Kōwhiringa tauira
Student choice
“Student engagement is considered central to effective educational practice in higher education (Biggs, 2012; Devlin & Samarawickrema, 2010). One of the most important elements of student engagement is participation in learning.” (Pretorius et al., 2017)
Student feedback during 2020 emphasised three main themes: Clarity, Consistency and Choice. We have written about how to maintain communication with students on the TeachWell Digital website. Here we look at options for providing choice in assessments and how to involve students in the assessment process.
Participation, inclusion and a sense of belonging, which itself encourages active contribution, may be encouraged through involving students in their choice of assessment. Even better, by allowing students to contribute to assessment criteria, or choose to work individually or in groups, students can be empowered as co-designers of their learning and assessment. Sharing some elements of assessment personalises and makes assessment authentic, relevant, and may help to reduce stress. Because students are engaged in a task that is personally relevant, there is less incentive for academic misconduct.
Providing options for students to choose from in your assessment tasks not only complies with university aspirations to be student-centred, but also helps with inclusive assessment.
Some ideas to make assessment tasks personal, engaging and honest:
- Students choose from a range of topic options, or from a set of sources/ databanks on which to base their assignment.
- Students interpret a given scenario and discuss how they would respond.
- Students reflect on the way a phenomenon/ process/ problem plays out in their workplace.
- Students build upon their first answer in answering subsequent questions.
“A key technique in choice is to give students options to transform knowledge from one form to another, for example transferring text to diagrams, to posters, to presentations or constructions.” (Gavin Brown, University of Auckland)
Scalability and choice
Allowing for some elements of choice in assessment design need not mean increased marking workload. A diary entry from the perspective of a historical character for example, might be a short paragraph that forms an early task to encourage research into a period for a later assignment, and would take a couple of minutes to mark. The task serves to scaffold the work into a deeper investigation.
Personal reflections on the process of completing a task, or a personal ‘learning journey’ encourages students to self-assess and develops metacognitive skills such as self-regulation and responsibility for their own learning
Choice can be about context, media, personal experience, work-related reflection, or many other aspects specific to the individual – students should be given the power to negotiate a topic or format relevant to their needs.
Patchwork assessment
Patchwork assessment, (originally patchwork text, but now expanded to include any media).
“… is made up of a gradually assembled set of writing tasks (patches) that are further engaged with, through a reflective commentary known as stitching. The patchwork format is underpinned by a social ethos; students are encouraged to share their patches with peers to enable the learner to develop their own understandings through engagement.” (Arnold et al., 2009, p. 151)
Patchwork generates what Trevelyan and Wilson call: “continuous learning, deep learning, integrated understanding and critical self-reflection.” (2012, p. 494)
“Each stage in the sequence of critical, responsive, reflective and locating reading informs the next and builds on the last. Or more properly, the process is not so much cyclic as an upward spiral of ever more critical, ever more informed reading.” (Parker, 2003, p. 182)
Patchwork assessment allows students to choose from a few assessment tasks they would like to do and on what topic (within parameters). A series of such tasks are undertaken, and at the end, students ‘pull it all together’ in a reflection task. Students are able to pursue their interest and develop particular skill sets depending on the choices they make. This encourages personal engagement and deeper learning.
Maxine Lewis (the University of Auckland) has used patchwork assessment to make assessment both more engaging and more inclusive, especially with online students and continued lockdowns (and to remove the need for exams). She noted that with online exams she had more academic integrity issues than ever previously, so she reshaped her assessment to be completely coursework.
The course “Catullus: Choose Your Own Adventure” combined students at years 2, 3, and 4 of their study of Latin, requiring differentiated expectations of assessments, and differentiated learning experiences in class. The need for differentiated tasks was met through providing 8 patch options, from which students chose 3. The 4th patch was the same for all, ultimately stitching together quilts of personalised learning via a final reflective piece. Students were therefore involved in designing and customising their own assessment scheme. Each patch had its own rubric, outlining the word count or time limit, expectation of using scholarship, criteria for each grade level, etc.
Since colleagues have shown interest in how the various patches are graded, Maxine has included one of her rubrics. The rubrics are very detailed. This is the most time-consuming part of assessment creation but makes marking much quicker.
