Practice which works: a snapshot of assessment practice in Wales

The Welsh Assessment Project developed out of discussions held between the Higher Education Academy and Welsh HEIs. It built on a desire to focus on assessment: how we do it, how we use it and how we can share our experience of engaging learners through it. The project aimed to share practice: practice which works in the everyday swirl and time pressures of the academic workplace.

Ten Welsh institutions, Bangor University; North East Wales Institute; Aberystwyth University; University of Wales Lampeter; Swansea University; Trinity College Carmarthen; University of Wales Institute Cardiff; Cardiff University; Glamorgan University; University of Wales Newport, took part over a semester and contributions range across a variety of disciplines.

The collection of brief case studies demonstrates a range of types of assessment presented to enable the busy reader to see briefly the aim and method, and follow up details with the author if desired.

Contributors wrestle with how to enable learning through assessment, how to assess real engagement with their discipline, how to establish and moderate standards and we have some useful practical contributions about managing submissions of tasks and marking.

The case studies are short enough to browse and a read-through may bring refreshment to disciplinary practice, while some methods are transferable across disciplines. We hope readers may discover an idea or angle on assessment which they find works for them.

The steering group wishes to thank all those who contributed to the discussions and submitted their ideas to the project.

Project Co-ordinator: Rosemary Lonsdale, Co-Manager Learning and Teaching Development Unit, UWIC

Steering group:

Colette Bleakley, NEWI

Luke Desforges, tHE Co-ordinator, Aberystwyth University

Rob East, Principal Lecturer, CETL, University of Glamorgan

Ros Harrison, NEWI

Alan Hayes, Associate Dean, University of Wales Newport

Christine Jones, University Academic Staff Development Advisor, University of Wales Lampeter

Una Jones, Change Champion: assessment, Cardiff University

Romy Lawson, tHE Director, Academic Development Unit, Bangor University

Claire O'Neill, Director of Research, Trinity College Carmarthen

Elaine Payne, Senior Adviser, Higher Education Academy

Jo Strong, Staff Development Officer, Aberystwyth University

Brenda Smith, Assistant Director, Higher Education Academy

Jane Thomas, Head of Professional Registry, University of Wales Swansea