1.4 Appropriate Assessment
1.4.1 Explore further how to encourage effective feedback on summative assessment bearing in mind the full range of feedback mechanisms in Faculties, Departments and Colleges
Summary of Strategy
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Strategic Aim |
(Ongoing) Action |
Appropriate bodies and student representatives |
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1.4 Appropriate Assessment |
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1.4.1 Explore further how to encourage effective feedback on summative assessment bearing in mind the full range of feedback mechanisms available in Faculties, Departments and Colleges |
§ To encourage Faculties to adhere to the recommendations from the General Board Education Committee of giving a break down of marks received for each question taken and making model answers available where appropriate. § To encourage making use of formative assessment such as mock exams a standard practice across Colleges where appropriate. |
§ CUSU AAO § CUSU FLO through: § Student FBMs on Faculty Boards and Student Staff Consultative Committees. § CUSU AAO § CUSU EO through: § College AAOs |
Strategy
1.4.1 Explore further how to encourage effective feedback on summative assessment bearing in mind the full range of feedback mechanisms available in Faculties, Departments and Colleges
The stated aim 4.1.5 (b) of the ULTS under 'Appropriate Assessment' is to 'explore further how to encourage effective feedback on summative assessment bearing in mind the full range of feedback mechanisms available in Faculties, Departments and Colleges'.
A motion passed at an open meeting in November 2006 mandated the CUSU Academic Affairs Officer to lobby the University to make examination scripts available to students in a bid to improve feedback and transparency in the examination process. A CUSU position paper was produced to accompany a University paper about the practice and presented to the General Board's Education Committee (GBEC).
The majority of the Board were opposed to the return of scripts, for reasons of exposing examiners to in their view, an unnecessary, unwarranted and potentially damaging level of transparency. The Board did however agree and recommend that Faculties should make their robust examining procedures (double marking, practices of Board of Examiners and External Examiners) clearer to students, and that providing a breakdown of marks received for each question taken and model answers (where appropriate) would be useful.
Science Students, it is expected, will therefore be afforded greater transparency and feedback if these recommendations are followed. Some Arts Faculties however are likely to frown upon the suggestion of having model answers by arguing that there is 'no such thing as a model answer'. To push Arts Faculties into recognising that a greater explanation could be offered on what, for example, amounts to a low 2.i or high 2.i or a 1st, Faculty Board members and students in Faculties will need to put pressure on their Faculties. Many students in their first and second year, and sometimes third, do not find that the present overly generic guidelines are adequate and from previous assessment in secondary schools, are used to a much clearer guidance accompanied by model answers. While this exact from of marking guidance may not be appropriate to the less rigid Cambridge Tripos (in comparison to the A-Level system), clearer guidance as to what students should be working towards and aiming to demonstrate in assessment is highly desirable.
The CUSU paper recognised that while the availability of scripts could allow for feedback, there were other better means to provide feedback such as through mock exams, which are a standard practice in some Colleges and disciplines. Bearing in mind the range of feedback mechanisms available in Cambridge, particularly through the supervision system, it would seem appropriate to pursue the object of receiving better feedback through these rather than through making examination scripts available, which is not only strongly opposed by examiners but highly resource intensive too.
Ongoing action: CUSU to encourage Faculties, through Faculty Board members, to adhere to the General Board's Education Committee recommendations of giving a break down of marks received for each question taken and making model answers available where appropriate. CUSU to continue to work through College Academic Affairs Officers to inform colleges of good practice and to further campaign for and promote greater formative assessment to provide feedback opportunities (such as mock exams) where appropriate.
Return to CUSU Strategic Aim One: Improving Learning Opportunities for Students