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Assessment and Feedback

This page contains recommendations to ensure that your approaches to assessment and feedback are appropriate for the module within the context of hybrid delivery. Recommendations on re-synchronising the learning objectives to the delivery method and assessment approach provide support effective engagement and maintain motivation with the module.

Approaches to updating and enhancing feedback mechanisms are also presented that utilise a number of digital education resources available at Leeds.

In this video, Professor James Pickering, Student Education Academic Lead, discusses considerations and approaches for Assessment and Feedback strand of SCALA. Hybrid delivery presents several challenges for assessment. Feedback is also critical for promoting student engagement.

James discusses principles for re-evaluating assessment and feedback methods for hybrid learning while ensuring approaches are appropriate for learning objectives and outcomes.

The SCALA Assessment and Feedback guidance is also available to download.

 What  How
Re-evaluate assessment and feedback portfolio to ensure the approach is proportionate and relevant for the learning objectives • Map learning objectives to specific assessment tasks to ensure they remain appropriate

• Link learning objectives to teaching session and relevant assessment approaches

• Consider breaking up substantial end of module summative assessments and integrate throughout the module

• Consider alternatives to traditional assessment methods, such as  peer-assessment e.g. through Peerwise or TopHat

• Clarify and reiterate the approach to feedback on assessed work and set expectations on timing and nature of feedback
Provide regular formative assessments throughout the module • Integrate Minerva Test | TopHat | Gradescope  | TurnItIn and Polling  in both  asynchronous and asynchronous settings

• Set problems and tasks for completion and reporting back on discussion boards, Padlets and Wikis

• Utilise and integrate high utility tasks, such as practice testing and distributed practice, over lower utility approaches such as highlighting and re-reading of material.
Maintain student motivation through appropriately placed assessments and tasks • Develop engagement tasks and assessments that are formative and linked to learning objectives and tangible examples for clear relevance to course outcomes.

• Challenge and require students to present and share their work in informal and friendly environments using all the module teaching team (ie, course reps, PGRs who teach, lecturer)
Provide opportunities for in-module feedback for the duration of the module • Set up discussion boards such as Padlet or Minerva​

• Clearly present the purpose of the discussion boards (i.e. content specific and when a member of the module team will be interacting or whether they are purely student-led and where to post administrative queries)

• Run live sessions when necessary to provide opportunities for students to share comments and suggestions on both content and delivery method. Use this time to clarify any issues regarding assessments and expectations around engagement

• Link in and refer to other Programme and School led activities such as Staff: Student Forums delivered online
Update module evaluation mechanisms to online using Minerva tool • Convert evaluation of module to online approach​

• Contact SESM to ensure Minerva Evaluation tool is available​

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Task and activity principles

When planning activities and tasks for students to complete during asynchronous work in their own time, make sure students are cognitively engaged in the activity and not passively going through the material without meaning or context. Using real-world examples will provide valuable context that will support relevance with the core content and motivation with the course.

In this video, James explains the Task and Activity Principles as part of the Assessment and Feedback strand of SCALA. 

The following recommendations are organised from high to low utility activities and draw on evidence-based approaches such as retrieval practice, interleaving, and space practice:

High Utility

  • Use practice tests with feedback to allow students to review and recycle information (Retrieval practice) 
  • Space out learning tasks over time to allow repeated review (Spaced practice) 

Medium Utility

  • Provide opportunities for student to elaborate on what they have learnt or experienced by prompting them to ask ‘why’ (Elaboration) 
  • Allow students to explain for themselves what they have just learnt (Retrieval practice and Elaboration) 
  • Create space in the learning journey for content to be returned to and integrate with other areas (Interleaving) 

Low Utility

  • Re-reading and highlighting are less effective so try to avoid suggesting these approaches for consolidation and revision of content 
  • Simple summarising is also less effective and mind maps would be a better alternative