Challenges facing effective assessment delivery
Increased marking loads
The rise in student numbers over recent years has placed a tremendous strain on teaching academics, particularly in marking assessments and providing timely feedback. This burden affects educators' well-being and puts them under pressure, which can lead to delayed feedback and a diminished learning experience for students. Additionally, the repetitive nature of marking can result in inconsistent feedback. Utilising technologies to alleviate these workloads and create more engaging and efficient assessments should be a priority for departments.
Collusion and AI
The rise of AI and the pressure on students to perform well in assessments have led to increased instances of plagiarism. Students may resort to sharing answers or using generative AI to produce data or imagery. Making assessments more personalised for each student, without adding to educators' workloads, can streamline the learning process and reduce the temptation for dishonest practices.
How the University of Chester improved assessment experiences for staff and students
The University of Chester Medical School faced various challenges associated with traditional assessments in the Life Sciences Skills module. The rising number of students on the course led to a significant marking burden, resulting in inconsistent feedback quality. Additionally, there were concerns regarding academic integrity and heightened student anxiety due to delayed assessment results.
In order to tackle these challenges, the end-of-module assessment was redesigned for digital delivery via Smart Worksheet. The change allowed for more innovative ways to assess microscopy and scientific drawing skills in a scalable format. Features like instant feedback, auto-resolve options, and randomisation of data for each student were utilised to promote individual learning and academic integrity.
As a result, the average mark increased from 77% in the previous assessment, to 85% in the Smart Worksheet assessment. There were no academic conduct issues and staff reported improved confidence and reduced anxiety among students, attributed to them not having to wait for results like in previous years.
