The document explores fostering learner engagement and autonomy through assessment, emphasizing the importance of aligning assessments with curriculum design to enhance motivation and involvement. It highlights the necessity of developing both the willingness and ability of students to engage in their learning through meaningful interactions and collaborative processes. A case study illustrates how portfolio-based assessment can promote learner autonomy and reduce reliance on tutors, ultimately leading to increased student engagement.

1. Fostering Learner engagement and
autonomy through assessment
Dr Christine O'Leary
Sheffield Hallam University

2. Paper outline
• Introduction
• Learner engagement and autonomy
• Implication for curriculum design: assessment for and as
learning
• A case study of HE final year Languages Students-
– Context
– Methodology
– Analysis
– Conclusion

3. Introduction
• A student-centred approach helps to promote successful
learning through better student engagement and motivation
(Coates, 2006; Zepke and Leach, 2010).
• Learner’s interdependent/ independent involvement in
learning increases motivation (Raya and Lamb, 2008; Hoidn
and Kärkkäinen, 2014) and develops their autonomy
(Benson, 2011)
• Alignment of assessment with Learning and Teaching
practices is a key principle of a curriculum design (Biggs,
2003).

4. Learner engagement
• Meaningful student involvement in the development of their
own learning environment such as curriculum development,
classroom management (Fletcher, 2005)
• Students who are engaged can be identified through their
sustained involvement in learning activities accompanied by
positive emotion. They are willing to initiate activities when
given the opportunity (Skinner and Belmont, 1993)

5. How can learner engagement be fostered?
• As indicated in the previous definitions, student engagement
is predicated on their willingness to take an active role in
their own learning.
• The concept of learner autonomy defined as learners’ ability
and willingness to take responsibility or control of their own
learning (Holec,1981; Little, 2000; Benson, 2011) is closely
aligned to the notion of student engagement.
• However, the concept recognises the need for ‘ability’ as well
as ‘willingness’. and 'opportunity'.
• The development of autonomy could therefore be seen as
crucial to student engagement i.e. students need to be able
as well as willing to engage.

6. Learner autonomy
• The development of a learner's capacity for
autonomy does not happen in isolation but through
interactions involving peers and teachers. ( Little,
2000; Raya & Lamb, 2008).
• To become autonomous, therefore, learners need to
develop the psychological and emotional capacity
to control their own learning collaboratively as well
as independently (Kohonen, 1992; O’Leary, 2014).

7. Curriculum Implications-assessment for and
as learning
• Assessment for and as learning as well as of learning
recognise assessment as vehicle for learning not just a
measure of achievement ( Gardner, 2012; Nicol and
MacFarlane-Dick, 2006)
• We need assessment processes that promote student
engagement (i.e. students given the opportunity to initiate
activities- see Skinner and Belmont, 1993 and to be
meaningfully involved in shaping the learning environment-
see Fletcher, 2005)
• Portfolio-based assessment can help develop students’
autonomy as individuals or groups of learners (O’Leary,
2014) and therefore engagement.

8. Case study-
a student-led approach to
Learning, Teaching and
Assessment with teacher guidance

9. BA (Hons) Languages with International Business/ Tourism/ Marketing
BA (Hons) International Business with Language
French/ German/ Spanish/ Italian/ Chinese & Japanese ( CEFR B2- C1/C2)
Year Language Skills (x 2 major/ x1 minor) Area Studies (x 2 major/ x 1 minor) Non-language
modules
(2 for major/ 4 for
minor)
1 ULS 4
Business Society and Culture 1 (Post Alevel only)
Ab-initio 1 (Spanish, Italian and Chinese ab-initio entrants only)
2 ULS 5- Sem 1
Business Society and Culture 2 (Post Alevel only)- Sem 1
Ab-initio 2 (Spanish, Italian and Chinese ab-initio entrants only)- Sem 1
Erasmus Study Placement- Sem 2
3 Work-placement in both countries (major) or one (minor)
4
ULS 6b Business Society and Culture 3
Degree Programme

10. ULS 6b
The module is designed to enable students to function
effectively in a range of professional and unpredictable
situations where the target language is spoken through-
• performing complex and specialised negotiations
• Developing translations and interpreting skills to a high level
of proficiency.
Module aims

11. Assessment Programme
ULS Stage 6-
Assessment programme from 2006
1. Portfolio including negotiating/ debating activities,
group translation and interpreting tasks &
associated self/peer evaluation, activities selected
by the learners based on needs and a learning
log/ self-evaluation (70, 50, 20%) performance
and process
2. Time constrained translation (15, 30, 25%)
3. Interpreting tasks (15, 30, 25%)

12. Marking criteria
Portfolio marking criteria equally weighted:
• Planning ability to assess learning needs, define objectives
and plan work accordingly
• Reflection ability to reflect on and assess progress made. The
extent to which feedback given to peers is detailed and
constructive
• Performance: The standard of the tasks (group and free
choice activities) included in the portfolio
• Progression: Evidence of development and progress (e.g.
acting on feedback through resubmission of work)

13. Methodology
Amodel for the development of autonomy: individual level
The psychology of autonomous learning, adapted from Benson (2001:
86) (O'Leary,2014: 21)
Directed
attention
Reflection
Cognitive processes
Building
metacognitive
knowledge
(learning to
learn)
Developing
emotional
intelligence

14. Amodel for the development of autonomy: social
level
Asocial constructivistmodel of the teaching-learning process, adapted
from Williams and Burden (1997: 43) by (O'Leary,2014: 22).

