Transcript Armani Shepherd Introducing the 3Rs Inclusive Assessment

Introducing the 3R’s:
RESEARCH, REFLECT and REFERENCING
June 26th 2015
13th VC’s Teaching & Learning Conference
[email protected]
ABSTRACT
Curriculum Development: Innovation in Practice
Introducing the 3R’s: RESEARCH, REFLECT and REFERENCING
As part of a curriculum model enfolding the crucial role of assessment equitable learning experience, this paper
presents an innovative best practice example which successfully engages students. It is flexible and can be applied to
a range of subject disciplines. It encourages creative thinking, enhances research skills, engages the students and
grounds them in referencing as well as incorporating good use of figures and/or plates. It develops critical reflection
and can be utilized to introduce a culture shift such as the embedding enterprising entrepreneurship or careers related
research into a module. It is adaptable enough to address alternative areas such as Internationalization, theory or
methods. Alternatively it can be used to encourage students to go beyond that taught in the lecture. This assessment
encourages mind maps and out of the box thinking (ideal within problem based learning). It avoids the structure of a
formal essay to enable an inclusive assessment designed to be suitable for both left and right brained students in
demonstrating their full potential in understanding and knowledge. As such this model aligns with the QAA. 2013 UK
Quality Code for Higher Education, Ch B6. This paper introduces and reflects upon this assessment framework which
has been practiced and developed within ethnomusicology modules over a period of four years. This assessment can
align with FHEQ teaching levels 4, 5 or 6, and prepares students with skills for future modules (even careers),
including those which are autonomous such as their dissertation. This is an assessment model which students find
enjoyable, includes a formative peer assessment and provides added value.
What is this 3r’s
assignment?
RESEARCH - REFLECT REFERENCING
and why?
Brief Timeline
developed further
- revised so
relevant across
FHEQ levels
- impact other
modules i.e.
dissertation/res
earch/employa
bility
students were
asked to write
lecture notes
2010/11
2011/12
2013 - to date
Why? - THE NEED
2010/11
Inclusive assessment
develop critical
reflection
(go beyond the
lecture notes…)
Enhance NSS results re
library resources available
Deep research
rather than surface
research
Assignment One - ‘3Rs’
Assignment one is called the ‘3R’s’ as you will select any THREE sessions within the module; you will then
Assignment one
RESEARCH further each of your chosen sessions, using scholarly material (i.e. books, articles etc). NB: this
is not information extracted within the lecture/workshop but additional research using resources that you
discover within the library/and online. You will then REFLECT and summarize your findings. The final ‘R’
refers to REFERENCING as you need to evidence your research trail by providing a bibliography*.
We are not looking for quantity but quality (in-depth engagement); it is often harder to summarize than write
reams. As such, we would suggest 800 words for each ‘3Rs’, excluding your bibliography (i.e. 2400 words
overall for assignment one). Your reflection can be presented in a number of ways - you can be creative and
explorative. You might for example include mind maps, pictures, bullet points etc. It’s an opportunity to
develop your skills in research, engage with various library resources and to critically (and creatively) think.
Note that in the assessment criteria, one of the considerations is the variety of resources and referencing.
Needless to say, however you choose to present your ‘3 Rs,’ you MUST incorporate a bibliography (Harvard
referencing), for each of your three selected sessions. Harvard referencing will be discussed within one of the
lectures.
Tip: Do not just use internet sources - browse PRIMO/electronic resources on the university portal and seek
that which is available.
Your assignments are detailed in
your module HANDBOOK
Your 800 words is to summarize
your research, critical engagement,
for each of the THREE sessions
you choose.
Submission date: INSERT DATE
800 words for each
‘3Rs’, excluding your bibliography
not looking for
quantity but
quality (indepth
engagement)
How to get everything in
800 words????!!!!
Tables
Figures
Diagrams (such as mindmaps)
Fig. 1.1 title citation
Plates
Pictures
Plate 1.1 title citation
Flipped learning
Enhances depth of
engagement, creativity (mind
maps),
critical thought,
awareness library resources
lower and higher levels of
thinking …
remains
inclusive…
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this module
students will be expected to be
able to (learning outcomes):
- Present an understanding of
musical practices in their
cultural context
- Demonstrate an ability to
conduct independent research
- Articulate a critical reflection of
non-western/western musics
Original Assessment
Criteria (equally weighted):
- Engagement with a variety of
resources and references
- Evidence of
immersion/autonomous
research within
ethnomusicology; critical
thought and reflection
- Correct use of Harvard
referencing
- Originality and organisation of
ideas; style; presentation
REFLECT
- Reflected re verbs within Blooms taxonomy and
alignment; explored other taxonomies (Marzano and
Kendall 2007); Blooms revised taxonomy (Anderson
and Krathwohl 2001)
- SOLO taxonomy (Structure of the Observed Learning
Outcome)-(Biggs and Collis 1982)
- Significant learning objectives reflected in the
inherited learning outcomes?
- QAA (2012) doesn’t directly refer to Blooms;
assessment criteria must fulfil the learning outcome
Little Victories… Enhancing Knowledge
References
Biggs, J. (2003) Aligning teaching for constructing learning,
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/resource_database/id477_aligning_teachin
g_for_constructing_learning, [accessed April 2015]
Biggs, J. and Tang, C (2011) Teaching for Quality at University (society for Research into
Higher Education), fourth edition, Maidenhead: MacGraw Hill, Open University Press.
Bloom B. S., et al. (1956) Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational
goals: Handbook I, Cognitive Domain. New York.
CACHE (July 2012), Qualifications and Credit Framework: A Guide to Assessing CACHE QCF
Qualifications, http://www.cache.org.uk/Centres/Documents/HowTo.pdf [accessed 16 May
2015]
Marzano R. J. and Kendall, J. S., (2007) The New Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, 2nd
ed., Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
QAA (September 2012), Understanding assessment: its role in safeguarding academic standards
and quality in higher education, http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/Publications/Documents/understandingassessment.pdf [accessed 16 May 2015]
Preamble
At undergraduate level you are expected to engage and develop into becoming an autonomous
learner/researcher. This module not only encourages you to develop your independent self learning but
enables you to critically reflect and think.
For example, you may have experienced a practical session on Indian classical music and enhanced your
global soundscape. Although some sessions maybe practical, you might ask yourself questions such as, ‘What
is the difference between North and South Indian classical music?’ These experiential workshops will not give
you all the answers and you may decide to research several pertinent questions. We encourage you to seek
out resources and texts which critically answer your thoughts and inspire you into independent learning.
Although you may not answer all your questions, it will engage you to ‘dig deeper’. Another practical session
might be attending a Gamelan workshop. Something may be said within the session that stimulates your
research e.g. ‘Why is Gamelan considered sacred?’, ‘Is the Javanese Gamelan any different to the Balinese
Gamelan?’You may however select a musical culture of your choice to research e.g. Korean, Brazilian, Turkish
or perhaps listen to a stimulating radio 3 world music programme e.g ‘World Routes Academy Azerbaijan’
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p019ssgp The latter may inspire you into further researching a particular
musical culture or something specific in ethnomusicology e.g. ‘oral tradition in ethnomusicology’ or ‘Persian
Radif’. Your 3Rs would resource further literature where you could respond to accordingly and critically reflect,
(and reference).
Your written reflection is not an essay but more of a critical reflective blog/summary. It is not the quantity that
counts but the quality of reflection. Have you critically reflected? Have you asked yourself questions? Have you
evidenced a wide array of resources from journals to magazines to books within your bibliography? Find out
what citation is and use it within your write-up. Embracing this assignment whole-heartedly will provide
foundations for the next three years of your degree.