Assessment
May 4th, 2005 by gina.revillI’ve just finished assessing Action Enquiry assignments from Cohort 1 Researchers. I find it far from easy. The process is easy enough, if tiring…
1. Standardisation - the whole team looks a few pieces and decides where it fits against the assessment criteria.
2. Marking - we mark pieces of work submitted to us.
3. Second marking - we choose 10% of our pieces and a colleague marks them again. We have long and detailed discussions about where we agree and disagree.
4. Moderation - everyone in the team shares one piece of work and we all mark it. Marks are compared as a check and balance to make sure we are all about the same. We have even longer and more detailed discussions/arguments/virtual fist fights about where we agree and disagree.
Throughout this process there is also more cross-marking if any of us feel we need a second opinion.
From the research we have done, we appear to do this far more rigorously than other universities. I don’t mind that as I’d rather err on the side of caution.
So what’s the hard bit?
Is this the best way to do it? Does it entrench the heirarchy of ‘expert judge’ and ’subordinate student’?
But I can’t think of a better way…
Comments
Well that’s a surprise! I think it was probaby a good move all round to go on over to Cohort2, although obviously you will be sadly missed by all of us in Cohort1.
Andy
May 4th, 2005
Ah - I was feeling rather frazzled when I wrote this entry…I’l'l change it. I think I was thinking year 2….back to the gin….
Gina
May 5th, 2005
We had a similar system when marking for the College of Radiographers. We each had a copy of three papers and marked them - then got together and compared notes - allowing 3% either way. Then any marginal papers were re-checked by the senior examiner - mind you we were only marking for a pass or fail, although we did give % marks.
Eve
May 5th, 2005
What is wrong with expertise then, Gina? Does expertise, experience, knowledge, exist? Can it develop? How do you recognise its development in the assessment process then?
Ian Terrell
May 8th, 2005
Hi Ian - yes I believe expertise exists but I think a lot of what we call expertise is subjective. Who decides what is the best way of doing things and can that be challenged?
Gina
May 9th, 2005
Leave a Reply