Our vision is to create conditions throughout Oxford where excellence in teaching and assessment can thrive.
In 2022-23, we invite you to work with us on projects related to two key priority areas: embedding digital education and redesigning summative assessments. Find out more about our consultancy service.
Read below how we can work with you on projects related to redesigning summative assessments. If you are interested in working with us on a project related to embedding digital education, find out how we can help you.
What are some of the drivers at Oxford for redesigning summative assessments?
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was necessary to rethink how to assess students who were studying remotely.
We experienced the value of redesigned assessment to enable assessments to be taken remotely or to accommodate the needs of disabled students, but also experienced challenges of administering and marking work submitted online.
There has been discussion at the University of the role of assessment in supporting inclusive educational approaches, while maintaining the academic robustness and challenge reflective of the high-quality teaching and Oxford's outstanding students.
As such, the driver for this consultancy opportunity is focussing on drawing on redesigning assessment tasks, conditions and timings to ensure they are working well for you and your students.
How will we work with you?
Recognising that every subject is different in its assessment needs, we will work with divisions, departments, faculties and course or programme teams, and in partnership with your students, to identify and scope out summative assessments you are interested in redesigning and appropriate timelines for taking this forward. This could be through a series of structured conversations or workshops with groups of staff.
If you are interested in working with us on this strategic priority, please complete the expression of interest form by the due dates below:
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EOI completion dates
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| Thursday, Week 4, MT22 (now closed) |
| Thursday, Week 7, MT22 (now closed) |
| Thursday, Week 4, HT23 (now closed) |
| Thursday, Week 7, HT23 (now closed) |
What are some examples of projects?
Projects related to this strategic priority could include working with you to:
- Identify summative assessments for a course or related group of courses that have the potential to be redesigned and choose what would be appropriate to the subject
- Develop and use of assessment criteria (engaging students with criteria and making the most of Inspera) for redesigned assessments?
- Ensure academic rigour and challenge of assessments (to include academic security of assessments and supporting positive academic integrity) for redesigned assessments?
- Explore the potential for digital tools to support students when redesigning assessment tasks, for example, Panopto
- Review the pedagogical considerations for summative assessments, alignment with the teaching and formative assessments and feedback to review student preparedness
- Identify any policy, regulation, technical or digital impacts of the proposed redesign of summative assessments. We will work with you and Education Policy Support (EPS) and Student Registry to explore further any policy and regulation implications and developments to support the proposed assessment redesign
- Develop a timeline for taking forward through the approval process and any ongoing support from us required
- Share materials and resources to support the redesign of assessments, including providing examples of different types of assessments, developing marking criteria, and resources to support students and tutors in relation to developing the knowledge and skills demanded by the redesigned assessments.
It is anticipated that by the end of a project, departments and faculties that have engaged with us in this way will have a plan for how they want to progress redesign of summative assessments and understand what support, policies and Registry updates may need to be reviewed.
An example of the initial workshop for redesigning summative assessments
An initial 90-minute workshop will take place with key stakeholders to explore the topic of redesigning summative assessments as part of the process of working with us.
This workshop will provide an opportunity for course or programme teams to explore the underpinning pedagogical principles of good practice in assessments within their subject before considerations around assessment redesign to include:
- Reviewing current summative assessment practices
- Reviewing examples of different assessment tasks
- A mapping of the range of summative assessment tasks and consideration of how the conditions and scheduling of assessments tasks supports students learning
- Embedding inclusive assessment practices from the outset
- Supporting students to engage with assessment.
Who can you contact for further information about this service?
If you would like to speak with us about this service before completing the expression of interest form, please contact Dr Jane Pritchard (Head of Educational Development, Centre for Teaching and Learning) at jane.pritchard@ctl.ox.ac.uk.
Further support and resources
TESTA and ABC Learning Design
We recognise that many course and programme teams may wish to explore projects that span across redesigning summative assessments. In our initial scoping meeting with you, it may emerge that a broader conversation might be of value. Examples of methodologies we can use to support this conversation are TESTA (Transforming the Experience of Students Through Assessment) fast-track and ABC Learning Design.
Additional resources
In addition, the following Centre for Teaching and Learning resources also support departments, faculties and programme teams who are designing, reviewing and/or redesigning their assessments:
- A set of eight principles for designing assessment with a short explanation of each.
- A booklet containing summative assessment profiles of 17 different types of assessment. Each profile contains:
- An overview of the form of summative assessment
- Suggestions for formative feedback design for this form of assessment
- Pros and cons of the assessment
- At least one example where the form of assessment is currently in use at Oxford.
- A glossary of assessment terms.
