University of Cumbria Open Access Journals
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Measuring the Quality of the Assessment Process: Dealing with Grading Inconsistency
Get PDFThis paper examines an assessment process within the context of quality, accountability and institutional effectiveness in academia. Considered as one of the most important elements in higher education, the assessment process plays a significant role in contributing to holistic quality as well as the performance of an academic institution. As a result, appropriate requirements need to be established, applied consistently and communicated effectively among different groups of stakeholders. The lack of a systematic approach in this matter as well as the lack of specific performance measures of the assessment process shape a false image of students’, and consequently, graduates’ academic capacity. Keywords Quality; institutional performance; grading consistency; grade inflation; quality measures
Mentoring as a collaborative learning journey for teachers and student teachers: a critical constructivist perspective
Get PDFThe need to improve teachers’ professional knowledge and skills is recognised across the globe. However while a neo-liberal model of education puts emphasis on skills and expertise; transformative agendas in education seek to establish educational environments that promote both cultural and social change in a systematic manner. Against this backdrop, educational reforms are initiated globally with the intention of implementing a ‘change’ process agenda which could conceivably serve alternative if not opposed goals and outcomes. Drawing on a study in a teacher education reform initiative in Scotland, this paper argues that a critical constructivist approach to mentoring can support collaborative learning between teachers and student teachers and in so doing, serve a model of teacher learning that is grounded in and conscious of the normative structures of classrooms and schools. In this paper, the critical constructivist approach to mentoring is seen as an integrated and egalitarian process encapsulating apprenticeship, reflective, socio-constructivist and participatory strategies to learning. Data collection was carried out using qualitative strategies including semi-structured interview and case studies. A series of examples of practice derived from this empirical study illustrate features of a complex process that incorporates apprenticeship and collaboration based on the critical constructivist approach to mentoring.
A pedagogy for initial teacher education in England
Get PDFThis paper promotes the importance of a pedagogy for teacher education and proposes a pedagogical framework for teacher education in England. The pedagogy of teacher education consists of those strategies intentionally employed which facilitate teachers in learning how to teach. With one or two notable exceptions the pedagogy of teacher education in England has been under researched and under theorised, and this has led to undervaluing its importance at a time of radical change in policy. At a time of increasing focus on ‘school-led’ teacher education in England, this paper argues that in the context of the current policy environment it is more important to establish the how of teacher education than where it takes place. Models of teacher education and writings from America and continental Europe are used to inform a pedagogical framework that can underpin teacher education wherever it takes place. In particular Korthagen and Kessel’s (1999) use of episteme and phronesis are appropriated to develop a generic framework that is exemplified through a case study from initial teacher education in music. It is argued that the pedagogical processes of the framework, when learning how to teach, can transcend the inherent conservatism of the ‘local’ and prepare teachers to become autonomous, creative and critical practitioners.
Assessment for learning practices and competency among Malaysian university lecturers: a national study
Get PDFThis paper reports the findings of a national study involving 534 lecturers from 33 higher learning institutions in Malaysia to find out their self-reported practices and perceived competencies in assessment for learning. Data were collected using a 24-item assessment practice inventory drawn from five of the six standards stipulated in an established US-developed assessment competency framework for teachers. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and descriptive statistics were used to analyse lecturers’ reported practices and competencies. The PCA procedures extracted four underlying dimensions of AfLpractice among the lecturers that corresponded to four of the five standards used. Further descriptive analysis produced a rank order of the four AfLdimensions in terms of practice and competency. Lecturers reported to quite frequently practise‘communicating results and feedback to students’ and ‘using diverse AfL methods’. They also perceived to be more competent in these two aspects than in AfL-compliant grading practices and recognising unethical uses of assessment information. The findings produced adequate empirical support for instructional interventions and training to be provided at the national level to upgrade lecturers’ current competencies in assessment and support their adoption of AfL. Keywords Assessment for learning; assessment practices; assessment competency; assessment standards; assessment practice inventory; Malaysian higher education
Using the Teachers’ Values Game to facilitate teachers’ reflection on their own values
Get PDFAt present, teacher education is focused on giving future teachers in-depth knowledge of the subject matter they are going to teach, while far less emphasis is placed on preparing them for their role as values educators. As students learn many important values through interaction with teachers, it is important that teachers start reflecting on their values and notice that values can be transmitted not only through subjects which deal overtly with moral content, but also through teachers’ conduct and a school’s overall functioning. In order to urge students to reflect on and discuss their values, the teacher must first acquire the same skills. In this paper I shall ask what universities should do to better prepare future teachers for their role as values educators. I will also show how a methodological tool – the Teachers’ Values Game – based on group discussions of moral dilemmas inherent in practical examples collected from real life, can help teachers to get to know their values and bring their behaviour in line with their own and their school’s shared values. Keywords: ethical teacher; ethics in teaching; moral dilemma; value; teacher education; values education; values game; values clarification; character education; virtues, principles
