Transcript Alison Halstead presentation

Challenges and
Changes in Aston
University’s approach to
assessment and
feedback
Professor Alison Halstead
Pro Vice Chancellor for Learning
and Teaching Innovation
Student Assessment and
Classification Working group.
November 24th 2011 London
What has the White Paper included from
the Browne proposal?
►Funds follow students
►Part and full time
►Student support increases
►Full fees paid upfront by
government
►Pay back starts at 21K
►Browne thinks 40% of
participants will never pay
back!
Highlights from the White Paper
►Principles
►Student Experience
►Social Mobility
►Student Choice
►Sustainable Funding
►Proposals
►Teaching and Employability to
improve.
►Brightest students to choose
►Key information sets - salaries
►Loans – Pay as you earn!
How has the HE Sector responded?
Universities UK
► Agree
►Enhancing quality student
experience, choice and
information.
► Concern
►Student Number control
(85,000 places)
►All can recruit AAB+
►Fee less £7500 can
recruit on margin (20,000)
Implications for the Sector
► The student voice will increase – the 5years of
NSS assessment and feedback biggest issue!
► The real quality of the learning experience,
ug, pg and research becomes key.
► Mergers and closures are a possibility.
► Teaching qualifications a requirement.
► Outstanding Teaching, Innovation and Scholarship crucial to a
quality learning experience
► Academic staff will have career routes to Readerships and Chairs
through excellence in Learning and Teaching
Aston University
► Founded in 1895
► Student population: 9059
► Industry-focused and
accredited programmes
► Four Schools of Study
► Business School
► Engineering and Applied Sciences
► Life and Health Sciences
► Languages and Social Science
► Industrial placement year (76%)
► Top 5 Graduates Employability
► NSS – 10 (09) – 60 (10) - 40 (11)
Aston’s balanced mission
► Aston has broad strengths in learning
& teaching; research; and community
engagement
► We aim to operate in an international
setting, but with a strong local focus
► We aim to be a major contributor to
the economic regeneration of the
West Midlands
► We want Aston to be an enjoyable
and productive university in which to
work – an inspirational place
Learning and Teaching Strategy 2008-2012
has two priorities – Staff and Students
Strategic Priority One: To
enable our staff to develop
their learning and teaching
expertise in order for them to
enhance the student learning
experience
Strategic Priority Two: To
enable our diverse students to
access and achieve a set of
understandings, skills and
personal attributes which will
enhance their achievement
and employability
L & T Objective: To enable staff to support student learning
and assessment through an effective use of e-learning
technologies and appropriate pedagogic research
• University wide systems and support
• Blackboard 9.1 VLE
• PebblePad personal learning
system
• Centre for Learning, Innovation
and professional practice
• University priorities
• Assessment
• Feedback
Alumini
Blackboard and
PebblePad
implementation
and support
team
Learning Technologies Working Sub Group of LTC
Highlights
► University wide call for projects
► PebblePad University wide pilot, evaluation and
adoption
► Turnitin pilots – plagiarism – learner development
► Experimenting with new technologies
►Optivote/Turning Point – personal response
system
►Lecture capture – for flexible, in-house and
remote interactive delivery – Aston Replay
►Echo – EAS – Foundation Degree
►Articulate – LHS (pharmacy, optometry,
audiology,law)
►Eluminate – ABS proposal
Personal response systems for formative
assessment and feedback
► Integrated in all pool teaching rooms
► Voting system provides lecturer and student
immediate feedback
Blackboard Grade Book and quizzes for online submission and feedback
Inspirational leadership and delivery reflect the very best learning experience
for the staff on the mandatory PG Cert. This is delivered in partnership with
the Schools and illustrates best research informed knowledge, local practice
and effective and efficient practices.
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All staff new to Aston
Teaching Qualification or FHEA
required for all promotions
Progression to Masters and
professional Doctorate
Teacher of the Year and NTFS
awards
Transparent career routes in L
and T
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All Schools have action plans
University led and School led
good practice days
Appreciative inquiry with
Student Guild on Assessment
and Feedback
Support for Publication
E Submission and E Marking
• Challenging for
staff
• New workstations
and screens
• Students
overwhelmingly
positive
Turnitin most effective for formative
assessment and feedback with mentors
• Most effective for improving
academic writing
• Significant improvement in
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Structure
Referencing
Argument
Reflection
• Mentors recruited trained
and paid
Effectiveness and efficiency gives more
research time – PG Cert Graduate
• Top neurology reseacher –
Parkinson's and Cardiovascular
research
• Developed formative quizzes in
Blackboard during PGCert
Dr Steve Hall
• Will not answer emails from
students or see them until they
have done the quizzes
• He says it provides significant in
term time for research and better
results
Optimvote – generates questions for
discussion to Audiology students
• Use voting to check
concepts
• Promote discussion
and questioning
• Challenge and deep
learning
Group Assessment – variable and
challenging!
► Student Guild takes issues straight to Senate (
Academic Board)
► Return of work – 6week – 4 week -???
► Group Work in final year and assessment under
close scrutiny
Questions? Discuss in your groups and
share.
► What are the three greatest challenges your
institutions face?
► How are you tackling these challenges?
► Are you willing to share an item of good practice that
you consider makes the biggest difference to student
learning and achievement?