Professor Alison HalsteadPro Vice Chancellor for Learning and Teaching Innovation

Challenges and Changes in Aston University’s

approach to assessment and feedback

Student Assessment and Classification Working group. November 24th 2011 London

What has the White Paper included from the Browne proposal?

►Funds follow students►Part and full time

►Student support increases►Full fees paid upfront by

government

►Pay back starts at 21K►Browne thinks 40% of

participants will never pay back!

Highlights from the White Paper

►Principles►Student Experience►Social Mobility►Student Choice►Sustainable Funding

►Proposals►Teaching and Employability to

improve.►Brightest students to choose►Key information sets - salaries►Loans – Pay as you earn!

How has the HE Sector responded?

Universities UK ►Agree

►Enhancing quality student experience, choice and information.

►Concern►Student Number control

(85,000 places)►All can recruit AAB+►Fee less £7500 can recruit on margin (20,000)

Implications for the Sector

► The student voice will increase – the 5years of NSS assessment and feedback biggest issue! ► The real quality of the learning experience, ug, pg and research becomes key.

► Mergers and closures are a possibility.

► Teaching qualifications a requirement.

► Outstanding Teaching, Innovation and Scholarship crucial to a quality learning experience

► Academic staff will have career routes to Readerships and Chairs through excellence in Learning and Teaching

Aston University

►Founded in 1895►Student population: 9059►Industry-focused and accredited programmes►Four Schools of Study

►Business School►Engineering and Applied Sciences►Life and Health Sciences►Languages and Social Science

►Industrial placement year (76%)►Top 5 Graduates Employability►NSS – 10 (09) – 60 (10) - 40 (11)

Aston’s balanced mission

►Aston has broad strengths in learning & teaching; research; and community engagement

►We aim to operate in an international setting, but with a strong local focus

►We aim to be a major contributor to the economic regeneration of the West Midlands

►We want Aston to be an enjoyable and productive university in which to work – an inspirational place

Learning and Teaching Strategy 2008-2012 has two priorities – Staff and Students

Strategic Priority Two: To enable our diverse students to access and achieve a set of understandings, skills and personal attributes which will enhance their achievement and employability

Strategic Priority One: To enable our staff to develop their learning and teaching expertise in order for them to enhance the student learning experience

L & T Objective: To enable staff to support student learning and assessment through an effective use of e-learning technologies and appropriate pedagogic research

• University wide systems and support• Blackboard 9.1 VLE • PebblePad personal learning

system• Centre for Learning, Innovation

and professional practice• University priorities

• Assessment• Feedback

Alumini Blackboard and

PebblePad implementation

and support team

Learning Technologies Working Sub Group of LTCHighlights

►University wide call for projects ►PebblePad University wide pilot, evaluation and

adoption►Turnitin pilots – plagiarism – learner development►Experimenting with new technologies

►Optivote/Turning Point – personal response system

►Lecture capture – for flexible, in-house and remote interactive delivery – Aston Replay

►Echo – EAS – Foundation Degree►Articulate – LHS (pharmacy, optometry,

audiology,law)►Eluminate – ABS proposal

Personal response systems for formative assessment and feedback

►Integrated in all pool teaching rooms►Voting system provides lecturer and student

immediate feedback

Blackboard Grade Book and quizzes for on-line submission and feedback

Inspirational leadership and delivery reflect the very best learning experience for the staff on the mandatory PG Cert. This is delivered in partnership with the Schools and illustrates best research informed knowledge, local practice and effective and efficient practices.

• All staff new to Aston• Teaching Qualification or FHEA

required for all promotions• Progression to Masters and

professional Doctorate• Teacher of the Year and NTFS

awards• Transparent career routes in L

and T

• All Schools have action plans• University led and School led

good practice days• Appreciative inquiry with

Student Guild on Assessment and Feedback

• Support for Publication

E Submission and E Marking

•Challenging for staff

•New workstations and screens

•Students overwhelmingly positive

Turnitin most effective for formative assessment and feedback with mentors

• Most effective for improving academic writing

• Significant improvement in

• Structure• Referencing• Argument• Reflection

• Mentors recruited trained and paid

Effectiveness and efficiency gives more research time – PG Cert Graduate

Dr Steve Hall

• Top neurology reseacher – Parkinson's and Cardiovascular research

• Developed formative quizzes in Blackboard during PGCert

• Will not answer emails from students or see them until they have done the quizzes

• He says it provides significant in term time for research and better results

Optimvote – generates questions for discussion to Audiology students

• Use voting to check concepts

• Promote discussion and questioning

• Challenge and deep learning

Group Assessment – variable and challenging!

►Student Guild takes issues straight to Senate ( Academic Board)

►Return of work – 6week – 4 week -???►Group Work in final year and assessment under close

scrutiny

Questions? Discuss in your groups and share.

►What are the three greatest challenges your institutions face?

►How are you tackling these challenges?

►Are you willing to share an item of good practice that you consider makes the biggest difference to student learning and achievement?