What did you select and why?
Ahead of the in-person workshop on Assessment and Feedback, I chose Brooks (2008) “Could do better?”: Students critique of feedback in Art & Design to share my reflections during the session. The pre-context reading enabled some understanding of curriculum assessment ahead of the in-person workshop.
In my practice, I am exploring how I can improve my graduate employability teaching and career support offer, but currently lack feedback from those I interact with. Reading this article gave some accounts on students critique of feedback, which in lieu of my own practice’s feedback, served as a speculative basis to work from.
What did you find interesting?
The research results outlined the value of one-to-one tutorials and dialogic feedback for fostering belonging and engagement, which is an important factor in my work. This intense interaction offers a wider emotional dimension than just written feedback, so the added input from the tutor sews the rewards through heightened trust and appreciation from the learners.
During the workshop, we covered:
- Constructive Alignment
- Formative vs. Summative Assessment
- Authentic Assessment: Emphasises real-world relevance and application of skills
The most intriguing was the small mention of ipsative assessment, which evaluates individuals based on their personal progress, rather than comparing them to external standards or peers. To me, incorporating this into employability teaching practices encourages graduates to focus on their own development trajectories rahter than suffer from ‘comparisonitus’ Channer, A. (2020), which often thwarts them rather than encourages and inspires them in their early career journey.
Actively engaging with available tools and resources demonstrates a commitment to learning and adaptability, a more meaningful learning arc. This proactive approach is often more valuable than a more experienced professional who remains stagnant and resists further development.
Miller and Konstantinou (2022) speaks to how authentic assessments that mirror real-world tasks can effectively embed employability skills within higher education curricula, which helps prepare them for the graduate career market by the time they enter my support. This article also corroborates the notion that learners are more likely to engage with assessment if they see how it links with other modules or goals. Advance HE. (2023) covers how these types of assessments challenge students to apply their knowledge in practical scenarios, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving abilities essential for career advancement.
What action has it inspired you to take?
My graduate learners are at varying stages of career development and industry awareness, therefore what is important to my assessment approach is that they showcase significant progress in their engagement, and in-turn build self-reflection skills and confidence in their abilities to best compete in the graduate job market.
This can look like ipsative assessment, mixed with more organic peer reviews, and stakeholder input informing their support programme. Barrow (2006) explores how design students engage in self-evaluative assessment practices that develop personal narratives and self-awareness. This aligns with the principles of ipsative assessment, as learners are guided to track their development over time, measuring success in relation to their past work and evolving self-concept, rather than strictly external benchmarks. By prioritising personal growth through ipsative assessment, myself and other educators can better prepare graduates to manage their careers proactively. This approach not only enhances individual employability but also contributes to a workforce that is adaptable, reflective, and continuously evolving.
References
Barrow, M. (2006) ‘Assessment and student transformation: linking character and intellect’, Studies in Higher Education, 31(3), pp. 357–372.
https://doi.org/10.1080/03075070600680544
Miller, E. and Konstantinou, I. (2022), “Using reflective, authentic assessments to embed employability skills in higher education”, Journal of Work-Applied Management, Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 4-17. https://doi.org/10.1108/JWAM-02-2021-0014
Brooks, K. (2008) ‘“Could do better?”: Students critique of feedback in Art & Design
Hughes, G. (2021) Ipsative assessment: measuring personal improvement. ResearchGate. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350287547_Ipsative_assessment_measuring_personal_improvement (Accessed: 4 April 2025).
Channer, A. (2020) The Comparison Game and Mental Health: How to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others. LinkedIn. Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/comparison-game-mental-health-stop-comparing-yourself-channer/ (Accessed: 4 April 2025).