Synthesis Report on Assessment and Feedback with Technology Enhancement (SRAFTE)

  • Start date: 2010-01-04
  • End date: 2010-08-31
  • Status: complete

This is part of the Evidence-based Practice Seminar Series 2010 & Syntheses.

The University of Southampton, in partnership with the Open University, have been commissioned by the Academy to undertake a synthesis of evidence-based practice in the use of technology to enhance assessment and feedback. 

The SRAFTE project seeks the identification of key references from community practitioners and from a literature survey.  With close engagement with the community through the HEA Seminar Series on assessment, the report will review, select, summarize, and synthetically integrate the evidence provided.
The project will produce a synthesis report which will clearly identify how and where technology assists the aim of a better alignment between teaching, learning and assessment, and will also make clear where technology may not currently be cost-effective.  The report’s recommendations will be driven by pedagogy, learning theory, and educational perspectives rather than by technology and the pursuit of innovation for innovation’s sake.
SRAFTE will make significant contributions to:

  1. the professional development of teaching staff and the support for learners in further and higher education.
  2. the quality, diversity, and effectiveness of academic use of e-assessment materials.
  3. the communication between pedagogical practitioners and learning technology developers.
  4. a knowledge base of assessment activities and ways to improve student feedback.

Background

A sea change in Assessment, precipitated by both researchers and practitioners alike, was crystallized by the Assessment Reform Group (ARG, 2002) who rejected the notion of assessment that foregrounds cognitive ability tests that are valued only for their predictive validity.  The ARG argued for a better alignment between teaching, learning and assessment and have defined the term ‘Assessment for Learning’ as “the process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by learners and their teachers to decide where the learners are in their learning, where they need to go and how best to get there” (ARG, 2002).
Assessment is central to learning and teaching. What is assessed defines what is taught and how it is learnt. The process of assessment, in turn, shapes institutional practice and affects a learner’s view of the value of engaging in learning. Getting assessment ‘right’ is essential to the wellbeing of learners and institutions, and instrumental to the achievement of national strategies for widening participation and e-learning (JISC 2009, Effective Practice).
Discussion of the REAQ report (Gilbert et al, 2009) at E-Assessment Live identified the need for more information for tutors about what is good e-assessment and more importantly how to develop effective e-assessment.

 

As part of the project, a survey has been created by the SRAFTE project team. This survey invites the Higher Education assessment community to provide details of references they have found particularly helpful regarding technology-enhanced assessment and feedback. If you wish to complete this survey, please visit the following link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FR7J6PZ 

Latest News

The Higher Education Academy and the SRAFTE team will be hosting an event on 10 November 2010 to disseminate the findings of their syntheses project. To find out more information and to book onto the event please click here.

Organisation/Institutions:

  • University of Southampton

    Open University

Contact details