15. Method
Based on the revised model of control over
cognitive processes outlined above, the
content of 40 e.portfolios, including audio/
written peer feedback and reflective logs,
were analysed for evidence of control over
cognitive processes, using the following
broad categories.

16. Analysis- Operationalising the construct
Emotionalintelligence (affect): any evidence of attempting to lower
their own anxiety, encouraging themselves, taking their emotional
temperature as well as empathising and cooperating with others.
Task knowledge(Metacognitiveknowledgeat task level)
encompassing any evidence of: decision to carry out the task, decisions
about content, progression, place and time of learning, the selection
and use of cognitive strategies,and the criteria selected for evaluation;
Reflection:any form of reflectionon the language, the learning
process, their role within that process etc..
Attention:active engagement with linguistic input, involving conscious
apprehension and awareness of specific aspects of the language;

17. Analysis
Awareness of others’ emotions/ reactions
"During the third meeting we all sat down and productively did
the task in hand. To begin with we were all quite pensive and
scared of upsetting each other with comments about their
work, but after taking a long time over the first paragraph, we
settled into it and no one held back with their thoughts and
opinions”. S2
1) Emotional Intelligence/ Affect

18. Dealing with own anxiety
• Relax (Negotiation, interpretation) - I am very aware that I
panic in many situations, which affects my language abilites, in
so much as my short term memory fails, I make stupid
grammatical errors and my nerves also show in my body
language. I need to try to forget that these pieces are
assessed and be natural and listen well.” S6

19. Feedback to others on affective strategies
• Try not to panic though. If you don't understand, don't be afraid
to ask for repetition, explanations or clarifications. BUT
remember to ask for repetition in the right language!! You
asked the English speaker to repeat, but you asked her in
French!! Try not to laugh or say that you don't understand, this
does not help the situation. Take you time, listen carefully and
try to improve your note taking”. S14

20. Affective impact of collaborative work on the
individual
• “…the more we progressed as a group, the more useful our
feedback became. It gave me confidence to speak up and
taught me that as long as I can justify what I say, it will not be
looked upon as wrong. I found it very nobling to have to sit and
take heed of what my peers were telling me” S26

21. 2) Metacognition (learning to learn)
Cognitive/ Metacognitive strategies
Self-evaluation
“I did not understand the meaning of the paragraph.
After the interpreting I was told what the sentence
meant and still didn't understand, therefore to
improve on this, I need to not only read more, but
relate what I am saying back to the context of the
task.” S24

22. • “My lack of note taking affected my fluency and
there were quite a few pauses throughout. I
think to improve this further I should
concentrate on the main points being said
instead of trying to write it down word for
word". S19

23. • Very hesitant and unsure of the meaning of French parts and
of certain vocabulary in French used in the English section.
You relied too much on the written dialogue which caused you
to translate too literally.”S20
Feedback to peers

24. 3) Reflection
• "Overall I enjoyed the interpreting exercise as it was an
opportunity for me to see how much I have progressed in the
past 3-4 years. Translating quickly from one language to the
next with minimal time for thought is something I really enjoy, it
isn't only preparation for the future but it's a challenge that we
will face every time we speak to a French person; I think it is
only natural to make a quick translation in your head whilst
speaking in another language" S34

25. • "I was very pleased to be able to choose our groups as there is
always an element of risk when completing assessed group
work if there are differences amongst the group members.
Luckily J**, N** and I all live together and get on really well
which facilitated our task. As we were comfortable working
together we were able to discuss each others work and give
and receive constructive criticism and feedback without any
issues. Within the group, we considered each member's
individual version of the translation as a possibility for the final
version and discussed the texts in detail, justifying different
choices of translation but easily compromising and agreeing
on a final version of the text." S39
Group learning

26. 4)Attention
• "Once again in the third paragraph which S interpreted I only
found a couple of things to question. I was unsure if saying
"nous attendons" which literally means "we are waiting" gives
the correct message that" they are expecting". However it was
a good attempt to get around the word if she did not know
what expecting was in French." S9
Difficult to evidence- other than focus on
specific linguistic aspects.

27. Conclusion
• The research indicates that the portfolio-based assessment,
in this study, encourages the student to develop and use their
capacity for autonomy in order to demonstrate it, both at an
individual and social level.
.The assessment contributes to 2 key aspects of learner
development:
- Raising awareness in relation to cognitive,
metacognitive and affective strategies;
- developing these strategies in collaboration with
peers, thus lessening the psychological dependence on the
tutor.
• As such, it can be used as a vehicle for increased learner
engagement.

28. References
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30. Questions/ comments and your experience?