First year law students: the impact of assessment type on attainment

This article describes an action research project that was undertaken to address a poor progression rate at the end of the first year of a single honours law degree. An attainment gap due to gender, age and ethnicity was also noted. The students were predominantly assessed by examinations; therefore a change of assessment to coursework and portfolio in some areas was proposed and actioned as a potential way to increase attainment and consequently progression. Data on pass rates for two years prior to the change of assessment and two years after the change were analysed. The impact of a change of assessment from examination to coursework raised attainment levels overall, but the gender, age and ethnicity gap remained.     

Coursework versus examinations in end-of-module assessment: a literature review

In the UK and other countries, the use of end-of-module assessment by coursework in higher education has increased over the last 40?years. This has been justified by various pedagogical arguments. In addition, students themselves prefer to be assessed either by coursework alone or by a mixture of coursework and examinations than by examinations alone. Assessment by coursework alone or by a mixture of coursework and examinations tends to yield higher marks than assessment by examinations alone. The increased adoption of assessment by coursework has contributed to an increase over time in the marks on individual modules and in the proportion of good degrees across entire programmes. Assessment by coursework appears to attenuate the negative effect of class size on student attainment. The difference between coursework marks and examination marks tends to be greater in some disciplines than others, but it appears to be similar in men and women and in students from different ethnic groups. Collusion, plagiarism and personation (especially ‘contract cheating’ through the use of bespoke essays) are potential problems with coursework assessment. Nevertheless, the increased use of assessment by coursework has generally been seen as uncontentious, with only isolated voices expressing concerns regarding possible risks to academic standards.     

Gender and mode of assessment at university: should we assume female students are better suited to coursework and males to unseen examinations?1

This paper reports on research conducted at the University of Sussex and examines whether female students have a particular preference for coursework, and whether such a preference is a key factor in their current undergraduate success. The performances of 638 students on courses whose assessment modes comprised both coursework and examinations were analysed to determine what, if any, gender differences were evident in relation to performances on each elements. In order to supplement the quantitative findings, qualitative data elicited via two online surveys, and focusing on student perceptions of coursework and examinations and attitudes to undergraduate study, are also discussed. Our findings contribute to the debate about gender differences across modes of assessment, and in particular take issue with the claim that female students, by contrast with males, both favour and are favoured by the use of coursework as opposed to unseen examinations in mode of assessment arrays.     

To see or not to see? Comparing the effectiveness of examinations and end of module assessments in online distance learning

Research comparing continuous assessment (e.g. coursework) with examinations generally reveals a student preference for the former. The perceived increased use of continuous assessment periodically captures media attention, with claims of greater numbers of higher degree classifications being awarded. This paper takes a case-study approach to investigate the extent to which different types of assessment allow students to effectively demonstrate and apply their learning. By considering data gathered from second-level, undergraduate students completing 60 point, online psychology modules, this paper investigates assessment effectiveness in terms of student satisfaction, pass rate and level of pass rate. Findings reveal that modules with an end of module assessment (EMA), rather than an examination, have higher completion and pass rates. Whilst students who took a seen examination also performed well, those who completed an unseen examination recorded the lowest overall pass and completion rates, despite high ratings of student satisfaction. Findings are discussed in terms of implications for improved pedagogy and student experience.     

Enigmatic Variations: Honours Degree Assessment Regulations in the UK

The debate in the UK about the continued existence of the honours degree classification led to a survey of the assessment regulations in 35 varied higher education institutions. This revealed considerable variation in the way in which honours degree classifications are determined, and also in the handling of weak performances by students. Such variability, deriving from a system in which institutional autonomy is to the fore, raises a question about equitability in the treatment of students. A brief allusion is made to the variability in assessment regulations in the US and Australia.     

Book Reviews

This article examines the student experience for a particular cohort, namely the joint honours students, at a post-1992 university in the United Kingdom. These students are enrolled in degree courses that combine two subjects at one university. Little attention has so far been given to such students whose experience is decidedly different from that of single honours students. By using a mixed methodology including quantitative and qualitative questionnaires, focus groups, individual interview and ethnography, the article attempts to highlight elements of the student experience that are unique to the joint provision. It will draw on the concept of ‘institutional habitus’ to argue that joint honours students experience their time at university often in isolation and as excluded from the institutional norm.     

