Making assessment count – integrating feedback and reflection through eReflect

Student responses from the National Student Survey determined that additional emphasis should be placed on supporting students to engage more meaningfully with their assessments. Students felt they needed more coursework feedback yet, following student interviews, it was found that students’ approaches for action on feedback amounted to little more than simply remembering staffs’ comments. This led to the instigation of a project called ‘Making Assessment Count’. The main aim of the project is to facilitate effective use of assessment-feedback by students using the University’s VLE, Web 2.0 technologies and the personal tutoring scheme. Following the return of each piece of coursework, students complete an online reflective, diagnostic questionnaire, which culminates in a report (via a VBA-based system and automatically emailed to the student) that graphically represents progress and suggests actions to improve subsequent performances. Students then complete a reflective BLOG using the questionnaire-generated report as a prompt, which is shared and commented on by their personal tutors. The summation of these different types of feedback addresses three key areas and fits into what can be defined as the SOS model of a tripartite feedback; Subject, Operational & Strategic. Through the integration of Web 2.0 technologies in supporting assessment and feedback the intention is to foster a ‘joined-up’ learning environment, which will inform curriculum design, and focus attention on individual student needs thus supporting them to become better lifelong learners. Staff benefit by being able to get better information on the needs of learners, enabling them to provide personalised learning guidance and support.