The document discusses the implementation of assessment diaries at the University of Glamorgan, aimed at improving clarity and organization around assessment dates. It highlights the positive impact on student satisfaction scores but notes limitations in the table format and administrative effort involved. An online version was developed to automate reminders and improve accessibility for both students and staff.

1. JISC Activity week The assessment diaries at the University of Glamorgan
Alice Lau
16th November 2012
15:00 - 16:00

2. Background
•
Came about as a result of the Change Academy project titled “Putting assessment at the heart of learning” in 2008
•
In responsed to the issue of unclear assessment information, such as feedback dates and the issue of assessment bunching, one department introduced the idea “Assessment Diaries”.

3. Assessment Diaries (its earliest form)
•
The assessment diary
is a list of module codes and titles, dates for when assessments are submitted and dates by which they are to be returned.
•Developed the diary in consultation with colleagues teaching on the same course in order to avoid bunching of assessment deadlines.
•The diary was mainly in a table format and available as par of the student handbook and posted on the VLE for students

4. The good and the bad
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The NSS score for assessment and feedback in the department improved significantly after the introduction of the diaries
•
The team meeting with colleagues teaching on the same course initiated wider discussions around the assessment diet for the entire course.
•
The table format was rigid and not flexible enough
•
Taking a lot of administration effort

5. Workflow before latest version of assessment diaries
Get assessment information from Student Database
Email module tutors to check assessment information and ask for deadlines and feedback dates
Received all information?
[No]
[Yes]
Create assessment diary
Email reminders to module tutors
According to diary, email students reminder 2 days before assignment deadlines
Before Submission
Administrators
Module Tutors
Received email from administrators
Respond to administrators’ email – provide dates
Create assessment diary

6. Workflow before latest version of assessment diaries
Check online submission (Tii) to identify students who have not submit ted
Submitted?
[No]
[Yes]
Email students about 5 days rule and information on mitigating circumstances and advice shop
A Day after coursework deadline
Await module tutors to mark student assignments
Email tutors to request grades for mark entry
On/soon after feedback date/ 20 working days

7. Assessment Diaries (institution-al wide introduction)
•
Developed an online version that uses an in house web-based front end which is driven within Blackboard
•
Personalised - giving students and tutors clear, easily accessible information about when assignments are to be submitted and returned.
•
Automated reminders are also sent to staff requesting them to populate the diaries with the required information.
•
A series of automated reminders to students are generated two weeks before submission, one week before and on the day of the submission deadline.

8. Demo (staff view)
•
Staff log in to Blackboard
•
Go to assessment diaries
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assessment information is already pre- populated from our student information system (information entered at module inception)
•
Staff check information and input deadlines and feedback dates

10. The full list view

11. The calendar view

12. Example of reminder email to staff

13. The JISC funded project
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Evaluation of Assessment Diaries and GradeMark
This project evaluated two assessment and feedback related innovations aimed at addressing assessment bunching and poor feedback to students:
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Assessment Diaries and
–
GradeMark
For a recorded webinar of the project findings: http://bit.ly/jiscelopenwebinars

14. AD findings from the student perspective
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Expectations
•
Experience
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Awareness of assessment diary
–
Information accuracy
–
Feedback dates
Although I am happy with the way assessments are being handled in the vast majority of times, I do feel that if the tutors would make use of the Blackboard Assessment Diary fully then it would make things a lot simpler for us to keep an eye on the deadlines.

15. AD findings from the staff perspective
•
View video of staff experiences of using Assessment Diaries

16. Discussion prompts....
•How are your assessment and feedback dates currently given to your students
•If you had a similar product, what would you anticipate as the challenges associated with capturing the assessment information

17. Sharing experiences....Assessment Diaries
•
A phased introduction
•
Ensure staff and student awareness of the purpose of the tool
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Encourage collaborative discussion between academic staff to set realistic assessment and feedback dates
•
Ensure a link between the Assessment Diaries and the VLE and Student Record System

18. Further information
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Resources on JISC design studio
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http://jiscdesignstudio.pbworks.com/w/page/50671157/Glamorgan%20Assessment%20Diaries%20Project
•
Project Blog: http://assessdiariesgrademark.wordpress.com/
•
Karen Fitzgibbon, Alice Lau. "Evaluation of Assessment Diaries and GradeMark at the University of Glamorgan". July 2012, Ariadne Issue 69 http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue69/fitzgibbon-lau

19. ...or contact us
Dr. Karen Fitzgibbon
Head of Educational Development
Email: kfitzgib@glam.ac.uk Web site: http://celt.glam.ac.uk
Alice Lau
Research Fellow (Assessment)
Email: amlau@glam.ac.uk Web site: http://celt.glam.ac.uk