In at the Deep End - Starting to teach in Higher Education

Table of Contents

1. Welcome
2. Section 1: Learning
3. Section 2: Teaching
4. Section 3: Assessment
   1. Assessment, marking and feedback to students
   2. Summative and formative assessment
   3. Assessment matters to students
   4. The sharp end of learning and teaching
   5. Fit-for-purpose assessment is valid, reliable, transparent and authentic - and manageable!
   6. Beyond exams, essays and reports
   7. Setting questions for essays and exams
   8. Designing marking schemes
   9. Marking students' work
   10. Making the most of feedback to students
   11. Maximising learning payoff through feedback
5. References

Assessment, marking and feedback to students

Why are assessment and feedback so important?

Nothing we do affects students more. If we get our assessment wrong, students' whole lives or careers could be jeopardised. And feedback is vital to students, so that they can be praised for what they do well, learn from their mistakes and improve their next piece of work on the basis of our feedback.

We may have 'lecturer' in our job title but, for most of us, we actually spend most of our time not lecturing or teaching, but on designing student assignments and exams, marking students' work, and giving students feedback on their progress. For many, this is a real 'in at the deep end' experience. Sometimes it seems as if we're expected simply to hold a red pen in our hand and automatically to know how to use it!