Exploring Formative Assessment in Practice

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  • 30 October 2009
  • Darwin Conference Suite, Canterbury Campus (directions)
  • 9:15am - 3pm (registration from 8:45am)
  • Programme

All sessions are practice focused and include:

  • University of Kent case studies on formative assessment practice in:
    • Self/peer assessment
    • Assessing practical skills
    • Using journals/reflection
  • Using technology to enhance formative assessment
  • Practical ways forward with formative assessment
Keynote Berry O’Donovan: Feedback - written product or relational process?

Within Higher Education feedback is often considered as a uni-directional written product authored by tutors and passively received by students. Based on the work of the 'Engaging Students with Assessment Feedback' FDTL project and work undertaken at the ASKe Centre for Excellence (Assessment Standards Knowledge exchange) this keynote will argue for the importance of a 'process' approach to feedback in which the significance of its relational dimension is recognised and understood. Programme-based initiatives will be explored that encourage student engagement with feedback and the development of their self-evaluative abilities which support their progression from dependency to self-regulated learning.

  • Berry is a Deputy Director of the ASKe Centre for Excellence focused on improving assessment practice, particularly sharing understandings of assessment standards.
  • She is also the Acting Head of Learning and Teaching at the Business School, a University Teaching Fellow and an active researcher in pedagogy.
  • Keynote presentation slides; Keynote handout; Reference List.
Sessions (also see programme for session details)

8 45 Registration including refreshments

9 15 Welcome Dr Louise Naylor Suite 2

9 30 Keynote Berry O'Donovan Suite 2

10 30 Session 1a Peter Hartley: 'Making groupwork work' Suite 3
Prof Peter Hartley, Professor of Education Development, Director of the Centre for Academic Practice and Head of the Educational Development Team, University of Bradford. Session 1a: Group work video resource. (winner of the Jorum and Alt-Epigeum awards)

10 30 Session 1b Kent case studies: using journals and reflection. Suite 2 Debbie Reed, Dentistry (presentation) and Louise Frith, UELT (presentation)

11 15 - 11 30 Break Suite 1

11 30 Session 2a Kent case studies: using self/peer assessment Suite 3 Jonathan Fitchett, ELU (presentation) and Ian Utting, Computing Science.

11 30 Session 2b Karen Handley; Berry O'Donovan Engaging students with assessment feedback Suite 2

12 15 - 1 15 Lunch Suite 1

1 15 Session 3a Bob Rotheram Using audio feedback Suite 2
Bob Rotheram, Bob Rotheram is a National Teaching Fellow (2002) and Reader in Assessment, Learning and Teaching at Leeds Metropolitan University. With over 30 years teaching and staff development experience in higher education, his current field of interest is the use of ICT to enhance assessment. His National Teaching Fellowship project was in the area of computer-assisted assessment. Recently he led the highly successful JISC-funded project 'Sounds Good' which introduced the use of digital audio for assessment feedback at four higher education institutions. Audio feedback proved very popular with students and staff, and Sounds Good was shortlisted for a Times Higher award. Session 3a: Using audio feedback.
Presentation; Audio feedback tips; Book review exercise.

2 15 Session 4a Kent case studies: assessing practical skills Suite 2
Per Laleng, Law; Peter Klappa, Biosciences, (presentation).

3 00 Close

Confirmed external speakers
  • Prof Peter Hartley, Professor of Education Development, Director of the Centre for Academic Practice and Head of the Educational Development Team, University of Bradford. Session 1a: Group work video resource. (winner of the Jorum and Alt-Epigeum awards)
  • Dr Karen Handley, Head of Pedagogic Research in the Business School at Oxford Brookes University; Principal Lecturer in Management and Organisational Studies and a Deputy Director of the Brookes Assessment Standards Knowledge exchange (ASKe). Her particular interest is in student engagement with feedback. Session 2b: Engaging students with assessment feedback: four feedback methods.
  • Bob Rotheram, Bob Rotheram is a National Teaching Fellow (2002) and Reader in Assessment, Learning and Teaching at Leeds Metropolitan University. With over 30 years teaching and staff development experience in higher education, his current field of interest is the use of ICT to enhance assessment. His National Teaching Fellowship project was in the area of computer-assisted assessment. Recently he led the highly successful JISC-funded project 'Sounds Good' which introduced the use of digital audio for assessment feedback at four higher education institutions. Audio feedback proved very popular with students and staff, and Sounds Good was shortlisted for a Times Higher award. Session 3a: Using audio feedback.
Aim

An opportunity for staff from all departments to share practical ideas to enhance formative assessment in line with the current University enhancement theme.

Need accomodation?

There is a range of accomodation available in Canterbury. A discount is available at the hotels below; mention the University of Kent when booking:

  • Falstaff hotel: very close to both Canterbury West station and the University.
  • Thanington Hotel: close to Canterbury East station; slightly further from the University.

Who should attend?

Teaching staff, programme or module leaders, Directors of Learning and Teaching, Heads of Department and any staff with an interest in assessment of HE students and the development of taught courses. Students are welcome to attend.

Booking

For further information contact Judy Cohen