Contents
Dr Clare Tyrer (Senior lecturer in Educational Development) – LEaD, City, University of London
Professor Jane Secker (Senior Lecturer in Educational Development) – LEaD, City, University of London
[Workshop]
The purpose of the interactive workshop is to explore assessment from a more contextualised and constructivist perspective. It aims to critically analyse the impact of disciplinary differences on assessment and institutional and external influences. Coupled with these learning outcomes is a discussion around appropriate and authentic integration of AI in assessment.
In this workshop we will be:
1. Examining how different academic disciplines and their ‘cultures’ shape and continue to shape assessment design and implementation. Becher’s (1989) categorisation of academic disciplines into cognitive dimensions serves as a basis for exploring how different disciplines shape assessment practices (Jessop & Maleckar, 2016). By acknowledging disciplinary ‘cultures’, participants can discuss how assessment design is influenced by varying cognitive properties
2. Critiquing fixed disciplinary notions. Participants will critically examine the notion of disciplines as fixed bodies of knowledge, which often lead to standardised and inflexible assessment methods (Trowler, 2019). This discussion aims to foster a deeper grasp of learning outcomes and encourage flexibility in assessment approaches to accommodate diverse perspectives and real-world applications (Boud et al., 2010).
3. Reconsidering assessment design approaches. The workshop encourages participants to move beyond rigid assessment practices by exploring contextualised approaches that transcend disciplinary boundaries. By breaking the ‘disciplinary mould’, assessment can become more meaningful and conducive to richer learning experiences.
4. Integrating generative AI responsibly into assessment. The emergence of generative artificial intelligence poses challenges and opportunities for assessment practices. Participants will discuss how AI can be responsibly integrated into assessment processes to enhance learning outcomes, considering both the assessment process itself and the cultivation of evaluative judgement in students (City University; 2023; UCL, 2024)
5. Fostering reflective assessment practice. Participants will engage in reflective exercises to uncover assumptions about assessment within their disciplines and their readiness for change. This fosters an open, reflective stance towards assessment, congruent with City’s Assessment for Learning Code of Practice.
References
Becher, T. (1989) Academic Tribes and Territories. Buckingham: The Society for Research into Higher Education and Open University Press.
Boud, D. et al. (2010). Assessment 2020: Seven propositions for assessment reform in higher education. Australian Learning and Teaching Council.
City University (2023) Generative Artifical Intelligence and learning and teaching. Available at: https://cityuni.sharepoint.com/sites/cs_CityLearningTeachngPortal/SitePages/generativeai.aspx
Jessop, T., & Maleckar, B. (2016). The influence of disciplinary assessment patterns on student learning: A comparative study. Studies in Higher Education, 41(4), 696-711.
Trowler, P. (2019). Accomplishing change in teaching and learning regimes: Higher education and the practice sensibility. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
UCL (2024) Designing Assessment for an AI-enabled world. Available at: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/teaching-learning/generative-ai-hub/designing-assessments-ai-enabled-world
