PRESENTER: N. LEACH TRANSFORMING ASSESSMENTS An investigation into the assessment strategy for Commercial Law for Accountants 1

PRESENTER: N. LEACH

TRANSFORMING ASSESSMENTS

An investigation into the assessment strategy for Commercial Law for Accountants 1

Assessment of learning

Assessme

ntfor

learning

Assessment

Transformation

Focus: Assessment strategy

“Assessment is considered to be a fundamental by which the teacher can regulate his or her teaching activity along the way and by which

the student can regulate his or her own learning process.”

Coll, Rochera, Mayordomo, Naranjo (2007)

Assessment strategy

Teaching and

Learning process

Criteria

Assessments

Themes

PreparationDegree of complexityAssessment criteriaManagement of assessmentsAppropriateness of the design of assessmentAlignment with specific outcomes and CCFOsFeedbackRecommendations

Sample

Final sample

360

RESULTS

Results(Themes)

Preparation of student

Appropriateness of the level of assessment

Appropriateness of the form of assessment

Management of the assessment

Assessment informed the teaching and learning process

PREPARATION

Fig.2: Students informed of the weekly tests?

Full sampleCompliant

Non-compliant

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90% 82% 86%

55%

15%

6%

42%

3% 8%

3%

YesNoNo response

Fig. 3: Students informed of tutorials?

Full sample Compliant Non-compliant0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%85%

80% 82%

6% 5%10%9%

15%8%

YesNoNo responseColumn1

Fig. 4: Timeous feedback on tutorials?


10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%78% 78%

51%

12% 12% 12%10% 10%

37% YesNoNo response

Fig. 5:WebCT Test -Did lecturer prepare student?


10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80% 75% 74%

63%

11%7%

23%

14%19%

14%

YesNoNo response

Fig. 6:Written Test-Did lecturer prepare student?


10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80% 74% 72%69%

11%8%

16%15%20%

15%

YesNoNo response

APPROPRIATENESS OF LEVEL OF ASSESSMENT

Fig. 7: Degree of difficulty of WebCT Tests?

1 2 3 4 5 No response0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Full sampleCompliantNon-compliant

Fig. 8: Degree of difficulty of tutorials?


5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45


Fig. 9: Degree of difficulty of WebCT test?


5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40


Fig. 10: Degree of difficulty of Written test?


5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40


APPROPRIATENESS OF FORM/DESIGN OF ASSESSMENT

Fig. 11: Tests helped prepare for lectures?


10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

75%

83%

37%

12%7%

24%

13% 10%

39%YesNoNo response

Fig. 12:Recommend the weekly WebCT tests?


10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80% 71%76%

43%

6% 4%9%

23%20%

48%

YesNoNo response

Students’ reasons?

informative Improves understanding

Relevant and

Clear

Forced to prep for

class

easy

Tests not challenging

Law not for Accounting

students

Lecturer’s reasons?Higher

levels of Bloom’s

taxonomy are

reached

Less time spent on rudimentary

concepts

Allows students to work

independently

Students take

responsibility for their

own learning

Builds confidenc

e

Critical questions become the norm

Class participation is fostered

Relevant questions are posed in class

Fig. 13: Tutorials helped prepare for tests?


10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%68%

73%

42%

19%

10%

42%

13%17% 16%

YesNoNo response

Fig. 14: Recommend tutorials?


10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90% 82%78% 79%

4%11%

2%

14% 11%

19%

YesNoNo response


Prepare for examinatio

nsHelps to understand

the workGood

foundation

Helps to practice

Identify and

rectify mistakes

Students fail because they did not do all the tuts

No feedback or explanations are

given

Tuts are difficult

Difficult but useful

Lecturer’s reasons?

Gives fair opportunity to pass the

subjectAdds to variety of

assessments

Effective tool to assess deep

learning

Warns of problem

areas prior to

examinations

Gradually develops

the required

skills

Gives fair opportunity to pass the subject

Require a good understanding of the

work

Fig. 15: Recommend WebCT test?


10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70% 67%63%

70%

14% 13% 12%

19%24%

18%

YesNoNo response


Don’t have to explain

the answerAnswers are

givenMerely need to guess

Perform better

Boosts the marks

Server is forever down

You can’t express yourself

Writing is better

Test confusing and not easy

Feedback quicker


Focuses on the lower levels of Bloom’s

taxonomy

Capacity to evaluate the higher order

skills is limited

Fig. 16: Recommend Written test?


10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%61% 63%

42%

24%

16%

43%

15%21%

15%

YesNoNo response

Students’ reasons?True

reflection of capacitySet at right

level

Tested thoroughlyEasy when attending

class and working

Test is challengi

ngAnswers not given

Tests forces you to study

Allowed to express

understanding

Test difficult, stressful, time

consumingFeel under pressureMust study all the

workFail the test

Too much writing

Must formulate answers logically


Following specific outcomes in the subject guide enables

students to handle even the most difficult of

assessments

Good mix of questions across Bloom’s taxonomy

MANAGEMENT OF FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS

Fig. 17: Number of weekly tests completed

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

No

resp

onse

0

10

20

30

40

50

60


Fig. 18: Were tutorials completed as scheduled?


10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90% 81%77% 74%

9% 6%

15%10%

17%11%

YesNoNo response

Fig. 19: Number of tutorials completed?

1 2 3 4 No response0

10

20

30

40

50

60


2009

STUDENT PERFORMANCE

Fig. 20: Student Performance 2009

Pass % average %0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

5350

61

50

Semester 1Semester 2

Fig. 21: Student Performance 2009

Pass % Average %0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80 72.1

55.4

34.33

45.2

CompliantNon-compliant

CONCLUSION

Assessments meet criteria of fairness

Assessments inform the teaching and learning process

Assessment strategy fit for purpose

HOWEVER

Creating most favourable conditions to encourage student involvement is not

enough, lecturer has to

TUTOR

SUPPORT

FOLLOW UP

RECOMMENDATIONS

Implement mechanisms through which class room management can be evaluated

Use of WebCT tests as a summative assessment in Commercial Law for Accountants 1 must be reconsidered

Documents

PRESENTER: N. LEACH TRANSFORMING ASSESSMENTS An investigation into the assessment strategy for Commercial Law for Accountants 1