Identifying and resolving key institutional challenges in feedback and assessment: a case study for implementing change

Simon Walker,Emily Salines,Abdillahi Abdillahi,Sharon Mason,Aanesh Jadav,Catherine Molesworth

doi:10.1080/23752696.2019.1649513

Simon Walker, Emily Salines + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1080/23752696.2019.1649513

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Abstract

ABSTRACTAs a consequence of increasing pressures to enhance assessment and feedback in response to the National Student Satisfaction (NSS) and Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), universities continue to invest significant time and resources in making improvements to this area of practice. Since 2013 the University of Greenwich has adapted, enhanced and implemented an approach called TESTA (Transforming the Experience of Students through Assessment). This case study offers a unique and sustained institutional perspective of the landscape of assessment and feedback. It examines the results from the analysis of 157 programmes over 5 years categorised as a top ten set of challenges. Through an examination of programme documentation and module evaluation by staff, the paper highlights some findings of facilitators, barriers and impact at institutional, faculty, departmental, programme and module levels. Its ultimate aim is to explore the real impact of TESTA and to contribute to an understanding of the conditions required for making and disseminating changes and spreading good practice across an HE institution.

Highlights

Higher education (HE) market mechanisms such as the National Student Survey (NSS), incorporated into the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), seek to control the quality of teaching, learning and assessment through competitive ranking systems (Burgess, Senior, & Moores, 2018; Hillman, 2017)
This case study set out to examine the degree to which TESTA@Greenwich has been embedded within the institution and what barriers and facilitators might appear at different levels of the University
What makes TESTA@Greenwich a success is a combination of factors

Summary

Introduction

Higher education (HE) market mechanisms such as the National Student Survey (NSS), incorporated into the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), seek to control the quality of teaching, learning and assessment through competitive ranking systems (Burgess, Senior, & Moores, 2018; Hillman, 2017). TESTA considers a wide range of assessment issues – by means of an analysis of load, variety, timeliness and quality of feedback through different lenses – and produces evidence-informed recommendations that can be used to encourage positive changes in student and staff behaviour.

Results

Conclusion