Example patch options - Stage II (click to expand)
Table 1
| Patch option | Type | Format | Language | Parameter, including word count | Requires explicit engagement with or use of scholarship | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Creative response | Written file submission | English | Write a creative response to an element of Catullus’ poetry or persona of approximately 1,200 words. | No | 25% |
| B | Creative response | Written file submission | English | Write a creative response to an element of Catullus’ poetry or persona of approximately 800 words. | No | 25% |
| C | Research bibliography | Written file submission | English | Find 5 pieces of scholarly, peer-reviewed research on Catullus’ poetry. Write a 100-word summary (approximate) of what you learned from each reading, then write a 500-word discussion comparing your interpretation of Catullus’ poems to the views of your chosen scholars. | Yes | 25% |
| D | Commentary | Written file submission | English | Write a scholarly commentary on one-two poems of Catullus. 1,200 words. | Yes | 25% |
| E | Translation/reception analysis | Written file submission | English | Choose a response to Catullus (e.g., a translation, adaptation, novelization, etc), and analyze how the response makes use of Catullus’ original work. 1,200 words | Yes | 25% |
| F | Oral presentation | Oral presentation delivered live in class OR pre-filmed video watched in class | English | Create a deliver a 10-minute presentation on any of the following: Catullus’ use of language, styles, themes, role in Latin literature, responses to by later people, ways of translating. | Yes | 25% |
| G | Oral presentation | Pre-filmed video watching in class. Upload link to video or upload video file | Latin | Create a deliver a 5-minute presentation on any of the following: Catullus’ use of language, styles, themes, role in Latin literature, responses to by later people, ways of translating. | Yes | 25% |
| H | Choose your own task (by agreement with lecturer) | As agreed with Maxine | English and/or Latin as agreed with Maxine | As agreed with Maxine | As agreed with Maxine | 25% |
|
I This patch is compulsory for all students |
Final reflection | Written file submission | English | Write a reflection on your learning experiences this semester. Your reflection should engage with your specific patches and should demonstrate how your knowledge of and understanding of Catullus has grown and/or changed. 1,000 words. | Yes | 25% |
Note. Example of patchwork assessment for stage II Latin. Credit: Maxine Lewis, the University of Auckland.
Example patch options - Stage III (click to expand)
Table 2
| Patch option | Type | Format | Language | Parameter, including word count | Requires explicit engagement with or use of scholarship | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Creative response | Written file submission | English | Write a creative response to an element of Catullus’ poetry or persona of approximately 1,500 words. | No | 25% |
| B | Creative response | Written file submission | Latin | Write a creative response to an element of Catullus’ poetry or persona of approximately 1,000 words. | No | 25% |
| C | Research bibliography | Written file submission | English | Find 6 pieces of scholarly, peer-reviewed research on Catullus’ poetry. Write a 100-word summary (approximate) of what you learned from each reading, then write a 500-word discussion comparing your interpretation of Catullus’ poems to the views of your chosen scholars. | Yes | 25% |
| D | Commentary | Written file submission | English | Write a scholarly commentary on one-two poems of Catullus. 1,400 words. | Yes | 25% |
| E | Translation/reception analysis | Written file submission | English | Choose a response to Catullus (e.g., a translation, adaptation, novelization, etc), and analyze how the response makes use of Catullus’ original work. 1,400 words | Yes | 25% |
| F | Oral presentation | Oral presentation delivered live in class OR pre-filmed video watched in class | English | Create a deliver a 12-minute presentation on any of the following: Catullus’ use of language, styles, themes, role in Latin literature, responses to by later people, ways of translating. | Yes | 25% |
| G | Oral presentation | Pre-filmed video watching in class. Upload link to video or upload video file | Latin | Create a deliver a 6-minute presentation on any of the following: Catullus’ use of language, styles, themes, role in Latin literature, responses to by later people, ways of translating. | Yes | 25% |
| H | Choose your own task (by agreement with lecturer) | As agreed with Maxine | English and/or Latin as agreed with Maxine | As agreed with Maxine | As agreed with Maxine | 25% |
|
I This patch is compulsory for all students |
Final reflection | Written file submission | English | Write a reflection on your learning experiences this semester. Your reflection should engage with your specific patches and should demonstrate how your knowledge of and understanding of Catullus has grown and/or changed. 1,200 words. | Yes | 25% |
Note. Example of patchwork assessment for stage III Latin. Credit: Maxine Lewis, the University of Auckland.
Example rubric (click to expand)
Table 3. Creative response criteria
|
Student name: Letter Grade: |
Student ID: Mark /25: |
Date: Patch #: Creative response |
| Above standard (A range) |
Meets standard (B range) |
Bare pass (C range) |
Below standard (D range) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement with Catullus and/or his poetry |
Response shows clear, well-thought out connection with Catullus and/or his poetry. Piece is wholly consistent and coherent internally. Stage III response shows particular creativity and/or lateral thinking in the type of engagement. At Honours level, A range response demonstrates a sophisticated knowledge of Catullus and relevant issues relating to the study of his poetry. This can be demonstrated through an annotated bibliography, or endnotes and a full bibliography. |
Response shows clear connection with Catullus and/or his poetry. Piece generally takes a consistent and internally coherent approach to Catullus and/or his poetry. |
Response has discernible connection with Catullus and/or his poetry but includes material that seems irrelevant or unconnected. Piece may have some lapses in coherence and consistency. |
Response has no discernible connection with Catullus and/or his poetry. Piece lacks consistent and internally coherent approach to Catullus and/or his poetry. |
| Clarity of writing |
The whole piece reads smoothly and clearly: “a pleasure to read”. At stage III, A range responses demonstrate moments of verbal style and linguistic creativity. At Honours, A range responses are consistently stylistic and linguistically creative. |
Most of the piece is easy to read but there are a small number of grammatical errors, confused language, and/or parts where the style is inconsistent. |
The piece is readable but with no particular flow or ease. The piece may have the occasional unclear phrase or sentence. |
The writing is ungrammatical and/or uses inappropriate words for the style that has been chosen, making it unclear and unintelligible in some places. |
|
Format and layout (For example, a poetic creative response will be formatted accordingly, vs. a narrative, vs. a broadsheet) |
Layout and format is very clear and suits the specific type of creative response chosen, and takes full advantage of the opportunities offered by the type of response. At Stage III and Honours, A range answers are formatted virtually perfected. |
Layout and format is very clear and suits the specific type of creative response chosen There may be occasionally, minor inconsistencies of formatting. |
Piece is readable but format does not aid readability. Layout may not match the type of creative response chosen. |
Format and layout are clunky, hard to read, and detract from the content. |
| Other notable features |
Note. Example of patchwork assessment rubric for stage II Latin. Credit: Maxine Lewis, the University of Auckland.
