Jun 27 2009
How can assessment support learning?
Assessment is a powerful determinant of the goals of both teachers and learners (Jenkins 2004). According to Brown and Glasner (1999), assessment can be used for the following reasons:
• providing feedback
• grading
• enabling students to correct errors
• motivating students
• consolidating learning
• applying abstract ideas to practical examples
• estimating students’ potential
• guiding selection or option choice
• giving staff feedback on how effective their teaching has been
• providing statistics for internal and external uses.
Gibbs and Simpson (2004) purport that it “assessment has an overwhelming influence on what, how and how much students study” .
As such, they describe ten conditions under which assessment can support learning.:
A. The effects of design of assessment tools on volume, focus and quality of studying
Conditions:
1. Sufficient assessed tasks are provided for students to capture sufficient study time
2. These tasks are engaged with by students, orienting them to allocate appropriate amounts of time and effort to the most important aspects of the course.
3. Tackling the assessed task engages students in productive learning activity of an appropriate kind
B. The effect of feedback on learning
Conditions:
4. Sufficient feedback is provided, both often enough and in enough detail
5. The feedback focuses on students’ performance, on their learning and on actions under the students’ control, rather than on the students themselves and on their characteristics
6. The feedback is timely in that it is received by students while it still matters to them and in time for them to pay attention to further learning or receive further assistance
7. Feedback is appropriate to the purpose of the assignment and to its criteria for success
8. Feedback is appropriate, in relation to students’ understanding of what they are supposed to be doing
9. Feedback is received and attended to
10. Feedback is acted upon by the student
References:
Gibbs, G. and Simpson, C. (2005). “Conditions under which assessment supports students’ learning.” Learning and Teaching in Higher Education
Jenkins, M. (2004). “Unfulfilled Promise: formative assessment using computer-aided assessment.” Learning and Teaching in Higher Education , i, 67-80.
