The document discusses using short written responses to engage and assess students. It provides examples of short questions used in a Master of Education class to elicit student responses during and after class. Benefits included preparing students for future lessons and stimulating reflection. Challenges included ensuring clarity of expectations and preventing phone use during responses. The responses provided insights into student thinking and learning that could be used for feedback and grading.

1. Engaging and assessing students
through short-written responses
David Carless
HKU, Dec 1, 2015
The University of Hong Kong

2. The University of Hong Kong
Overview
1. Teaching and assessment context
2. Examples
3. Perceived benefits & challenges
4. Alternative possibilities
5. Implications

3. Teaching context
Master of Education
English Language Curriculum & Assessment module
Participants = English language teachers from primary
and secondary schools
Class size - 28
The University of Hong Kong

4. The University of Hong Kong
Short written response tasks,
10%Regular classroom participation,
15%
Oral Presentation,
25%
Written assignment, 50%
Module assessment tasks

5. The University of Hong Kong
Examples of short questions
Question 1. A memorable school experience
Please answer this question in the space provided (15-30 words) and
place it in the collection box before leaving.
As a student, what is your most powerful memory from the English
language curriculum in the secondary school you attended?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Question 5. Purpose of assessment
What do you think is the main purpose of assessment?
Question 7. Change to your assessment practice
What is the most useful change to your assessment practice you could
make and why?

6. The University of Hong Kong
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7
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4
1 1 1
0
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Reportbackinnextsession(Q5purposeofassessment)

7. The University of Hong Kong
SamplestudentresponsetoQ5
The primary aim of assessment is to identify students’ merits
and demerits so that they will be aware of the standards of
excellence and make efforts to improve themselves.
Question 5. Purpose of assessment
What do you think is the main purpose of assessment?

8. The University of Hong Kong
Improving teacher feedback
7
Increasing peer feedback
6
Introducing new classroom
assessment activities
8
Developing reflective
students
4
Reportback(Q7Changingassessmentpractices)

9. The University of Hong Kong
I should spend more time following up what my students do
after I give them feedback, to see if they take my advice or
meet any difficulties.
SamplestudentresponsetoQ7
Question 7. Change to your assessment practice
What is the most useful change to your assessment practice you could
make and why?

10. The University of Hong Kong
Perceived benefits
Value of short written responses
• pave the way for learning next topic
• do some preparation
• stimulate thinking / reflection
Preparation
Conciseness
Follow-up

11. The University of Hong Kong
Challenges
• Clarity of expectations
• Student use of iPhones
Questions which invite personal responses generally preferable.
The need for frequent communication about processes and
expectations in assessment

12. The University of Hong Kong
Possible alternatives
Use Moodle to post answers
Clickers

13. Workload
The overall grading workload partly shifted from end
of module to during its implementation
The University of Hong Kong

14. Grading issues
Finding a pragmatic path:
- Grading vs learning
- Analytic vs holistic
The University of Hong Kong

15. Wider Implications
The University of Hong Kong

16. Assessment design
One large task at end vs multiple cumulative tasks
Spreading student effort/sustained engagement
The University of Hong Kong

17. Assessing participation
Promotes student engagement
Enhances classroom atmosphere
Hard to assess reliably …
… So assess clearly defined oral & written
contributions through well-designed criteria
The University of Hong Kong

18. The University of Hong Kong
Student view of Innovation
• Students do not seem to welcome or reject innovative
assessment per se;
• It depends on:
• the characteristics of the innovation;
• how persuasively the rationales are communicated;
• student trust in teacher

19. The University of Hong Kong
Managing Innovation
• Enhancing student learning processes
• Benefits of starting small
• Insufficient to state rationale and
guidelines merely at outset

20. The University of Hong Kong
The end, or is it a beginning?
Would it be possible to use short written responses
in your class?

21. References
Carless, D. & J. Zhou (2015). Starting small in
assessment change: Short in-class written responses
Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education,
http:// dx.doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2015.1068272
Carless, D. (2015). Excellence in University
Assessment: Learning from award-winning practice.
London: Routledge.
The University of Hong Kong