Enhancing assessment and feedback: A case study compendium

Assessment is a cornerstone of higher education, serving multiple critical functions. It provides a

mechanism for measuring student learning, informing teaching and curriculum development, and

ensuring the quality and standards of programmes. Additionally, assessment data is essential for

informing institutional decision-making, accountability, and external quality assurance processes.

In this series, directly aligned to the Advance HE Assessment and Feedback Symposium 2023,

we bring together over a dozen examples of sector practice regarding assessment and feedback.

The series continues to outline some of the ways in which institutions have undertaken the necessary

navigation of these critical and multifaceted areas. Enhancing assessment mechanisms within

Higher Education (HE) is a constant that we must continue to review. This series looks at a range of

activity from across the sector that colleagues are implementing to improve outcomes for all students.

Collectively these contributions seek to consider and suggest ideas and future developments

for all of us working in learning and teaching in higher education to consider and showcase a

variety of activity that can help enhance the success of our students through assessment and

feedback practices.

Although it is widely acknowledged within the sector that assessment and feedback practices are

pivotal to enhancing student learning, the complex interplay of factors such as rapid technological

advancements, evolving student demographics, and economic pressures has necessitated a critical

re-evaluation of assessment approaches. Given the substantial impact assessment has within HE it is

essential to consider this in relation to the wider impact on student success. This encompasses not

only improving learning outcomes but also addressing broader challenges such as retention,

attainment, and inclusivity. Furthermore, assessment should be aligned with the development of

graduates equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in the 21st-century world.

To achieve this, a sophisticated understanding of the context-specific factors influencing assessment

practices is essential. By rethinking and repositioning assessment strategies, processes, and

practices across the sector, we can ensure that assessment remains fit for purpose in an ever-

changing landscape. This involves clarifying assessment’s role in meeting the demands of the

21st century and preparing the sector for future challenges.

Ultimately, assessment is an integral component of curriculum design. It has the potential to be a

powerful catalyst of change, enabling students to develop the competencies required to succeed in

both academic and professional life. By effectively harnessing the potential of assessment, higher

education institutions can significantly enhance student outcomes and contribute to the development

of a skilled and knowledgeable workforce.

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Stuart Norton

Foreword

This collection aims to build on existing scholarship, frameworks, tools, models, and examples of best

practice and to showcase and discuss initiatives currently being tested across the HE sector, in a wide

variety of institutions and disciplines. What is apparent across the series is that in today’s landscape,

passive engagement with assessment and feedback is insufficient; instead, empowering students to

cultivate their own learning journey is paramount. This necessitates active learning experiences and

authentic assessment methods that encourage students to take ownership of their learner journey

and develop a personal responsibility for their education. This series highlights how transforming

students from passive recipients of knowledge into active participants aims to improve their attainment

and outcomes. Although we have presented the cases under the broad banners of innovative

assessment, assessment and feedback in a digital era, authentic assessment and enhancing

assessment and feedback practices, we want to be mindful that we could have categorised these

initiatives under a number of different labels. There are a range of diverse approaches presented,

often with overlapping threads that transcend these boundaries. What truly unites them is a shared

purpose, that of enhancing student learning, outcomes, and ultimately success.