Inclusion in Assessment
Introduction
Assessment has always been a difficult subject for both academics and students, especially in creative education. In my experience as a student, I struggled to understand the assessment criteria as well as the sometimes vague or ambiguous feedback.
Context
I have been teaching at LCC on the CertHE: Preparation for Design, Media and Screen Studies course for the last two years or so. At the end of each unit, students must submit a document that is called the ‘Process and Research Document’ along with an ‘Outcome Document’, both of which, they upload on Moodle. This document is very prescriptive and detailed in its specifications. I believe this form of assessment is restrictive and does not support students and their individual needs. This type of assessment has been created in a way that helps the tutor assess the work easier (based on the assessment criteria) but it doesn’t encourage the students to explore their creativity or develop their own understanding of the brief.
This type of assessment:
– limits their creative process and independence
– is not inclusive to students that come from different academic and learning backgrounds
– presents a language barrier
– is not inclusive for neurodivergent students
– does not allow students to understand the importance of the transferable skills you learn through development, process and research
The intervention will look at alternative forms of assessment and how to support the students learning and experience by focusing on student-led approaches and experiential learning.
Some of the recommendations as part of my intervention:
– introduce a more flexible and adaptable form of assessment to replace the ‘Process and Research Document’
– re-introduce the notion and practice of keeping a journal or sketchbook
– glossary of terms such as ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ research
– constant communication with students about how they would like to showcase their work and research
– re-introduce showcase and presentations to support their work and as other elements of assessment.
– focus on clear and unambiguous feedback
References:
Bradshaw, P. & Hickman, J. & Jones, J. ‘Stories & Streams: overcoming the student as consumer mindset through peer-to-peer learning’ Networks (18) Available at: http://arts.brighton.ac.uk/projects/networks/issue-18-july-2012/stories-and-streams-overcoming-the-student-as-consumer-mindset-through-peer-to-peer-learning (Accessed: 20 March 2024)
Davies, A. (2012) ‘Learning outcomes and assessment criteria in art and design. What’s the recurring problem?’ Networks (18) Available at: http://arts.brighton.ac.uk/projects/networks/issue-18-july-2012/learning-outcomes-and-assessment-criteria-in-art-and-design.-whats-the-recurring-problem (Accessed: 10 March 2024)
Lindström, L. (2012), Aesthetic Learning About, In, With and Through the Arts: A Curriculum Study, Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1476-8070.2012.01737.x (Accessed: 10 March)
Nicol, David J. and Macfarlane-Dick, Debra(2006) ‘Formative assessment and self-regulated learning: a model and seven principles of good feedback practice’, Studies in Higher Education, 31: 2, 199 — 218 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03075070600572090