Alternative Modes of Assessment Sandy Alden Team Leader

Alternative Modes of Assessment Sandy Alden Team Leader Disability & Specialist Learning Student Health and Wellbeing Service

Assessment Issues § Competence standards & Professional bodies § Can a fair and equivalent alternative be created? § Assessment design and inclusive practice

Competence Standards § A competence standard is defined as ‘an academic, medical or other standard applied for the purposes of determining whether or not a person has a particular level of competence or ability’ Equality Act 2010 Sch 13, para 4(3)) § Is the assessment type developed the only method by which a student can meet the required competence standard? § Professional bodies have a duty to ensure competence standards are not discriminatory § Note, there is no legal requirement on HE providers to make reasonable adjustments to a competence standard

Can a fair and equivalent alternative be created? For a presentation could a student: § Present to a smaller audience or to staff only? § Submit a video presentation? § Request the audience/staff to write questions and be allowed time to read and formulate responses to either deliver directly to the audience or later via email? These types of adjustment can support students with processing and memory issues, other communication or cognitive issues to better demonstrate knowledge and skills.

Example of equivalency chart for a 3000 word essay Text-based coursework OR Live presentation / viva OR E-portfolio /multimedia coursework / WIKI OR Group work Essay – 3000 words, plus 10 -15 references A 2 or A 3 Poster , using text and/or artwork/visual data, plus 10 minute presentation to rest of group; with accompanying 500 word explanatory / background text. You will need to use 1015 references. E- Project 2000 words, plus 1000 word equivalent to include any of these: photographs, charts, visual resources, audio, artwork etc, plus 10 -15 references 30 minute teaching or demonstration session for a group of ten peers. Make your own handouts / resources / games to illustrate your session. You will need to use 1015 references. 100% graded by lecturer, and double marked where appropriate 50% Peer assessed by group 50% graded by lecturer OR 100% peer assessed

Inclusive Practice § An approach that recognises the diversity of students, enabling all students to access course content, fully participate in learning activities and demonstrate their knowledge and strengths at assessment (‘Inclusive Teaching and Learning in HE as a route to excellence report’, 2017) § To create equal opportunity that is flexible and adjustable and approachable by all § Creates opportunity to design a range of assessment types to assess the same learning outcome which recognises the diversity of learners § Students as partners

Two Key Challenges § Staff time and resource § Quality and how to differentiate between levels of achievement