Student understanding of the criteria used for assessment, and the relationship to their perceptions concerning feedback.
contributors | abstract | biographies
Contributors
Dr Penny English (Anglia Ruskin University)
Intended format
Paper presentation
Abstract
There has been much concern over the relatively low scores in the NSS relating to the questions on feedback, and considerable efforts have been made to improve the quality of feedback students receive on their work. Despite this, student satisfaction concerning feedback remains an issue. Reflection on the results in our Law School, and the apparent failure to communicate effectively with the students concerning the importance and value of feedback led to a questioning of whether the misalignment P Orsmond and S Merry, ‘Feedback alignment: effective and ineffective links between tutors’ and students’ understanding of coursework feedback’ (2010) Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education between the perceptions of tutors and students goes deeper. The lack of understanding is perhaps not simply a failure to interpret what feedback is really saying: although undoubtedly, a clearly articulated and shared understanding of the feedback itself (and how to use it) is essential. The topic remains an under-researched area M R Weaver, ‘Do students value feedback? Student perceptions of tutors’ written responses’ (2006) 31(3) Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 379 with published work focusing on methods, and there is scope for investigating this further.
However, making sense of feedback requires students to make sense of the learning outcomes and associated assessment criteria for the assessment task first. The usefulness of initiatives to improve feedback is compromised where this link is weak.
This paper discusses the preliminary results of a project to rewrite assessment criteria and grade descriptors and embed these within feedback to students. Evaluation of student understanding of these criteria and how the outcomes and criteria inform the feedback they receive. The intention is to shed some light on how to improve the effectiveness of feedback.
Constructive alignment J Biggs, Teaching for Quality Learning at University (Open University Press, Buckingham1999 in course design is firmly embedded in academic practice. Course design is routinely based on defined outcomes, and assessment is criterion-referenced and assessment a seamless part of teaching. Feedback, in order to be effective needs to be part of the process rather than an external reflection on it and depends on the interaction between student and tutor which ultimately develops ‘a common understanding…shaped and constantly evolving within a community of practice’. C Rust et al, ‘A social constructivist assessment process model’ (2005) 30(3) Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education. Communicating this to students involves the transfer of both tacit and explicit knowledge B O’Donovan, M Price and C Rust, ‘Know what I mean? Enhancing student understanding of assessment standards and criteria’ (2004) 9(3) Teaching in Higher Education 325 as part of an induction into the whole HE culture, with the ultimate aim that the student’s understanding of what is meant by a good piece of work bears a close relationship to that of the tutor. Feedback will only make sense to students if they can make a clear link between it and their understanding of what they should be demonstrating through the assessed task.
This paper will add to the scholarship of the teaching and learning of law by contributing to the evidence base for enhancing practice. Despite the existence of a body of writing on the topic of feedback, much of this does not relate specifically to law nor make explicit the need to align this with the other elements of the learning experience in an overarching conceptual framework.
Short biographies of panel members
Dr Penny English is Principal Lecturer at Anglia Law School, based in Cambridge. Prior to that she taught at Middlesex University. She was awarded a University Teaching Fellowship at Anglia Ruskin in July 2010. Her main teaching area is EU Law, but has also been involved in teaching International Law and Land Law. She is particularly interested in innovative assessment practice and the inclusion of e-learning in legal teaching.
Last Modified: 10 December 2010
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