Start Date
6-6-2013 11:05 AM
End Date
6-6-2013 12:15 PM
Description
For the award of a M.A. (Honours) Social Sciences degree at a Scottish university, students may choose a service-learning course as part of their curriculum. Voluntary work placements integral to the course offer students an ideal opportunity to develop their employability skills and attributes, thus preparing them with for the workplace. The aims of this study were firstly, to examine the effects of critical reflection on the students’ perceptions and awareness of their learning, following their participation in the non traditional forms of assessment on the course. Secondly, the study aimed to examine the effectiveness of co-assessment of students’ oral presentations. The course was taught in semester 2, 2010-11, during which time the small scale qualitative practitioner research study was undertaken. Eight semi-structured individual interviews and a focus group with the same eight students at the end of the course were conducted. This presentation focuses on a pertinent and salient aspect arising from the research, namely, that summative co-assessment is a deep approach to learning. As a consequence of, and informed by this study students self-assess their oral presentations on the development of their employability skills and attributes through service-learning by writing reflective feedback comments and suggesting an appropriate grade. Similarly, the teacher also assesses the presentations. Subsequently, on a one-to-one basis each student discusses, negotiates and agrees an appropriate grade for his or her presentation with the teacher. The agreed mark contributes to the students’ final degree classification. In this presentation, the implications, effects and outcomes of summative co-assessment are critically analysed. It is asserted that co-assessment fosters greater student engagement and enhances their skills and attributes. Co-assessment thus ultimately contributes to a democratic approach to deep learning and is congruent with service-learning pedagogy.
Recommended Citation
Deeley, S. J. (2013, June). Co-assessment: A democratic approach to deep learning. Paper presented at the 4th Asia-Pacific Regional Conference on Service-Learning: Service-Learning as a Bridge from Local to Global: Connected world, Connected future, Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China.
Included in
Co-assessment : a democratic approach to deep learning
For the award of a M.A. (Honours) Social Sciences degree at a Scottish university, students may choose a service-learning course as part of their curriculum. Voluntary work placements integral to the course offer students an ideal opportunity to develop their employability skills and attributes, thus preparing them with for the workplace. The aims of this study were firstly, to examine the effects of critical reflection on the students’ perceptions and awareness of their learning, following their participation in the non traditional forms of assessment on the course. Secondly, the study aimed to examine the effectiveness of co-assessment of students’ oral presentations. The course was taught in semester 2, 2010-11, during which time the small scale qualitative practitioner research study was undertaken. Eight semi-structured individual interviews and a focus group with the same eight students at the end of the course were conducted. This presentation focuses on a pertinent and salient aspect arising from the research, namely, that summative co-assessment is a deep approach to learning. As a consequence of, and informed by this study students self-assess their oral presentations on the development of their employability skills and attributes through service-learning by writing reflective feedback comments and suggesting an appropriate grade. Similarly, the teacher also assesses the presentations. Subsequently, on a one-to-one basis each student discusses, negotiates and agrees an appropriate grade for his or her presentation with the teacher. The agreed mark contributes to the students’ final degree classification. In this presentation, the implications, effects and outcomes of summative co-assessment are critically analysed. It is asserted that co-assessment fosters greater student engagement and enhances their skills and attributes. Co-assessment thus ultimately contributes to a democratic approach to deep learning and is congruent with service-learning pedagogy.