This document summarizes a project exploring democratic assessment design at the University of Sheffield. It describes workshops held with students and staff to redesign an assessment approach. The outcome was a new assessment structure applying four theoretical operations: demystification, deconstruction, queering, and decolonization. Assessments included learning journals, student-led seminars, and a research essay. Reflections questioned what radical pedagogy means within neo-liberal institutions, how modules could be democratically designed, what the project would look like in other subjects, and whether assessment can truly be reformed or will always involve violence.

1. CAN ASSESSMENT BE DEMOCRATISED?
A REFLECTION ON IMPLEMENTATION
Josh Berlyne, U of Sheffield
Fabienne Collignon, U of Sheffield

2. (i) process

3. • 3 workshops (Spring
2016)
• JB + students:
‘Feedback’
• Staff + students:
‘System’
• Staff + students:
‘Design’
• Online provocations
• Invited Speakers: Dr
China Mills
(Sheffield) + Dr
Emile Bojesen
(Winchester)
https://assessmentconf
rontation.wordpress.co
m/

4. (ii) outcome

5. New assessment & new course
structure
4 theoretical operations:
(i) Demystification
(ii)Deconstruction
(iii) Queering
(iv) Decolonisation
Assessment breakdown:
learing journal (weeks 2-
9), 25%
student-led seminar
(weeks 3-9), 30%
research essay (week 12),
55%

6. (iii) reflections

7. • Negotiation of teaching
space (student-led
seminars)
• Learning journals = total
failure
• What do these outcomes
mean for the concept of
radical pedagogy?
• Can you have radical
pedagogy in the neo-
liberal institution?
• What could democratic
design of modules look
like?
• What would a project like
this one look like in
another faculty/subject?
• Should we be bothered
about assessment? Can it
be reformed, or are we
just disguising what is
essentially a violent
process? (cf. Allen,
Benign Violence)