Roundtable Discussion Notes
A free-ranging conversation that viewed ‘authentic’ as a continuum rather than a specific endpoint. Three overlapping themes emerged:
- Aligning with what employers expect. Less then 10% of students stay in the HE system (including PG programmes). Over 90%% undergo some form of employer assessment to discover their skills, attitudes, strengths among other things. Interviews, presentations, work examples, group discussions, reflection activities, and other methods are used. Employers value analytical skills and the capacity to operate under pressure. Most companies are agnostic about disciplines and, increasingly, agnostic about degrees. The capacity to apply abilities in various job circumstances appears to be more essential than the skills themselves.
- Designing in authentic assessment. The focus of this part of discussion was the nature of ‘real world’ tasks or projects. Products such as press releases, policies, blogs, and project reports were suggested, with the understanding that assessment and feedback on such activities were critical. Diversity of assessment can help with the awarding gap. Sometimes programme proposals however made authentic assessment difficult to integrate, and assessment load should be considered.. Authentic assessment should probably be defined and designed at the programme level.
- Preparing students The open endedness of some authentic tasks were sometimes seen as ‘risky’ for students, who may not pick such options if available. Clear assessment criteria and low-staked practice could make the tasks seem less intimidating.
The conclusion was that ‘traditional’ and ‘authentic’ assessment should be complimentary rather than competing ‘polar opposites’.
Panel: Simon Walker, UCL Education and Student Experience, Karen Barnard, UCL Careers Service, Richard Osbourne, MAPS, Anisa Patel & Aurelie Soulier, Digital Assessment Advisors, and Alisa Ravindran, Assessment Programme Design Student Partner. Caroline Garaway, Social & Historical Sciences, was unable to attend but Simon read a statement from her. (Facilitator: Clive Young)