Discussion for Module 6

Discussion for Module 6 Assessment

Assessment for Formulations/Management plans in mental health
Feedback on two formulations from peer pair/trio depending on numbers
Completion of two structured formulations posted by student
Assessment structure to be developed, circulated to students
Discussion in response to questions: participation assessed by a structure

Same process for management plans


1. The form of assessment I have chosen for each learning activity is consistent with its learning objectives, and is integrated into the learning activity.
The form of the assessment that I have decided on (Producing formulations as for clinical work) will exactly mirror the task in an everyday setting: it is therefore authentic and consistent with the learning objectives that I have specified. I am interested to see that Race (Race, 2003)concentrates on authenticity in terms of plagiarism rather than a broader view: how well does this task assess what the students want and need to know?
The discussion assessment will follow a structure yet to be decided, although I have seen that some of the sites dedicated to sharing resources have standard rubrics which may be adapted according to the circumstances(Anon).This should increase the validity of the assessment as well as the transparency. I also hope that, as Race suggests(Race, 2003) the quantity will be at a level which allows meaningful and prompt feedback rather than a flurry of writing.
In addition, there will be some accumulation of assessment into a whole (a process which we are going through in this course) although I am not really very clear about how to do this for this particular section.
This year the students are completing a portfolio which will become a resource for their learning as well as something which can be assessed bit-by-bit and I can probably use this for the electronic delivery: ie a structure for their formulations, which can be completed by the students for their particular patients, thereby providing examples. I notice that electronic portfolios are increasingly used in clinical education(Dornan T, Lee C, & Stopford A, 2001), (Duque G, Finkelstein A, Roberts A, Tabatai D, & Winer L, 2006) in the move away from traditional health professional apprenticeship/transmission models. I think forming a whole document contributes very much to the reality/authenticity of the learning.

2. Students will have opportunities to undertake self-assessment and peer critique as well as receiving instructor feedback
As the tasks include peer critique this part is covered. How to pair people up? In classes people sit with friends and colleagues so they don’t always get exposed to a range of views/experiences, and I have learned to be a bit bossy about arranging groups for small group discussions. But we feel more comfortable with people who are known to us! I guess if the class is small learner-learner contact occurs and maybe people don’t feel so exposed in online anyway.
I am not sure how to ensure that the assessment process includes self-assessment: formal strategies seem too mechanistic eg checklist (have I covered X? Y?Z?) or methods such as unfolding linked statements. Perhaps I am taking self-assessment too formally: self assessment also includes noting what others do and comparing one’s own work with others’.

3. The strategy underlying the assessment approaches I have chosen reflects the view of teaching and learning evidenced by my Teaching Perspectives Inventory results, but also reflects new insights I have gained into assessment and e-learning.
There are elements of the range of teaching perspectives in these strategies: transmission in the provision of structures and the organisation of the materials, nurturing in hassling people nicely to get on with their tasks, but also a strong developmental approach. I have noticed that I have been far more active in interacting with students via Cecil than I have previously based on some of the principles about student-teacher interaction and the need for feedback and contact.

References
Anon. Applying Assessment Strategies in Psychology. Critique of Assessment Strategies Applied to Goals and Outcomes.
. Retrieved 11/05/07, from http://www.apa.org/ed/critique_goals.html
Dornan T, Lee C, & Stopford A. (2001). SkillsBase: a web based electronic learning portfolio for clinical skills. Academic Medicine, 76, 542–543.
Duque G, Finkelstein A, Roberts A, Tabatai D, & Winer L. (2006). Learning while evaluating: the use of an electronic evaluation portfolio in a geriatric medicine clerkship, BMC Medical Education (Vol. 6).
Race, P. (2003). Why fix Assessment? [Electronic Version]. . Retrieved 02/05/07, from http://www.scu.edu.au/services/tl/why_fix_assess.pdf