Making the language of assessment inclusive: New Collaborative Enhancement Project resources
| Date: | January 30 - 2023 |
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A Collaborative Enhancement Project funded by QAA has produced a toolkit aimed at encouraging dialogue around the language used in assessments, between staff, staff and students, and among students.
The toolkit was produced by the project team, led by UWE Bristol, following a critical examination of the ‘mysterious quotients’ of commonly used undergraduate assessment terms and phrases. UWE Bristol’s project partners were University of Brighton, University of Greenwich and University of Hertfordshire.
The toolkit offers staff an opportunity to interrogate their practice and support students via a series of prompt questions at key stages of the assessment and feedback process. It is accompanied by a list of key terms and phrases used in assessment and feedback that the research term investigated in their project, and a note on how to use the list.
The project team have also produced a two-part podcast where they talk more about the project.
Dr Laura Bennett and Dr Cathy Minett-Smith, who co-led the project on behalf of UWE Bristol, said: ‘The challenge for students of understanding what staff mean by some commonly used assessment and feedback terms is well known within the sector. We hope that our toolkit will allow both staff and students to initiate constructive conversations around the language that is used that will help to clarify its meaning and give students greater confidence when approaching assessments.’
Dr Ailsa Crum, QAA’s Director of Membership, Quality Enhancement and Standards said: ‘Breaking down some of the language barriers associated with assessment and feedback can be an effective way of facilitating meaningful dialogue between staff and students and enhancing students’ engagement with assessment. This resource can readily be used by any higher education practitioner to develop more student-centered approaches to assessment and feedback.’
The project resources are available on the Making the language of assessment inclusive project webpage.
QAA supports a suite of Collaborative Enhancement Projects in our role as a Membership organisation. Find out more about the projects on our website.