Salford University t.l.crossley@salford.ac.uk
University of Ulster
tj.maguire@ulster.ac.uk
Exercise: Introducing the Assessment of Process
| Tracy Crossley Salford University t.l.crossley@salford.ac.uk |
Tom Maguire University of Ulster tj.maguire@ulster.ac.uk |
|
| Rationale: This introductory session sets the context for assessing process by emphasising the pedagogical value. Once this has been achieved participants are encouraged to share potential problems and challenges to assessing process in their specific contexts. |
| Suitable
for: Staff and students with maximum numbers dictated by size of room. |
| Timings: 90 minutes total 45 minutes Introduction and purpose of workshop using PPT including a slide setting up a 20 minute pairs exercise. 15 mins. Individual (or Pairs) task using post-it stickers plus Q & A 15 mins. To display and read post-it stickers 15 mins. Facilitator-led discussion to draw out and summarise the most commonly perceived problems and to lead into PA workshop 2 which will address ways around the challenges and problems. |
| Facilitators: One facilitator should be able to manage up to 36 people. If the group is much larger, it is helpful to have two facilitators, especially for the post-it stickers and chairing the final discussion. |
| Resources
needed: Chairs Packs of post-it stickers - sufficient for 3 or 4 post-its per person - and in 3 different colours, if possible Wall or white board to display post-it stickers. |
| Materials
provided here: PPT Presentation (R3) and Handout (word document) The presentation can be used intermittently at each stage of the workshop. The handout should be drip-fed so that it doesn't pre-empt the participants responses. |
| Running
the workshop: Stage 1: Introducing the Assessment of Process (45 minutes for presentation and task.) This follows the first 2 slides of the PPT presentation in a) giving an overview of the workshop b) asking: ' Why assess process?' As a follow on from this ask participants to form pairs to discuss their answer to the question: 'What are you looking for when you assess process ?' Use PPT slides 3 & 4 to draw together the issues raised in these and to identify examples of how these attributes or behaviours might be effectively addressed. Stop the presentation at this point Stage 2: Post-it stickers to identify the challenges (15 + 15 minutes) Invite participants to think about their own context and to note (one per post-it) specific problems they have encountered in assessing process or areas which they perceive might be problematic. It is helpful here to ask them to think of three categories which might be problematic: students; staff; and institutional (regulations; QAA etc ). Each category can have a separate colour of post-it. After about 15 minutes, ask them to display their post-its on a wall or board which you will have headed with the 3 categories above, so that they can immediately group their post-its appropriately. (This saves the facilitator time having to go through all the post-its and categorise them in the break!!) Allow sufficient time for participants to read each other's post-its. Stage 3: Summing up discussion (15 minutes) Using PPT slides 5, 6, 7 give a brief summary of the most commonly perceived problems and, if time permits, allow for a brief discussion. Conclude by flagging that, after the break, the workshop will address these challenges. |
| Guidance
notes and recommendations: Be careful that individuals stay on task and don't get distracted. If possible, ensure that colleagues who regularly work together don't form pairs or groups so that they produce clichéd or responses which restrict their creative input. |
| Variations: When working with a small team, you can make all exercises for individuals or as a whole group discussion/brainstorm. |
| Bibliography: Adair, J., 1986 Effective Teambuilding: How to Make a Winning Team. London: Pan Belbin R. M.1981 Management Teams. London: Heinemann. Barnes B., S. Ernst and K. Hyde, 1999 An Introduction to Groupwork: A Group-Analytic Perspective. Basingstoke: Macmillan Boyle, R., 1997 Team-based Working. Dublin: Institute of Public Administration Douglas, T., 1983 Groups: Understanding People Gathered Together. London: Tavistock Publications Gibbs, G., 1995 Learning in Teams: A Tutor Guide. (Rev. ed.) Oxford: Oxford Centre for Staff Development Heap, K., 1977 Group Theory for Social Workers: An Introduction. Oxford: Pergamon Press Millis, B. J., and Cottell, P. G., Jr. 1998. Co-operative learning for higher education faculty, American Council on Education, Series on Higher Education. The Oryx Press, Phoenix, AZ, cited in National Institute for Science Education 1997: Doing CL [online]. Available from http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/nise/cl1/CL/doingcl/choogrp.htm. Accessed 5/7/01 Slavin, R.E. 1992 "When and Why Does Co-operative Learning Increase Achievement? Theoretical and Empirical Perspectives," in Hertz-Lazarowitz R. and N. Miller, Interaction in Co-operative Groups. The Theoretical Anatomy of Group Learning. Cambridge: C.U.P., pp. 145-173 Vernelle, B., 1994 Understanding and Using Groups. London: Whiting and Birch. |