessment norms increase the use of more sophisticated on-line tools for formative assessment

Action in Geography

     October 2002-March 2003 – radical review of the syllabuses Outcome was a move to 20 credit modules in levels 1 and 2, already there at level 3 Return of some whole year modules Reduction of assessment in January Aim for real consistency across the school

Motivations

    Two new Profs HEFCE benchmark statement    Missing some elements of the syllabus Broad but not deep coverage in some areas Some absence of syllabus coherence Students complaining of bottlenecks in coursework submissions at end of semesters Students complaints that the work set took much longer to complete than staff suggested

Motivations (cont)

   Research evidence that students were not really getting into a topic before the assessment loomed Need to address the expanded numbers in a strategic way Administering 75 UG modules and 40 PG modules is a heavy admin burden, it would help to cut the module numbers

Motivations (cont.)

 10 credit modules: presentation 10%, essay 40% and exam 50% led to students ‘trying hard until they had passed the 40% hurdle’, ‘many opportunities to trip up’; ‘tendency for marks to cluster around 60%’. “OK I could get a first for this but

having out the effort into the first set of practicals, now I can get on with other things.”

How

    Program wide approach for consistency Don’t underestimate the difficulty Considerable attachment to modules by individuals, especially those who see their work as progressive teaching to all years Bi-weekly meetings of staff from the different programmes, chaired by the programme managers – two new Profs

What are the UG levels for?

   Level 1 Exploration and Inspiration Level 2 Analysis and Criticism Level 3 Creativity and Scholarship

Assessment norms

Level Report / Essay 1 2 3 Exam Work sheet 5 cr = 500 wds 5 cr = 750 wds 3 cr = 1000 wds 10 cr = 2 hours 10 cr = 2 hours 1 cr 2hr prac, or 2 cr if not handed in at prac 9 cr = 1.5 hours Poster Oral Present 4 cr 4 cr 4 cr 2 cr 2 cr 2 cr

Raise the standard of performance in assessments

   Fewer assessments, greater depth Retained the range of posters, reports, essays, presentations, group work etc. but each student will do fewer pieces of work in levels 1 and 2. Encourage guidance for attaining 80%

Level 1 – least radical!

   Before 2* 10 Cr 1 x 2 hour examination (100%). 1 x 2 hour examination (100%).    After 20Cr 1* 1 1/2 hours Unseen written examination 50%End of Sem.

1*11/2 hours Unseen written examination50% end of Sem. 2

Slightly more radical

   Before 2 * 10 Cr MCQ examination 60% 1½ hr 2 * workshops 20% 1 x 1.25 hr exam (MCQ) 70%, 1,500 wd group report and 5-slide power-point presentation 30%    After 1 * 20 Cr 1* 1,000 wd assessed essay, inc. bib’graphy 40% Fri of wk 11 1* 2-hour unseen written examination comprising one essay plus MCQs 60% end of Sem 2.

Reductions at level 2

   Before 2 * 10 Cr 2 * worksheets 20% 1 * small group PowerPoint presentation 15% 1*2hr exam 65% 2 hour Exam 67% Group presentation 33%    1*10 minute groups of 4 or 5 students 15% 1*1500 words summary report to accompany presentation 15% 1*3 hour exam 60%

Final year geography UG

   Dissertation 40 Credits Work placement or Research Placement or Independent study 20 Credits 3 * 20 Cr taught modules

Progressive teaching or progressive learning

  All staff will teach at three of the four levels All staff will contribute to one residential field class (there are 8 plus odd days)

Constraints

 Awareness of need to complete revisions by February / March  To make associated departments aware  Timetabling

Outcomes

    Full suite of 20 credit modules 52 rather than 72 UG modules 640 formal teaching hours, not 869 Reading weeks in weeks 7 of semester 1 and either 7 or 11 (bank holiday permitting) semester 2 with deadlines for coursework at the end of week 7.

Staff comments

 Fewer assessments have been well received by students, and have helped us use teaching time for discussing information rather than preparing for tests etc.

 Research placement is helpful as students engage with academic speakers (this year from around the world, via the WUN seminar series on Tuesdays). They not only learn stuff, but process (ie good/bad talks, good bad question and answer skills). But small numbers

Staff comments (cont)

20 Cr modules in levels 1 and 2,  Some work well, where staff communicate and try to integrate the different sections of the module   some modules just look like 2 bits bolted together with no integration and staff not knowing what's going on in the rest of the module. (IF staff don't know, what chance have students?) 100 compulsory level 1 credits has caused problems for students wanting to switch programmes (esp into Jt Hons)

Staff comments (cont)

   Fewer assessments: creates new problems at end of sem 2 ‘it has NOT halved the work (admin or otherwise) - created problems of communication/organisation etc’ HUGE dis-engagement of third year students with Leeds. (Some live >100 miles away and effectively commute don't have a Leeds address.)

Staff comments (cont)

Compulsory Work or research placement / independent study at level 3    Work placement - V popular & works well. Some students TOO (?) committed to it & spend too long on it. But results reflect that. Excellent pre job experience We cannot find placements for all who want them, and that is a big staff load Uneven workload between the three modules

Staff comments (cont)

  students like the 40 credit dissertation and there was no evidence from the first set of marks that standards dropped significantly with a move to a more independent approach to the dissertation. S/S committee had recognised excessive time invested in in it when only 20cr

Staff comments (cont)

The 40 Cr dissertation (cont)  Benefits from embedding preparation in level 2 tutorial module BUT  Not so good for students who do not do level 2 tutorial (Jt hons, exchange, temp leavers etc)  DSG supervision - uneven support;

Staff comments (cont)

 ‘.. as an unintended consequence of the merging of 2, 10 credit modules, I observed that students took the second semester more seriously than when the same course was split into 2 modules (I think it's because they had not got a passed module under their belt in January)’.

Issues

       Reducing the assessment load Reducing the bunching of assessments in certain weeks of the year Team teaching / managing study leave Making assessment match learning activity Challenging for excellence – 80% target It needs time and discussion Start now