Contents
Presenters
Dominic Pates – Senior Educational Technologist, LEaD
Paper
This paper described a module that was co-designed with students, with engaging learning and teaching approaches and which was partly assessed via a group assignment delivered in collaboration with an external partner.
Edwards (2020) states that offering students options in assessment leads to them feeling ownership and responsibility for their learning. Kessels et al (2024) note that when students are given a choice in the mode of their outputs, there is a marked increase in their intrinsic motivation.
This paper reports from an exploratory study on student experiences with authentic, flexible group assessments in an Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) context. The focus is on a new module in The City Law School titled ‘LU2037 Sustainability and Climate Change’, which introduces dimensions of sustainability and climate change through a variety of different academic lenses. The module was designed collaboratively by academics, professional services staff, and students, and was the successful recipient of a Teaching and Research Award from the University of London’s Centre for Online and Distance Education (CODE). The paper will present preliminary findings from the investigation as part of the award.
LU2037 promotes participatory learning and uses interdisciplinary approaches to engage students. The module centres around authentic and flexible assessments. Students work in small teams to address a sustainability-related issue, choosing to present their project through a digital artefact, such as a video, podcast, or poster. Each group is mentored and receives guidance, and students are encouraged to leverage insights from the module’s array of diverse content.
This project-oriented approach allows students the freedom to select the format they find most meaningful, promoting engagement, employability skills and creativity. Additionally, students complete a 1,000-word self-reflection report, which accounts for 50% of their grade. This report encourages students to reflect on their learning, teamwork, and individual role in addressing climate change.
The study aims to understand how authentic assessments enhance student engagement and learning, especially within sustainability contexts. This paper will also attempt to draw out some reflections on the challenges inherent on initiatives like these, such as why some students are resistant to group work and how students can be encouraged to develop effective team working skills.
The research asks the following: How do students perceive authentic flexible group-based assessments? Do they consider this assessment approach helpful in developing skills and competencies related to sustainability, and if so, how? We are interested in students’ perceptions of both the assessment process and how they believe it has affected their learning outcomes and skills development. Key research objectives of this study include:
- To explore student perceptions of the effectiveness of authentic assessment methods in enhancing their understanding and application of sustainability concepts
- To explore students’ perceptions and preferences of group-based assessment methods in the ESD context
- To explore the impact of flexibility in and affordances of assessment mediums (video, podcast, presentation) on students’ learning experiences
The research will examine these questions through a survey and interviews. Attendees of this session, which will consist of a 15-minute presentation, will discover some of the preliminary findings from the research and have the opportunity to reflect on the implications for ESD or for their own disciplines.
References
Edwards, A. (2020). Playing To Their Strengths: Empowering Students With Flexible Assessment. International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, 28(4), 16-27, 2020.
Kessels, G., Xu, K., Dirkx, K., & Martens, R. (2024). Flexible assessments as a tool to improve student motivation: An explorative study on student motivation for flexible assessments. Frontiers in Education, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1290977
