InterACT JISC Case Study

interACT: Interactive Assessment and Collaboration via Technology

Dr Sean McAleer – Programme Director Grant Murray – Learning Technologist CME

Embarked on a literature review…

And synthesised some principles:

1. Supports personalised learning

2. Ensures feedback leads to learning

3. Focuses on student self-development

4. Stimulates dialogue

5. Inducts students in the educational culture and assessment and feedback practices

6. Is acceptable to all stakeholders

Baseline activities

• Document analysis: external examiner reports (2006-2011); end of course evaluations (2006-2011); additional evaluation surveys conducted in 2010 and 2011 as part of our curriculum review; and the HEA postgraduate student experience survey

• Focus groups with staff including part-time tutors

• Feedback audit

Baseline activities revealed

1. Inconsistency in the quality and quantity of feedback provided

2. Assessment design (e.g. over-assessment, over-reliance on essays, lack of formative assessment)

3. Timeliness of the feedback

4. Lack of assessment and feedback dialogue

Reason for Feedback

Focus of Feedback

• Modular approach to sequencing of assessment

• Explicating feedback times in a student-tutor charter

• Development of assessment rubrics for all summative

• Increased use of formative assessments

Re-engineered our assessment

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PG Certificate in Medical Education

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Revised PG Certificate in Medical Education

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Formative assessment

Medium stakes assessment

High stakes assessment

©Mark Russell 2010 University of Hertfordshire

ESCAPE project

Faculty development

• Workshops about feedback and importantly agreement on how to give feedback (process)

Include self-review

• Self-review is a scenario where students make evaluative judgements about the own work and produce a written feedback commentary

Nicol, D. (2012). Assessment and feedback - in the hands of the student [Online]. JISC. Available: http://jiscdesignstudio.pbworks.com/w/page/50118521/Assessment%20and%20feedback%20-%20in%20the%20hands%20of%20the%20student [Accessed 01/02/12].

Content (understanding of theory / principles and application to own context)

- Understanding of learning theory

- Evidence of critical reflection on learning theory and key learning and teaching principles

- Evidence of application of learning theory to own practice

Self-evaluation:

Tutor feedback:

Style, format and language (e.g. structure, coherence, flow, formatting, use of language)

Self-evaluation:

Tutor feedback:

Sources and references (e.g. range of references cited, relevance, consistency, accuracy and completeness of referencing)

Self-evaluation:

Tutor feedback:

Which aspect(s) of your assignment would you specifically like feedback on?

Student comment:

Tutor feedback:

How did previous feedback inform this assignment? Student comment:

Name of Tutor: Date:

Engaging students in processing of feedback through the wiki

When you receive your assignment with feedback please upload a copy to your wiki and include a reflection on the following four questions:

1. How well does the tutor feedback match with your self-evaluation?

2. What did you learn from the feedback process?

3. What actions, if any, will you take in response to the feedback process?

4. What if anything is unclear about the tutor feedback?

Aspects I would like feedback on: • Ideas of not preparing too rigidly in order to be flexible

within sessions – practical advice would be welcomed! • As the first essay I have written in nearly 20 years, I would

like to know whether the standard overall was acceptable • Please advise me how I can enter a specific page number in

a reference when using Endnote (I wanted to add “p. 58” to the first reference used in the text since this is an exact quote, but failed to find out how I can do it, despite using the help option of the software).

• Feedback on whether my peers have had similar thoughts for their own teaching, or other ideas that have been commonly developed would be beneficial in case I have not thought or considered them.

• any part of it

How did previous feedback inform this assignment

• It made me realise that instead of focusing on a single or a few key teaching principles, I focused on many of them without going into much detail. Also I had used bullet points in the text.

• Feedback that my writing style was agreeable was reassuring. I appreciated knowing my use of literature was valid and supportive in the previous assignment, so have tried to continue applying the literature to my work.

• I tried to be careful to define and reference jargon

• It was really helpful in writing present assignment

I really like the cover sheet and request for self assessment and what you would like feedback about ... consistent with principles of feedback!! (M&L end of module feedback)

Added challenges of:

• Relationship and trust • Asynchronous dialogue and

shared understanding • Reliance on written feedback • Technology

For sharing feedback

Future developments

• Develop a toolkit of e-activities designed to improve self, peer and tutor dialogic feedback through the use of available technologies such as blogs, Friendfeed, Skype/webinars, or synchronous chat

• Introduce a patchwork assignment at the end of the Certificate and Diploma

• Work to refine technology

Project website http://blog.dundee.ac.uk/interact