Developing assessment use for teaching and learning in higher education

This is an ESCalate development project led by Val Klenowski of the Institute of Education. It looks at a variety of assessment practices to promote learning in postgraduate education and draws out the curriculum, pedagogy and assessment implications in relation to postgraduate level work. Assessment is integral to the teaching and learning cycle and must be used in the right way to support and enhance learning. Current debates about education assessment refer to research evidence that suggests assessment as a regular element of classroom work holds the key to better learning. However, most of this evidence is derived from research conducted at primary or secondary school levels. A central aim of this project was to assess the relevance of such assessment theory to postgraduate level work. This study builds on the findings of four action research projects that developed a variety of assessment practices to promote learning in postgraduate education. The specific aims are to refine and develop these assessment and pedagogic practices, which incorporate the use of self-assessment, learning portfolios and learning groups. The research projects have been conducted at Masters level at the Institute of Education, University of London in the school of Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment and in the Graduate School of Education, Queens University, Belfast. Colleagues at Bristol have indicated their interest and commitment to develop these practices with postgraduate students working in their own contexts. This project will establish networking opportunities with the Graduate School of Education, University of Bristol, so that through such exchange the practices may be improved and refined collaboratively in the three locations. This opportunity will capitalise on the individual strengths that each researcher will bring to the study and will help determine the relevance of these practices for others in higher education. Another aim is to assess the learning benefits of the study for colleagues so that the findings can be disseminated more widely. The key messages that emerged from the research relate to pedagogy, curriculum and assessment. Pedagogically it was important to shift to a more learner-centred approach with plenty of opportunities for participation and active engagement in learning about assessment through the practice of these assessment strategies. A learning curriculum was also developed that again provided opportunities for peer dialogue and collaborative learning. The assessment content and processes were integrated throughout the learning programm