- The document discusses a curriculum review of chemistry courses at Keele University using the TESTA (Transforming the Experience of Students Through Assessment) framework.
- As part of the review, the number of assessments was reduced from 65 to 54 across 240 credits, with more formative assessments added.
- Data is presented comparing the old and new assessment schemes, showing changes in types and frequency of assessments at different levels.
- Feedback to students also changed, with more individual written feedback provided under the new scheme.
Introduction to ArtificiaI Intelligence in Higher Education
Putting chemistry to the TESTA
1. Putting Chemistry to the TESTA
Dr Katherine J. Haxton
k.j.haxton@keele.ac.uk @kjhaxton
2. Need for general review of curriculum
Significant changes in staff
Re-introduction of Royal Society of Chemistry
accreditation (and requirements)
Development of Keele’s Graduate Attributes and
subject specific graduate skills
Inclusion of diverse assessment and feedback
4. Transforming the Experience of Students
Through Assessment
Reflection on
Assessment
and Feedback
Student
Questionnaire
Student Focus
Group
Inventory of
Course
5. Our TESTA
Journey
• Change Academy, Feb.
‘12, Psychology Pilot
• Modular system –
provides framework for
course-wide
perspective
• Keele-wide deployment
of ‘TESTA lite’ in Sept.
‘13
• Before and After data
for Chemistry
Curriculum Review,
Aug. ‘14
CC BY-ND 2.0 https://www.flickr.com/photos/philwirks/
6. The Chemistry Approach
Carried out TESTA ‘lite’ for Major Route Chemistry
1st & 2nd year 60 credits Chem, 3rd year 120 credits
Chem including 30 credit research project
• Old: 65 summative assessments over 240 credits
• New: 54 summative and 8 formative assessments
over 240 credits
[120 credits in 2nd subject in 1st & 2nd year]
8. 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
FHEQ L4
OLD
FHEQ L 4
NEW
FHEQ L5
OLD
FHEQ L5
NEW
FHEQ L6
OLD
FHEQ L6
NEW
%Credits Broad Assessment Types: by Year
Coursework Written Exam Practical Exam Other
9. 0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Lab Book / Report Lab Assessment /
Practicals
Practical Exam - Lab based
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Lab Book / Report Lab Assessment /
Practicals
Practical Exam - Lab
based
Red – OLD
Blue – NEW
Number of Lab Assessments, Level 4
Number of Lab Assessments, Level 5
10. 0
2
4
6
8
Exam Unseen Class Test (S) Class Test (F)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Exam Unseen Class Test
Number of Exam-type
Assessments
Level 4
Level 5
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Exam Unseen Class Test (S) Class Test (F)
Level 6*
Red – OLD Blue – NEW
*estimated
11. FHEQ L4 FHEQ L5 FHEQ L6
OLD NEW OLD NEW OLD NEW
Presentation
(Individual)
1 1 1 0 0 3
Poster
(Individual)
1 0 1 1 0 3
Poster
(Group)
0 1 0 0 0 0
Presentation Skills
12. % Breakdown of Feedback Types
Individual
typed/writte
n
52%
Generic/Gro
up
typed/writte
n
13%
Model
answer
18%
Audio-visual
13%
Verbal /face
to face
group
4%
13. https://www.flickr.com/photos/domiriel/CC BY-NC 2.0
Shortcomings: Broad Brush
• TESTA defines summative assessment as a point at which
marks are allocated.
– judgement required where assignments have multiple
assessment points (e.g. Peer vs Tutor)
• Many summative assessments have formative elements
– e.g. peer review of a draft laboratory report
• Many assessments have several ways of awarding marks
– e.g. presentation with self, peer and tutor assessment
elements
14. Conclusions & Acknowledgements
• TESTA is a good way to provoke discussion on
assessment and feedback within a course.
• Must acknowledge limitations
• Chemistry course is different, reflects draft
Benchmarking statement (but *feels* better!)
• Thanks to: Keele TESTA people, Chemistry staff
and students.
Approach
1 year at a time!
All modules can/must be modified.
All ILOs/learning activities/assessment must be reviewed and consciously retained/modified.
All modules must contribute towards diversity of assessment.
Retain key features of course, develop others.