This document discusses authentic assessment projects at the University of Sheffield where students create open-access learning resources to address real-world problems. Case studies are presented of undergraduate linguistics students developing a website for A-Level students and third-year students creating an online syntax course. These projects provide skills in enterprise, digital literacy, and transitioning into the workforce. Authentic assessment stimulates creativity, engagement, and improved grades while creating useful resources for recruitment and teaching.

1. All About Authentic Assessment,
Embedded Enterprise, and Inclusive
Communities of Learning
Gary C. Wood, University of Sheffield Enterprise
g.c.wood@sheffield.ac.uk | @GC_Wood
Graham McElearney, CiCS
g.mcelearney@sheffield.ac.uk
Richard Spencer, Graduate/Student Services
richard.spencer@sheffield.ac.uk

2. Session Outline
● Introduction – the concept
● All About Case Studies
● Benefits
○ Enterprise capabilities
○ Pedagogy
● The students’ perspective
● Interactive activity.

3. The Concept
● Authentic student assessment of modules
● Responding to real-world problems:
○ Student recruitment and admissions
○ Lack of linguistics resources for A-Level students
○ Embed enterprise without detracting from the subject
content
● Solution:
○ Students creating content with real-world audience and
applications
○ Projects keep focus on academic subject.

4. Case Study 1: All About Linguistics
● AllAboutLinguistics.com website aimed at A-Level
students
● Promotes linguistics and showcases its diversity
● Created with Google Sites
○ Available and supported across institution
○ Page level permissions
○ Embed other tools
● First-year undergraduate students.

6. Case Study 2: All About Syntax
● Online, open-access course in syntax
● Videos, podcasts, activities
● Introductory material with extensions and applications to
put in broader context
● Hosted on iTunes U – part of University’s presence
● Third year undergraduate students – support transition
out of University
● Skills sessions and project board meetings – simulate
world of work.

8. Enterprise Capabilities
● Authentic problem
enquiry and response
● Innovation and creativity
● Calculated risk-taking
● Taking action
● True collaboration.

9. Enterprise Skills
ambition
creativity
tenacity
initiative
making connections
confidence
teamwork
innovationleadership
adaptability
negotiation
owning actions
problem-solving
self-beliefstrategic thinking
networking
risk-taking

10. Outcomes
● Increased student engagement and motivation
● Improved student grades
● Genuinely useful resources
○ More hits than School of English website!
○ Useful recruitment tool
○ Used by Schools on VLEs – UK, USA, Japan,
Switzerland
● Skills development
○ Enterprise and digital literacy
○ Transition into and out of Higher Education.

11. Pedagogy – Creativity and
Enterprise Skills
Norman Jackson
“The world needs people who can combine their thinking, knowledge,
capabilities and values in imaginative ways to work with complexity, create
wealth and prosperity, tackle intractable social and environmental problems,
enrich cultures, and enhance their own wellbeing. Universities have a vital role
to play in creating more creative societies…”
There is a challenge to HE to create pedagogies to
stimulate creative development.

12. Creative Pedagogies
● Understand the nature of creativity in the discipline
● Activities to engage learners with the unfamiliar,
complex, perplexing
● Take risks without excessive penalties
● Reflection on students’ own creativity to reinforce
learning and aid in assessment.

13. Creating higher order learning

14. A graduate’s perspective
● Useful information skills
○ Screencasts, Google Sites, presentation skills, audio and
video recording and production and other embedded web
tools
● Web development and content writing for the web
○ Fed directly into my graduate role in which I built a new
staff resource website
● Project management
○ Seeing a large scale piece of work from beginning to end
and meeting deadlines in a way not previously
experienced.

15. A graduate’s perspective
● Working in a team, within a wider group
○ Communication across teams who all have stakes in the
project is very applicable to working environments
● Insight into University goals and branding
○ Brief introduction to the workings of the University from
the inside; interesting to a student and also a good
starting point for going into Student Services!
● No training necessary
○ Intuitive tools, and utilised technology which was already
familiar
● Enjoyable and memorable experience!

16. Activity
● Work in small groups (3-5)
● Think of an area of your teaching/teaching you support
where students could create open-access learning
resources
● Capture your ideas in a Google Site.

17. All About Authentic Assessment,
Embedded Enterprise, and Inclusive
Communities of Learning
Gary C. Wood, University of Sheffield Enterprise
g.c.wood@sheffield.ac.uk | @GC_Wood
Graham McElearney, CiCS
g.mcelearney@sheffield.ac.uk
Richard Spencer, Graduate/Student Services
richard.spencer@sheffield.ac.uk