The collaborative and social aspects referred to by Arnold et al. above were met by having students post their patches to Padlet and inviting peer feedback. Students explicitly referred to the feeling of community and peer-learning they had experienced in the course, through the chance to share and feedback on assessments, via Padlet.
Student feedback: Examples of anonymous course evaluation
“The more self-directed method of assessment fostered inquiry and excitement and made the course very engaging.”
“I felt the patchwork system was the most helpful for my learning because it allowed me to focus on what I was passionate about, hence [it] was far more engaging that other forms of learning.”
“The small class size and nature of the topic meant you could explore a concept incredibly thoroughly through the different patches or explore many different aspects of Catullus through each patch.”
Maxine is currently running a research project on the use of patchwork assessment.
A bit more on rubrics
The TeachWell Digital website goes into more detail about marking criteria and designing rubrics using Canvas.
Strategic links
The theme of Student choice relates to the TeachWell core capabilities:
- Deliberately attending to diversity of student background, prior knowledge and experience.
- Planning opportunities for active student learning.
- Encouraging the engagement and learning of all students.
- Designing assessment opportunities that enable students to develop and demonstrate their capabilities.
… and the University’s principles of assessment:
- 1. Assessment is learning-oriented through tasks which require the understanding, analysis, synthesis and/or creation of new information, concepts, and/or creative works.
- 4. Assessment is reliable and valid, and is carried out in a manner that is inclusive and equitable.
- 7. Assessment design and practices support academic integrity.
Useful tools
- Patchwork Assessment Practice Guide (Advance HE)
The theme of Student choice links with the values and principles of:
Manaakitanga
Caring for those around us in the way we relate to each other.
How we design characterizes how we care for our students. We can show manaakitanga by ensuring our practices support the enhancement of our students’ mana. Providing guided opportunities for student choice in assessment enables students to take the lead how they wish to meet the challenge of assessment and demonstrate their learning.
Respect and integrity
We respect and appreciate what makes people different, harnessing the power of our diversity. We recognise the multiple perspectives of our community. We understand that our actions influence intergenerational equality and act accordingly in the service of equity and inclusion. We take responsibility for our choices and actions, and trust that others will fulfil their responsibilities.
Designing assessments that enables guided student choice promotes inclusive and equitable education as it recognises and appreciates that students have different strengths and affinities and allows them to demonstrate their learning in the way that best suits them. It encourages students to take responsibility and feel empowered in their own learning, fostering more meaningful student engagement, personal expression, and a strengths-based approach that avoids deficit-models of thinking.
Excellence
We believe that excellence in teaching and research provides a means of engendering transformation in the lives of many people.
How we design learning experiences helps students build their capabilities. Assessment that offers students choice engages with students’ decision-making skills and self-evaluation of their own capabilities in how best to demonstrate their learning in the given parameters. More than just a method of demonstrating student achievement of the intended learning outcomes in a course, assessment provides opportunities for the personal development of the student as a whole person for their future, and for the benefit of their communities.
Additional resources
Cornell University. (n.d.). Collaborative learning. Centre for Teaching Innovation. https://teaching.cornell.edu/teaching-resources/active-collaborative-learning/collaborative-learning
Jopp, R., & Cohen, J. (2020). Choose your own assessment – assessment choice for students in online higher education. Teaching in Higher Education, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2020.1742680
Usher, K. (2019). Differentiating by offering choices. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/differentiating-offering-choices
References
Arnold, L., Williams, T., & Thompson, K. (2009). Advancing the patchwork text: The development of patchwork media approaches. International Journal of Learning, 16(5), 151-166.
Parker, J. (2003). The patchwork text in teaching Greek tragedy. Innovations in education and teaching International. 40(2), 180-193.
Pretorius, L., van Mourik, G. P., & Barratt, C. (2017). Student choice and higher-order thinking: using a novel flexible assessment regime combined with critical thinking activities to encourage the development of higher order thinking. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 29(2), 389-401. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1146270.pdf
Trevelyan, R., & Wilson, A. (2012). Using patchwork texts in assessment: clarifying and categorizing choices in their use. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 37(4), 487-498. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2010.547928