Combining self-, peer- and tutor-assessment

Facilitation, Assessment and Quality Assurance in Work Based Learning (MIDM006) has two items of assessment, one of which is an action learning group presentation which is self, peer and tutor assessed. This is followed by a moderation discussion that supports students using and understanding the use of grade criteria and giving verbal and written constructive feedback which is an essential part of their role in practice. This is an innovative approach to assessment that has previously been presented at an HEA workshop.

This approach is also used in Quality Enhancement in Interprofessional Work Based Learning (MIDM007). Both these modules make up the MSc Practice Education. We can have big discrepancy between self, peer and tutor grades and discussion can be quite lively. It is stipulated that the tutor has overall responsibility for the final agreed grade from a quality assurance perspective. We have been persuaded to move but have never moved out of the grade band and we do have discussion about this when we are grading ourselves. We have a normal distribution of grades and we have referred students however we have never had students refer themselves or their peers.

As this is a group project we allocate all group members with the same grade however every group has opportunity to speak to the tutors if they feel strongly that someone has not properly contributed to the activity, there must be unanimous agreement from all other group members about this. On one occasion a group felt strongly that one member had not contributed and her grade was altered to reflect this.As well as the action learning students submit a 4,000 word critical reflective account and students are required to pass both items of assessment for both modules.

For more information about this assessment, please contact Ali Ewing, Principal Lecturer Learning and Teaching (Ali.Ewing@northampton.ac.uk) or Sue Everett, Senior Lecturer—Advanced Practitioner (Sue.Everett@northampton.ac.uk).

This case study is taken from the Institute of Learning and Teaching’s 2015 publication ‘Outside the Box Assessment and Feedback Practices’, available from the University’s Assessment and Feedback portal.