Integrated assignment workshops developing assessment literacy via collaborative exemplar analysis

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi32.1400

Keywords:

integrated assessment workshops, assessment literacy, nursing, learning development

Abstract

This lightning talk explored the conceptualisation, implementation and impact of integrated assessment workshops within the University of Essex nursing programmes. These courses admit a high proportion of students from diverse and ‘non-traditional’ backgrounds (Wong, 2018; Gill, 2023), including a significant majority of mature students (82.5%), many of whom do not have recent experience of formal UK education settings. Although nursing students generally have a strong commitment to their future professional identities, their student and academic identities may be less secure (Thomas, Hovdhaugen and Sweetman, 2023). To address these challenges, learning development (LD) and nursing lecturers collaborated to develop and implement team-taught integrated assignment workshops across the curriculum to support students in making sense of assessment requirements and applying marking criteria to their own work.

Grounded in ALDinHE values (ALDinHE, 2023) and the concepts of academic and social integration (Tinto, 1975, 2017), the workshops aim to demystify HE assessment practices and clarify the tacit knowledge required for students to develop autonomy, self-efficacy and self-regulation in their approach to academic assignments (Hawe, Lightfoot and Dixon, 2019). The collaborative, dialogic approach to exemplar analysis (Carter et al. 2018; Merrydew and East, 2022) supports academic and social integration, and also engages students in developing and delivering constructive feedback; an essential professional skill (Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2018).

Initially, we expected that supporting students’ ability to interpret and apply marking criteria would increase first-submission pass rates and generate higher marks overall. Two pilot sessions implemented in 2022-23 showed extremely promising results for both aims. Consequently, further workshops have been implemented across the wider curriculum with the extended aims of achieving an increase in good degrees and reducing BAME awarding gaps over the next three years.

A successful version of this 5-minute talk was presented at the University of Essex Education Away Day in October 2023.

Author Biography

Karen Hudson, University of Essex

Karen Hudson is the Learning Development Lecturer for the School of Health and Social Care (Nursing Division) at the University of Essex. In this role, she supports students on pre-registration Nursing degree programmes, including Nursing Degree and Higher Apprenticeship pathways, to develop their academic and clinical numeracy skills. She has a particular interest in demystifying academic practices and conventions and making these accessible for diverse student cohorts on programmes with extensive placement and professional requirements.

References

Association for Learning Development in Higher Education (2023) About ALDinHE Available at: https://aldinhe.ac.uk/about-aldinhe (Accessed: 10 November 2023)

Carter, R., Salamonson, Y., Ramjan, L.M., and Halcomb, E. (2018) ‘Students use of exemplars to support academic writing in higher education’ Nurse Education Today 65 pp. 87 – 93 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2018.02.038

Gill, A.J.G. (2023) ‘‘Looking forward’: non-traditional students perceptions of their readiness and preparedness for the transition to work after graduation’, Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 28(1), 149 – 172, https://doi.org/10.1080/13596748.2023.2166697

Hawe, E., Lightfoot, E., and Dixon, H. (2019) ‘First-year students working with exemplars: promoting self-efficacy, self-monitoring and self-regulation’ Journal of Further and Higher Education 43(1) pp. 30 – 44 https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2017.1349894

Merrydew, A. and East, M. (2022) ‘Active assessment literacy’ in Active Learning Network, 100 Ideas for Active Learning Brighton: University of Sussex https://doi.org/10.20919/OPXR1032

Nursing and Midwifery Council (2018) The Code: Professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses, midwives and nursing associates Available at: https://www.nmc.org.uk/standards/code/read-the-code-online/ (Accessed: 14 November 2023)

Thomas, L., Hovdhaugen, E. & Sweetman, R. (2023) ‘Professional or student identity and commitment? Comparing the experiences of nursing students with literature on student success.’ Tertiary, Education and Management 29, 93 – 106 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11233-023-09115-0

Tinto, V. (1975) ‘Dropout from Higher Education: A Theoretical Synthesis of Recent Research’ Review of Educational Research 45(1) pp. 89 – 125

Tinto, V. (2017) ‘Reflections on Student Persistence’ Student Success 8(2) pp. 1 – 8 Available at: https://studentsuccessjournal.org/article/view/495/361 (Accessed: 10 November 2023)

To, J., Panadero, E. and Carless, D. (2022) ‘A systematic review of the educational uses and effects of exemplars’ Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education 47(8) pp. 1167 – 1182 https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2021.2011134

Wong, B. (2018) ‘By chance or by Plan?: The Academic Success of Nontraditional Students in Higher Education’ AERA Open 4(2) pp. 1 – 14 doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858418782195

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Published

31-10-2024

How to Cite

Hudson, K. (2024) “Integrated assignment workshops developing assessment literacy via collaborative exemplar analysis”, Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, (32). doi: 10.47408/jldhe.vi32.1400.