Short written responses

Engaging and assessing students through short-written responses

David Carless

HKU, Dec 1, 2015

The University of Hong Kong


Overview

1. Teaching and assessment context2. Examples3. Perceived benefits & challenges4. Alternative possibilities5. Implications

Teaching contextMaster of Education

English Language Curriculum & Assessment module

Participants = English language teachers from primary and secondary schools

Class size - 28



Short written response tasks, 10%

Regular class-room participa-

tion, 15%Oral Presenta-

tion, 25%

Written as-signment, 50%

Module assessment tasks


Examples of short questionsQuestion 1. A memorable school experiencePlease answer this question in the space provided (15-30 words) and place it in the collection box before leaving.As a student, what is your most powerful memory from the English language curriculum in the secondary school you attended?___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Question 5. Purpose of assessmentWhat do you think is the main purpose of assessment?

Question 7. Change to your assessment practiceWhat is the most useful change to your assessment practice you could make and why?


Inform te

acher o

f teach

ing

Inform le

arner o

f learn

ing

Make st

udent acco

untable

Improve

student le

arning

Make te

acher a

ccountab

le

Motivate st

udent

Inform pare

nts

Document s

tudents ski

lls

Prepare st

udent for e

xams

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15

7 6 5 4

1 1 1

Report back in next session (Q5 purpose of assessment)

The University of Hong KongSample student response to Q5

The primary aim of assessment is to identify students’ merits and demerits so that they will be aware of the standards of excellence and make efforts to improve themselves.

Question 5. Purpose of assessmentWhat do you think is the main purpose of assessment?


Improving teacher

feedback7

Increasing peer feedback

6

Introducing new classroom assessment ac-

tivities8

Developing re-flective stu-

dents4

Report back (Q7 Changing assessment practices)


I should spend more time following up what my students do after I give them feedback, to see if they take my advice or meet any difficulties.

Sample student response to Q7

Question 7. Change to your assessment practiceWhat is the most useful change to your assessment practice you could make and why?


Perceived benefits

Value of short written responses

• pave the way for learning next topic• do some preparation• stimulate thinking / reflection

Preparation

Conciseness

Follow-up

The University of Hong Kong Challenges• Clarity of expectations • Student use of iPhones

Questions which invite personal responses generally preferable.

The need for frequent communication about processes and expectations in assessment


Possible alternativesUse Moodle to post answers

Clickers

WorkloadThe overall grading workload partly shifted from end of module to during its implementation


Grading issuesFinding a pragmatic path:- Grading vs learning - Analytic vs holistic


Wider Implications The University of Hong Kong

Assessment design One large task at end vs multiple cumulative tasks

Spreading student effort/sustained engagement


Assessing participation Promotes student engagement

Enhances classroom atmosphere

Hard to assess reliably …

… So assess clearly defined oral & written contributions through well-designed criteria



Student view of Innovation

• Students do not seem to welcome or reject innovative assessment per se;

• It depends on: • the characteristics of the innovation; • how persuasively the rationales are communicated; • student trust in teacher


Managing Innovation• Enhancing student learning processes

• Benefits of starting small

• Insufficient to state rationale and guidelines merely at outset


The end, or is it a beginning?

Would it be possible to use short written responses in your class?

References Carless, D. & J. Zhou (2015). Starting small in assessment change: Short in-class written responses Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, http:// dx.doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2015.1068272 Carless, D. (2015). Excellence in University Assessment: Learning from award-winning practice. London: Routledge.
