To examine the impact that introducing a new method of assessment: Practically Assessed Structured Scenarios (PASS) has had on vocational courses in events management and whether it has relevance for other vocational courses
- Start date: 2006-07-03
- End date: 2007-07-03
- Amount: £30000
- Status: in progress
- Funding Initiative: Higher Education Academy
The aim of this project is to examine the impact that introducing a new method of assessment Practically Assessed Structured Scenarios (PASS) has had on vocational courses in events management and whether it has relevance for other vocational courses. This builds on the successful track record of Leeds Metropolitan University in relation to effective assessment, learning and teaching initiatives over two decades.
The PASS concept was introduced in 2004-5 with a degree of success based on Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCEs) used in both medical and veterinary assessments. There is a wide range of research to support these views, with Newble and Wilkinson (2004) being the main authors and whose work is cited most often. To date we can find no evidence of this type of assessment being used outside of these fields other than with the Police where Objective Structured Practical Examinations (OSPE's) are used. Insufficient research was completed at the time of the first assessment in 2004/5 for us to be fully confident of its validity and reliability as a form of assessment therefore this project will be threefold. Firstly it will research the validity and reliability of the assessment technique and will explore the management requirements to support the student experience and will determine if it has relevance for events management disciplines. This will be based on a comprehensive literature review. The team will develop a model for evaluating a range of determinants such as; how students manage the experience; how strategies are developed to support and enhance their needs and expectations; if this form of assessment impacts on motivation and progression and through the collection of historical and new data whether the students final award outcomes have been improved. This will be achieved through developing appropriate statistical tests. Secondly the team will evaluate the impact that this method of assessment has on the staff involved. Similar factors as above will be considered about how staff manage the activity; their motivation and acceptance of this mode of assessment; how it is marked and moderated in a timely manner but to a tight deadline and the reliability of the activities when repeated over and over again but by different staff, since literature on assessment practice indicates that these are all issues of concern (Knight 2002). Finally the team will develop a comprehensive model/blueprint that will enable the transfer of the concept and evaluation processes to other institutions and educational disciplines. The team believe this to be a very innovative mode of assessment that has major implications for vocational courses outside of medicine and veterinary science. The results will inform future practices within HE and will lead to valuable evidence-based guidance based on established good practice in other disciplines. This proposal asks for assistance in order that the team can carry out once more the assessment process that was undertaken in 2005 so that they can repeat the exercise in a more controlled and informed environment, simultaneously tracking performance and recording process. This will enable annual statistical data to be collected using a methodology based on that undertaken by Wilkinson, Newble, Wilson, Carter and Helms (2000). The findings will enhance the conceptual and theoretical understanding of the research already conducted and the final results will enable judgement on its fairness, reliability, and consistency as a method of assessment.
Organisation/Institutions:- Leeds Metropolitan University