What should make up a final mark for a course? An investigation into the academic performance of first year Bioscience students

Performance of individual students in a tertiary level course is usually reflected in a final mark that determines their progress and transfer to higher courses. The contributions of different types of assessment to this final mark vary greatly within and between subjects in and between institutions. Performance of students in a first year course, Bioscience at the University of KwaZulu‐Natal, Pietermaritzburg (UKZN) was assessed to determine if there were any patterns emerging in the broad components that contributed to the final mark, namely the coursework, theory and practical examinations. Performance of students was compared in Bioscience 110 for the years 1995–2000 using Repeated Measures ANOVA. Students performed best in coursework. All students performed poorly in the theory examinations. In addition differential performance between students, particularly the performance of sub‐groups within the class was investigated. Of particular interest were English second language (ESL) students, and previous Science Foundation Programme (SFP) students. The latter are mainly previously disadvantaged Black students. All sub‐groups of students showed similar trends in performance in Bioscience assessment tasks and final marks. However, the SFP students' final marks were lower than the other sub‐groups, and showed a decreased performance for the same period. Most students, excluding SFP students, fell in the 50–59% category for the final Bioscience 110 marks obtained for the period 1995–2000. Theory examinations were investigated further, and were analysed in their component parts, namely multiple choice (MCQ), short questions and essay. Students performed best and consistently in MCQ. In contrast, students performed poorly in the short question and essay sections. Although the different ethnic sub‐groupings showed similar trends in performance, the SFP students showed the poorest performance. In particular, they scored lowest in the theory examinations where they performed more poorly than the other sub‐groupings in short questions and essays that require higher order cognitive skills. These patterns suggest that changes are required at the teaching, student and assessment interfaces.     

Effects of honours programme participation in higher education: a propensity score matching approach

Honours programmes have become part of higher education systems around the globe, and an increasing number of students are enrolled in such programmes. So far, effects of these programmes are largely under-researched. Two gaps in previous research on the effects of such programmes were addressed: (1) most studies lack a comparable control group of students not enrolled in honours programmes and (2) few studies have longitudinally investigated effects of honours programmes on student characteristics other than academic achievement. By using propensity score matching, the current study investigated the effects of Dutch honours programmes on students’ ability, motivation, creativity and academic achievement. Students’ self-perceived ability, perseverance, mastery orientation, performance orientation, intellectual curiosity and self-efficacy, as well as students’ gender and study grades were used to match undergraduate honours students to non-honours students (N?=?94). Results showed no overall differences in ability, motivation and creativity halfway into the honours programme, although honours students seemed to slightly increase in intellectual curiosity, while non-honours students tended to decrease in mastery orientation. Outcomes of the study give rise to considerations about the role of honours programmes in curricula.     

Using Knowledge Decrement to Compare Medical Students’ Long-term Retention of Self-study Reading and Lecture Materials

The purpose of the current study was to contrast the long-term retention of material acquired primarily through lectures and assigned self-study readings. Sixteen third-year female medical students took part in the study, and the material tested was from a six week Behavioural Sciences Module which incorporated social science, medical science and clinical information. A specially constructed examination paper was used to measure retention one year later. Knowledge decrement (the percentage of material lost) was one of the measures employed. The two study methods did not differ consistently in terms of knowledge decrement or class performance. The top students (in terms of module performance) remembered more than the weakest students, but not because they were less prone to knowledge decrement. Individuals differed substantially in terms of the relative percentages of lecture and reading material forgotten. Using knowledge decrement to identify which study approaches best suit an individual student is discussed.     

Vergleichbarkeit von Abiturleistungen

This article examines differences in the mathematics and English proficiency of academic-track students in Baden-Württemberg (N?=?3526) and Hamburg (N?=?3734), investigating whether and to what extent these differences are reflected in the Abitur grades the students are awarded. The article also examines the extent to which scores in centrally conducted examinations provide better comparability than do coursework grades. Multilevel analyses predicting coursework grades in mathematics revealed clear between-state differences, with students in Hamburg being awarded higher mathematics grades than comparably able students in Baden-Württemberg. These differences are partly attributable to frame of reference effects and their impact on teachers’ grading practices. No corresponding between-state differences were found for English. Mathematics examination scores provided a much better measure of student achievement than mathematics coursework grades. The findings are discussed in terms of meritocratic access to sought-after university and training places.     

Using automatic machine assessment to teach computer programming

We report on an intervention in which informal programming labs were switched to a weekly machine-evaluated test for a second year Data Structures and Algorithms module. Using the online HackerRank system, we investigated whether greater constructive alignment between course content and the exam would result in lower failure rates. After controlling for known associates, a hierarchical regression model revealed that HackerRank performance was the best predictor of exam performance, accounting for 18% of the variance in scores. Extent of practice and confidence in programming ability emerged as additional significant predictors. Although students expressed negativity towards the automated system, the overall failure rate was halved, and the number of students gaining first class honours tripled. We infer that automatic machine assessment better prepares students for situations where they have to write code by themselves by eliminating reliance on external sources of help and motivating the development of self-sufficiency.     

Analysis of testing with multiple choice versus open‐ended questions: Outcome‐based observations in an anatomy course

The pedagogical approach for both didactic and laboratory teaching of anatomy has changed in the last 25 years and continues to evolve; however, assessment of student anatomical knowledge has not changed despite the awareness of Bloom's taxonomy. For economic reasons most schools rely on multiple choice questions (MCQ) that test knowledge mastered while competences such as critical thinking and skill development are not typically assessed. In contrast, open‐ended question (OEQ) examinations demand knowledge construction and a higher order of thinking, but more time is required from the faculty to score the constructed responses. This study compares performances on MCQ and OEQ examinations administered to a small group of incoming first year medical students in a preparatory (enrichment) anatomy course that covered the thorax and abdomen. In the thorax module, the OEQ examination score was lower than the MCQ examination score; however, in the abdomen module, the OEQ examination score improved compared to the thorax OEQ score. Many students attributed their improved performance to a change from simple memorization (superficial learning) for cued responses to conceptual understanding (deeper learning) for constructed responses. The results support the view that assessment with OEQs, which requires in depth knowledge, would result in student better performance in the examination. Anat Sci Educ 11: 254–261. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.     

