Student experiences and feedback
With the focus on revision and assessment this term, it is helpful to reflect on feedback from our students last term.
Many students acknowledged the challenges they were experiencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic; expressing appreciation of the support they were receiving from their tutors and supervisors. However, as they looked ahead to this final term of the year, some also expressed apprehension about the move to online exams; unsure about what to expect.
For those of you supporting students with exams and assessment, there is help available.
University guidance - online open-book exams
The University’s single source of information about online open-book exams provides an overview of the online open-book exams process, as well as guidance for Examiners, Assessors and Departmental Administrators.
Student welfare resources on study and revision
Student Welfare, together with the Counselling Service, is providing wellbeing and preparation advice for students, as well as a Canvas site containing a series of pre-recorded presentations to help students prepare for a study environment that involves some degree of online teaching, learning and assessment.
Resources from the Centre for Teaching and Learning
The Centre for Teaching and Learning has produced several Oxford Teaching Ideas (its series of Oxford-specific teaching resources) that provide guidance on preparing students for exams. These include: Engaging students in feedback, Making the most of collections and revision classes, and Supporting students who are taking online, open-book exams.
Their downloadable resource, Developing students’ understanding of excellence in examined work is a collection of practical teaching ideas to support students to understand what makes excellent examined work, and the criteria by which they will be assessed. The collection includes examples of teaching from academics at the University, as well as activities specifically designed for the Oxford context.
You may like to familiarise your students with the guide, How to make the most of watching Panopto videos in Canvas. Produced by the Centre for Teaching and Learning’s assistive technologies expert, the guide helps students get the most out of the Replay Lecture Capture service (also known as Panopto) for their revision by providing several time-saving hints and tips.
Further help
If you would like to speak with someone about any aspect of remote teaching and learning, including revision and assessment, please contact our dedicated helpdesk dedicated service. The service provides teaching staff with help from experts in several areas, including digital education, educational development, and the Canvas VLE.
