Baverstock, Alison (2018) What part can pre-arrival shared-reading play in student understanding of their transition to higher education and the nature and role of assessment within universities? In: Simply Better : Researching Assessment Practices – Improving Student Outcomes; 13 Sep 2018, Southampton, U.K.. (Unpublished)

Abstract

A long-term frustration for teaching staff has been that while students are always hungry to access their mark for assessed work, they do not necessarily access the associated feedback that is given, which could help them improve performance in future. Online learning environments permit the staging of feedback. I would like to report back on the process of releasing feedback before the marks. Over a two-year period, the process led to a significant improvement in the numbers of students accessing both mark and feedback; arguably helping them appreciate the care that is taken in appraising their work (and the value represented by the cost of their education). I have ‘before’ and ‘after’ data to demonstrate what took place. Presentation What part can pre-arrival shared-reading play in student understanding of their transition to higher education and the nature and role of assessment within uni- versities? Although the education system up to 18 seeks to create independent learners, arrival in HE involves significant change. Henceforth responsibility for participation, involvement and delivery of assessed work falls to the student. This presentation shares the experience of working with students/staff to install pre- arrival shared- reading (‘The Kingston University Big Read’) within a HE environment where the majority of students are first-generation attendees. It looks at how sharing a text can help prepare students for the larger organisation and associated educational experience, demonstrating how formative activities can shape involvement and promote discussion and help them prepare for the summative assessments that contribute to their formal grading. The presentation will compare the various ways in which the project was used within assessment, revealing how close analysis of outcomes and processes has promoted best practice – and enhanced organisational collegiality. A significant feature of the project has been broad involvement: whole institution and wider community; from reception staff and library colleagues to new neighbours and local politicians.

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