Recruiting Honours Students in the Face of Market Demand for Pass Degrees: A Case Study

Third year undergraduate and fourth year honours students in a large university economics department were surveyed for this study with a view to some resolution of how honours participation rates might be improved (and hence the pool of potential postgraduates enlarged) when good employment opportunities are available to three‐year graduates. Reasons why students choose to do or not to do an honours year are examined in relation to their background characteristics, circumstantial factors, previous assessment, course structure and perceptions of market demand for honours graduates, opportunity costs and career paths. The results draw attention to ways in which more students might be attracted to the honours stream, the honours year and beyond. It is concluded that higher education institutions and federal bodies must share this responsibility.     

Equity Issues in Performance Assessment: The Contribution of Teacher-Assessed Coursework to Gender-Related Differences in Examination Performance

This article discusses the particular consequences for equity issues in testing and evaluation with the inclusion of performance assessment components in public examinations. The article outlines the relative contribution that examination components make, especially teacher-assessed coursework, to gender-related differences in performance. Since the introduction of coursework in 1988 into mainstream examining in the UK, via the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), it has been generally welcomed as an effective motivator of pupils and has enhanced performance. However, since 1994, we have seen a considerable reduction in the amount of coursework available within the GCSE syllabuses. This has had major implications for how this type of assessment is seen within the examination system. There is also a widespread perception that while teacher-assessed coursework generally favours pupils, it actually favours girls more than boys in terms of better (GCSE) performance. The research presented in this article investigates this issue further. Two factors are considered: The extent to which examination components in reality operate as intended and whether coursework does contribute disproportionately to girls’ final grades. Both these factors have implications for the consequential and differential validity of these examinations.     

Mature students in higher education: Academic performance and intellectual ability

Mature students are sometimes said to be deficient in the basic skills needed for effective studying in higher education or to be impaired by age-related intellectual deficits. However, the research literature on the academic performance of mature students contains no good evidence that mature students perform any less well than younger students on courses of study in higher education. Moreover, the idea that normal ageing impairs the capacity for learning in higher education is most questionable: even the oldest mature students can obtain good results when assessed by means of both examinations and coursework.     

八年级学生数学认知水平的性别差异

学习成就的性别差异是国际教育界的关注点之一.数学认知水平的测试调查、比较表明:初二学生在总成绩上男、女生的差异不显著,但女生在分水平(计算、概念、领会、分析)上的表现几乎都呈现略比男生差的现象;访谈的结果也加强了这一观念.     

The effect of learning style on doctoral course completion in a Web-based learning environment

One hundred and fifty-nine doctoral students, majoring in Computing Technology in Education (CTE), were tracked during the coursework phase in a Web-based learning environment. At the beginning of the coursework, each student completed a demographic data form and Kolb's Learning Style Inventory (LSI). Due to the type of program, it was hypothesized that students would primarily fall into Kolb's Converger and Assimilator categories, and learning style would predict completion of the required courses. Results indicated 84.3% (n=134) of all students finished the required coursework. One hundred and twenty-four of the students (78%) fell into the predicted categories and, of these, 87.1% (n=108) finished the coursework. Students not falling into the predicted categories (n=35) had a 74.3% (n=26) completion rate.An examination of the means scores for both groups indicated that students with a preference for Abstract Conceptualization dropped out of the program at significantly lower rates, t(157)=1.667, p=.045(one-tailed), than students with other preferred learning strategies. The implications are clear. First, students, for the most part, are able to adapt their personal learning styles in order to succeed in a Web-based learning environment. Second, students with a preference for systematic planning and an intellectual understanding of a situation are more likely to succeed than students preferring concrete experience and interaction with other students. Institutions offering programs of this type should be prepared to address learning style issues when developing and offering such programs.     

“We must educate our masters”

In this paper we examine the possible explanations for the patterns of results found at Oxford, in which women students consistently achieve a lower proportion of both first and third class honours. Usual explanations that rest on socio‐biology or simple forms of socialisation are rejected in favour of an explanation which is based on the idea of a mutual determination of social structure and social being. Various hypotheses are proposed as possible explanations of the examination statistics.     

必须破除对分数的迷信

考试和分数有一定的意义和作用 ,但任何考试都有片面性 ,不应把分数作为衡量学生的惟一标准 ,更不要凭分数把人看死。高材生毕业后表现不一定都很好 ,学习一般的学生也有工作后表现很出色的。能否做出重大成绩 ,除基础知识技术外 ,还要有其他因素和条件。