Re-imagining assessment for learning in a changing HE landscape

The 14th annual Learning at City Conference took place on Wednesday 19th June 2024 at City, University of London

Assessment powerfully frames how students learn, what they achieve and what they gain from their experience of higher education (Boud 2010).

Despite us all knowing this there continues to be issues with the forms of assessment we use, how students engage with these and the purpose of the assessment activities used. This has been a source of both student and staff frustration over a number of years. The debates have continued but so too has the shift to authentic assessment and Sambell and Brown (2021) provide a range of examples of these.

McArthur (2023) adds to this discussion but calls for rethinking authentic assessment to include the relevance or purpose of assessment in relation to society and the purpose of assessment.

As the sector continues to look at what might be best practice for assessment including feedback now is an appropriate time to be exploring this and how practices may have changed.

Within this theme there are a range of sub-themes:

• Assessment approaches
• Learning and teaching approaches to support formative assessment
• Self and peer assessment
• Engaging students in assessment design
• Providing feedback
• Assessment and EDI
• Assessment and educational outcomes
• Assessment and the external HE environment

This topical theme provided excellent opportunities for discussion and, debate during the conference.

References

• Boud, D. and Associates (2010). Assessment 2020: Seven propositions for assessment reform in higher education. Sydney: Australian Learning and Teaching Council https://www.uts.edu.au/sites/default/files/Assessment-2020_propositions_final.pdf (accessed 12/01/24)
• McArthur J (2023) Rethinking authentic assessment work, well-being, and society Higher Education Vol.85 p85-101
• Sambell K & Brown S (2021) Covid-19 Assessment Collection https://sally-brown.net/kay-sambell-and-sally-brown-covid-19-assessment-collection/ (accessed 10/01/24)

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Programme

Oliver Thompson Lecture Theatre (OTLT) and Foyer and rooms on Level 3 of Tait Building.

Wednesday 19th June 2024

09:15 | Registration and refreshments (OTLT Foyer)

09:45 | Welcome and Introduction (OTLT) – Professor Pam Parker,  Professor Juliet John & Professor Susannah Quinsee

10:00 | Keynote (OTLT) –  Assessment for social justice in a changing world: is it beyond our imagination?  | Dr Jan McArthur

11:00 | Refreshments and networking (OTLT Foyer)

11:25 | Session one

1A [Workshop] C307 Generative AI and Assessment – Challenges and  Opportunities | Simon Hayley, Jane Secker, Susan Blake, Stian Reimers and Julie Voce

1B [Workshop] C310  Reversing Gains: The Challenge of Maintaining Inclusive Assessment Methods Post-Pandemic, with a Focus on Open Book Exams | Sylwia Frankowska-Takhari and Sandra Partington

1C [Papers x2] C309

1. 1. What are we assessing when assessing writing? Conversations with programme teams in the wake of generative AI | Olga Rodriguez Falcon and Rosie MacLachlan
   2. What Machine Learning should remind us about human learning & its implications for assessments | Neil Saunders

1D [Lightning Talks] C308

1. 1. Using a combinative approach of formative assessment tools to gauge learning throughout a module | Andrew Cobb
   2. AI in Education: Accelerating Assessment Practices |Joey Lin
   3. Skills-based assessments with subjective criteria: enhancing the marking and feedback process | Sona Mehta
   4. Learning About Assessment From Being Assessed | Dom Pates
   5. Using H5P interactive videos and assessments to flip learning in undergraduate mathematics | Robert Noble
   6. Exploring Virtual Reality adoption and assessment in an Electrical Engineering Class | Dave Muir
   7. Do the current Continuous Professional Development approaches for Registered Nurses and Operating Department Practitioners (ODPs) within Perioperative Care meet their learning needs? | Teopista Ssemakula

12:30 | Lunch (OTLT Foyer)

13:20 | Session two

2A [Workshop] C310  Learning from student and staff experiences of assessment: a world café event |  Pam Parker, Sara Reimers, Irene Ctori 

2B [Workshop] C307  The humanity test: Tackling AI and assessment with personality, creativity and presence | Johanna Payton

2C [Papers x2] C309

1. 1. Leading Collaborative Change in Assessment Practice: Academic Developers’ Perspectives | Nina Brooke, M. Kilmister, S. Lindsay, A.J. Churchill and Daniel Barker
   2. Undergraduate Attainment of Former Foundation Year Students within the School of Health and Psychological Sciences | Helen Spicer-Cain

2D [Papers x2] C308

1. 1. Using Generative AI in roleplays and other simulations to build practical skills and offer formative feedback | Stian Reimers
   2. Prompting generative AI to solve Maths problems | Russell Gerrard

14:25 | Session three

3A [Workshop] C307  Navigating Disciplinary Influences, Breaking Barriers in Assessment, and Integrating AI | Clare Tyrer and Jane Secker 

3B [Workshop] C310 Multi-disciplinary joint assessment – how maths, economics and programming come together in a group project | Maria Dymova, Viciano Lee, Sylwia Frankowska

3C [Papers x2] C309

1. 1. Enhancing learning through authentic assessments: reflecting Miller’s Pyramid and Harden’s Ladder  | Michelle Hennelly 
   2. Using rubrics to enhance consistency of feedback and support students’ assessment literacy | Olivia Fox, Kathryn Drumm, Pam Parker, Richard Evans 

15:30 | Closing points and celebrating awards of PGCE in Academic Practice and AdvanceHE fellowships (OTLT) | Professor Pam Parker,  Professor Juliet John & Professor Susannah Quinsee

16:30 | Drinks (OTLT Foyer)