Audio feedback: richer language but no measurable impact on student performance
Get PDFAudio feedback has been shown to be popular and well received by students. However, there is little published work to indicate how effective audio feedback is in improving student performance. Sixty students from a first year science degree agreed to take part in the study; thirty were randomly assigned to receive written feedback on coursework, thirty students received their feedback via audio files. Mean marks awarded for the coursework for each group were not significantly different. The end of module test included questions that specifically assessed topics from the coursework. Overall test results were not significantly different for the two groups, nor were marks for the coursework-specific questions. Samples of the tutor feedback were analysed and the language categorised. The mean word counts for audio feedback were significantly higher than word counts for written feedback. Analysis of the language used in feedback (measured by word count) indicated significantly higher word counts for audio feedback in the following categories, ‘explaining misunderstandings’ and ‘demonstration of good practice’. Since word counts for audio feedback might be expected to include a number of ‘filler’ words, the number of comments made under different categories was also compared for audio and written feedback. Significantly more comments were made using audio feedback in the categories ‘giving praise’, ‘explaining misunderstandings’, ‘demonstration of good practice’ and ‘justifying marks’. Under the heading ‘suggesting approaches to future work’ more comments were made using written feedback than audio, although the mean number of comments in both forms of feedback in this category was very low. Whilst marks may not be improved for those students receiving audio rather than written feedback, the feedback given is much richer. Keywords Audio feedback; student performance; language of feedback
Staff and students’ conceptions of good written feedback: Implications for Practice
Get PDFThe assessment of students’ work has long been recognised as a key part of the learning process and yet some research suggests that despite considerable advances in recent years in terms of developing a greater variety of assessment forms, the contribution made by feedback on assessment to student learning remains a problematic area. In this paper I explore the concept of good written feedback as defined by first and third year undergraduates and academic staff in a post 1992 British university. This paper focuses on summative written feedback which I define as feedback provided on a student’s assignment, after it has been submitted, which contributes to a final grade. My analysis of the data collected via semi structured interviews highlights the importance of the pre-conceptions of staff and students on their conception of the role and form of effective feedback. Although there are similarities in the staff and student conceptions of good written feedback there are significant areas of difference which, it is argued, can best be resolved by the adoption of more dialogic forms of feedback. Key words Feedback, students’, staff, dialogue
Get a backbone … Come on!’ The place of emotional intelligence in pre-placement preparation and support for trainee teachers
Get PDFThis action research study seeks to understand and suggest improvements to current preparation for placement processes which can impact on trainees’ social and emotional well-being both before and during school based placements in primary schools. The research focus was motivated by a growing number of trainee teachers failing or withdrawing from placement due to factors not aligned to subject knowledge or pedagogy. Semi-structured interviews with student teachers produced narrative data that was analysed using a grounded theory approach. The sample group was drawn from undergraduate student teachers in year three of their four year degree programme. Analysis of transcript data highlighted three main aspects that were identified by trainees as impacting on emotional preparation - an organisational aspect, a support aspect and an anticipatory and anxious emotional aspect. Findings indicate that trainees consider current placement procedures as both inadequate in developing their emotional intelligence often impacting negatively on their physical and emotional preparations
Put it there, Partner!’ A Case Study of an organic partnership with a school
Get PDFThis paper presents the findings of a case study of an organically developing partnership between a Higher Education Institution (HEI) and a primary school. The paper gives a brief overview of the context of current partnership working and some of the challenges this presents. It also briefly explores the impact on partnership working of government initiatives such as School Direct. The paper goes on to present the findings of the case study where the author, a university tutor (teacher educator) has developed a partnership with a school over the past two and a half years. The partnership journey begins with supporting the student to engage a challenging class in literacy work and then continuing to support her through her NQT year. The paper discusses how a practitioner research opportunity brought several ITE stakeholders together in terms of impact on learning and development and how the partnership is developing symmetrically as a result. I have found that effective partnership can start this way and that a partnership that develops to the benefit of all stakeholders: school, HEI, me, NQT/RQT and current PGCE students is more effective in terms of sustainability, innovation and collaboration. The paper goes on to explore future implications in terms of School Direct planning and working