Approaches to Assessment
Short Maynooth University research-informed guide written by Sally Brown and Kay Sambell on approaches to assessment. Source: Maynooth University.
Approaches to Assessment - Student Guide
A short Maynooth University research-informed guide for students written by Sally Brown and Kay Sambell on approaches to assessment. Source: Maynooth University.
'Why do we assess?'
One page Maynooth University guide on the purposes of assessment. Source: Maynooth University (Ireland).
'What do we want to assess'. Short Maynooth University animation questioning what we assess and highlighting some key assessment considerations. Source: Maynooth University (Ireland).
'Thinking about Assessment'
Two page Maynooth University guide which briefly considers looking at assessment across a programme in terms of types, levels, context and discipline. Source: Maynooth University (Ireland).
‘Fit for purpose’ Assessment and Curriculum Design - eight essentials'. Short Maynooth University animation of a model of curriculum design which shows the centrality of fit for purpose assessment in the curriculum design process. Source: Maynooth University (Ireland).
'Student Concerns about Assessment'
One page Maynooth University guide which notes eight student concerns regarding assessment. Source: Maynooth University (Ireland).
'Assessment Strategy Checklist'
One page Maynooth University checklist of things for staff members or teams to consider when examining assessment strategies. Source: Maynooth University (Ireland).
‘Getting Started with Assessment and Feedback’. Short guide which considers why we assess, with reference to summative and formative assessment, and assessment principles. The guide contains links to other resources about designing, developing and reviewing assessment and feedback approaches. Source: UCD Teaching and Learning (Ireland).
‘Purposes of Assessment’. Short video which considers what assessment does/can do: assessment for grading/certification of achievement; assessment to support learning; assessment to help students to make judgements about their own work. Source: Assessment Design Decisions project (Australia).
'Design your Assessment' Short guide, with video and test grid template. This resource considers why assess, what to assess and how to choose an assessment method. It introduces the idea of linking assessment, learning activities and learning outcomes, or constructive alignment. It provides a template that one could use when choosing an assessment method. Source: University of Groningen (The Netherlands).
'Assessment Design Cycle' One page image with a six-step approach, and links to further information, on how to design assessment. Source: University of Kent (UK).
‘Assessment Basics’. Four webpages which cover the topics of: why assessment, learning [outcomes] and [learning activities] should be aligned; the difference between formative and summative assessment; difference between assessment and grading; glossary of terms. Source: Carnegie Mellon University (USA).
‘Assessment Design Considerations’. Webpage which notes the principles that should be considered in designing assessment, for example, validity, reliability, transparency. Source: Queen’s University Belfast (Northern Ireland).
‘Expanding our Understanding of Assessment and Feedback in Irish Higher Education’. Short National Forum Insight which ‘aims to expand our understanding of the terms associated with assessment within the Irish higher education sector’. The insight considers Assessment OF/FOR/AS Learning. Source: National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (Ireland).
Choosing and using fit for purpose assessment methods
User-friendly guide providing a short overview of 21 'innovative assessment methods'. Source: Heriot-Watt University (Scotland).
‘An A-Z of Assessment Methods’. Short description of a range of assessment methods from A-Z. Source: University of Reading (UK).
'Assessment Methods' Comprehensive list of assessment methods categorised under three headings: Coursework assessment methods; Practical assessments; Examination assessments. Each method has a one/two-line description, advantages and considerations. Source: Lancaster University (UK).
‘Assessment Methods’. List of fifteen assessment methods. Each method is described in a short paragraph which is followed by information under each of the following headings: advantages; challenges; how students might experience the method; reliability, validity, fairness and inclusivity of the method; how to maintain and ensure rigour in the method; how to limit possible misconduct in the method; examples; further resources. Source: London School of Economics and Political Science (UK).
‘Assessment Types’. List of fifteen types of assessment. Each method has a description, advantages and limitations, things to keep in mind/considerations, and more resources. Charles Sturt University (Australia).
‘Assessment Methods’. List of assessment methods categorised under two headings ‘Selecting assessment tasks’ and ‘Selecting assessment technologies’. Many of the methods are described with a short overview followed by information about when to use, benefits, challenges, strategies, and additional information. Some of the methods include video clips and case studies. Source: University of New South Wales (Australia).
