RETRACTED: - Refreshing our institution’s Generic Assessment Descriptors

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi35.1328

Keywords:

RETRACTED-ARTICLE, assessment, competency-based, learning-tool, collaboration, rubrics, communication

Abstract

This paper has been retracted. Please refer to the Retraction Notice (Whiting, 2025)

This paper describes how and why we refreshed our Generic Assessment Descriptors (GAD) at York St John University. Focusing this paper on the most meaningful changes, these included; removing subjective terms; rewriting descriptors for collaboration to focus on positive behaviours; broadening our scope of communication to allow for a range of modes of communication while enhancing the focus on audience and media; and an overall review of the accessibility of the language, terms, and expectations (Dawson, 2021; Gonsalves, 2023; Gonsalves and Pearson, 2023). For our colleagues, we refreshed the GAD to encourage and enable them to design learning that is active, inclusive, and allows for assessments to be open for students to follow their passion and intrinsic motivations. Using a Competency-Based Education (QAA, 2023) approach put the expectations into terms of what the students must demonstrate. Removing deficit language from the descriptors focused assessment (and learning) towards celebrating the achievements of students, and not the expectations of the assessor. The refreshed GAD was beta tested by early adopters in 2023-24 and was rolled out across the University in academic year 2024-25. Feedback from the early adopters included a better use of the full range of marks and students commenting that they felt more positive about the feedback they have been receiving.

Author Biography

Chris Whiting, York St John University

Chris Whiting is a Senior Lecturer in Academic Practice at York St John University, UK. He is the pathway lead for the Developmental Pathway of the YSJ CPD Fellowship Scheme and lead for Academic Induction. His primary area of interest is assessment and alongside this generative artificial intelligence in higher education.

References

Andrade, H. L. (2023) ‘What is next for rubrics?: a reflection on where we are and where to go from here’, in C. Gonsalves and J. Pearson (eds) Advances in Educational Marketing, Administration, and Leadership. IGI Global, pp.314-326. Available at: https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-6086-3.ch017

Dawson, P. (2021) Defending assessment security in a digital world: preventing e-cheating and supporting academic integrity in higher education. Abingdon: Routledge.

Gilani, D. (2024) ‘Challenging simplistic and deficit perceptions of belonging amongst historically underrepresented students: four self-reflective questions for policy makers and practitioners’, Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal, 5(3), pp.17-24.

Gonsalves, C. (2023) ‘Democratising assessment rubrics for international students’, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, pp.1-14. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2023.2281237

Gonsalves, C. and Pearson, J. (eds) (2023) Improving learning through assessment rubrics: student awareness of what and how they learn. IGI Global (Advances in Educational Marketing, Administration, and Leadership). Available at: https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-6086-3

Grainger, P. and Dann, B. (2020) ‘Creating quality rubrics through conversation.’, in P. Grainger and P. Weir (eds) Facilitating student learning and engagement in higher education through assessment rubrics. Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, pp.69-86.

Hamilton, L. G. and Petty, S. (2023) ‘Compassionate pedagogy for neurodiversity in higher education: a conceptual analysis’, Frontiers in Psychology, 14, pp.1-9. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1093290

Lawrence, J., Morrell, L. J. and Scott, G. W. (2023) ‘Building a competence-based model for the academic development of programme leaders’, International Journal for Academic Development, pp.1-14. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2023.2166942

Levine, E. and Patrick, S. (2019) What is competency-based education? An updated definition. Arlington, VA.: Aurora Institute. Available at: https://aurora-institute.org/resource/what-is-competency-based-education-an-updated-definition/ (Accessed: 28 February 2025).

Office for Students (2022) Sector-recognised standards. Available at: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/publications/sector-recognised-standards/ (Accessed: 12 February 2025).

Office for Students (2024) National Student Survey data. Official Statistics. Available at: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/data-and-analysis/national-student-survey-data/ (Accessed: 12 February 2025).

Pedler, M. and Abbott, C. (2013) Facilitating action learning: a practitioner’s guide. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

QAA (2023) ‘Competency-based education primer’, Quality Assurance Agency. Available at: https://www.membershipresources.qaa.ac.uk/docs/membership-resources/teaching-learning-and-assessment/competence-based-education-primer.pdf?sfvrsn=f081aa81_8 (Accessed: 28 February 2025).

SEEC (2021) ‘Credit level descriptors for higher education’. SEEC. Available at: https://cradall.org/content/new-edition-seec-credit-level-descriptors-consultation-open (Accessed: 28 February 2025).

Teodorescu, T. (2006) ‘Competence versus competency: what is the difference?’, Performance Improvement, 45(10), pp.27-30. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/pfi.4930451027

Downloads

Published

27-03-2025

How to Cite

Whiting, C. (2025). RETRACTED: - Refreshing our institution’s Generic Assessment Descriptors . Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, (35). https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi35.1328

Issue

No. 35 (2025): Special Edition, Liberating Learning

Section

Mythbusting the modern academy

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
  2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
  3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).