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Assessment and feedback for economics students: without drowning...

Assessment and feedback for economics students: without drowning. Peter Smith University of Southampton Associate, Economics Network. Context. National Student Survey Low scores for feedback across institutions and disciplines Transition to university from A-level to undergraduate

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Assessment and feedback for economics students: without drowning...

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  1. Assessment and feedback for economics students:without drowning... Peter Smith University of Southampton Associate, Economics Network

  2. Context • National Student Survey • Low scores for feedback • across institutions and disciplines • Transition to university • from A-level to undergraduate • Formative vs. summative assessment • importance of incentives • Increasing student numbers • the tyranny of marking and providing feedback

  3. Assessment and feedback are inextricably linked • The nature of assessment methods used determines the type and effectiveness of feedback • Good feedback improves student achievement on assessments • …but can be costly as student numbers increase

  4. Assessment should be designed to: • be effective • needs to assess intended outcomes • be efficient • in terms of staff time • enable good feedback • to improve performance in future assessments

  5. Effective assessment • Discriminating in assessing outcomes • Knowledge & understanding • Application of economic thinking • Analysis • Evaluation • Graduate attributes • Expression • Problem-solving • Teamworking • etc.

  6. Effective feedback • Gulf between what students want.. • and what we want to give them • It is important to manage/influence expectations … • and to raise awareness of what is meant by feedback • …and when students are receiving it. • Use student-friendly language

  7. What students would like…based on a survey of c.600 students at Southampton • Most effective feedback: • detailed written feedback (hard copy or online) • NOT mark only/brief/delayed • Timeliness • Neutral between marks & brief comments after 2 weeks cf. detailed comments after 3 weeks • 1 Published deadlines for marks & feedback to which staff adhere • 2 Feedback available in time to improve next time • 3 Consistency across schools & programmes

  8. What students would like for their feedback…(2) • Quick turn-around • More detailed/explanatory • Legible • Positive • Consistent • Individual tutorials

  9. What students do not like… • Results displayed on noticeboard or grades only • Brief & general feedback • Group feedback • Written anonymous feedback • Delayed feedback

  10. Efficient assessment – can we avoid drowning? • MCQ • Economics Network Question Bank • http://www.economicsnetwork.ac.uk/qnbank/ • Technology-enhanced marking • podcasts of answers/common errors • statement banks • Group work • http://www.economicsnetwork.ac.uk/development • Standardised tick-box forms • Masterclasses to replace seminar groups • TA marking • Peer assessment • blogs?

  11. Peer assessment(with thanks to Judith Piggott (Oxford Brookes)) • Weekly tasks counting 10% of overall grade • In seminar/class sessions • Carefully-designed questions marked by each other before the end of the session • Then moderated (by TAs) • Improves attendance • Gives students a different perspective on marking & feedback

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