‘Meeting the challenges of programme focused assessment’ and ‘Thinking programmatically about your assessment and feedback practices. The programme spring-clean’. Two short guides on programme focused assessment which explore what it is, why it is important, what we can do in this space, key takeaways and references. The second of these guides ‘Thinking programmatically …’ provides a six-stage process to refreshing assessment and feedback approaches. Source: Heriot Watt University (Scotland).
‘Map my programme’ mapping tool. According to the resource owners, the aim of using this tool is to ‘diagnose assessment variety across a programme and suggest modifications to enhance the staff/student experience of assessment’. The mapping tool facilitates ‘visualising the holistic assessment experience to support effective design’; ‘[visualising] assessment across modules and courses’. The resource outlines the benefits of using the tool, how it works and the outcome. Source: Sheffield Hallham University (UK).
‘Integrated Programme Assessment. A Practical Guide’. Guide which describes the experience of a Biosciences team as they explored integrated programme assessment. The guide provides ‘a framework for subject teams or departments who are interested in rethinking assessment, with practical suggestions for how this can be achieved’ (Harvey, Tree and Rand-Weaver, 2018, p. 1). Source: Brunel University London (UK).
‘UQ Assessment Ideas Factory’. Case study hub which you can search using ‘popular tags’. The case studies are organised with a brief description, the number of students involved, the level of the cohort (for example, 1st, 2nd year), the time requirement for the intervention and the name of the person who submitted the case study. When you click on the case study you can see advantages and challenges, tips for implementation, how the approach supports academic integrity and an example of how the assessment approach was used. Source: The University of Queensland (Australia).
‘Beyond Grading: Strategies from McGill Instructors’. Collection of case studies from McGill University staff. The case studies are described briefly including the staff member’s name, department, course and a short description of the case study. Visitors to the site can then click on a link to see a more detailed description of the work including summary, goals, steps, assessment, advice for implementation, benefits and challenges. Source: McGill University (Canada).
‘Assessment and Feedback Case Studies’. Collection of case studies, some audio, some video, some text - the formats vary. Source: University of Bristol (UK).
‘Centre for Innovation in Education. Case studies’. Collection of resources within which users can filter to explore ‘assessment and feedback’ and ‘case studies’. The case studies are organised to answer six questions: what was done, how was it done, impact, challenges, how it relates to internal institutional frameworks, possibility for transfer to other discipline, advice. Source: University of Liverpool (UK).
‘7 Steps to Inclusive Assessment’. Short guide which offers ‘practical guidance and tips to incorporating inclusive assessment into modules and programmes, so that assessment enables rather than hinders students’ learning.’ Source: Plymouth University (UK).
‘Inclusive Assessment’. Short course provided ‘to support staff who are involved in the curriculum design process’. It includes an overview of inclusive assessment and details on a range of assessment approaches. Source: Sheffield Hallam University (UK).
‘Universal Design for Learning’. Short video introducing Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Source: AHEAD (Ireland).
‘The UDL Guidelines’. One page overview of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Guidelines. Source: CAST (United States).
‘10 Ways to Ensure Online Assessment is Accessible and Inclusive’. One page guide of tips which ‘outline some of the ways you can ensure, as far as possible, that the online assessments you plan are accessible to and inclusive of all your students’. Source: AHEAD and the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (Ireland).
‘Writing inclusive assessment briefs’. Two page guide on principles to consider when writing inclusive assessment briefs and what students think about inclusive assessment briefs. Source: University of Surrey (UK).
‘How I've Used Multiple Means of Action and Expression’ – Choice in module assessment. Short video describing how colleagues in UCD worked with Geraldine O’Neill in the UCD Teaching and Learning Unit to offer choice of assessment in their modules. O’Neill describes the seven step approach which they used to provide for assessment choice and outlines some of the student and staff reactions to this approach. Source: UCD and AHEAD (Ireland).
‘Rethinking assessment – student choice’ – Webpage where the authors look at ‘options for providing choice in assessments and how to involve students in the assessment process’. The webpage considers scalability and choice, and patchwork assessment. Source: University of Auckland (New Zealand).
Inclusive Assessment and Feedback: Universal Design Case Studies from IADT and UCD. Collection of 15 case studies which ‘explore practice and innovation in assessment and feedback presenting evidence of ‘what works’ in different practical contexts and disciplines’ (Clarke in Padden et al., 2019, p.3). Source: IADT and UCD.
Assessment for Inclusion. Short research informed insight on the topics of 'What is Assessment for Inclusion' and 'Suggestions for Designing Inclusive Assessment'. Source: CRADLE, Deakin University (Australia).
