Abstract:
The assessment of learning outcomes was a key issue for OBL learning initiative. There were two dimensions to the assessment issue: reporting publicly on student learning at the end of their programmes and providing feedback to students on the progress they made in their learning. Thus assessment must serve both formative and summative purposes.
In considering assessment strategies for OBL, attention must also be paid to the impact on workload for both students and academic staff. Thus the ‘scalability’ of assessment strategies must be a key consideration – how can we achieve our key objectives without imposing unrealistic work demands on both students and staff. In one sense, this is an issue about the efficiency of assessment strategies but efficiency needs to be balanced against quality. Thus this project tried to meet both efficiency and quality standards for HKIEd’s assessment of OBL.
The proposed project has two parts:
The development of individual learning portfolios that enabled students to monitor their own learning by uploading their subject embedded assessments to provide evidence of their learning progress.
The development of a standardized approach to measure students’ learning progress at key stages in their programme so as to monitor students’ achievement and by the end of their programme to report publicly on it.
The adoption of both a qualitative and quantitative approach to student assessment will provide both efficiency and quality in student assessment and enable the Institute to meet its obligation both to students and to the community.
Code:
3336
Principal Project Supervisors:
Subjects:
Start Date:
01 Sep 2009
End Date:
31 May 2012
Status:
Completed
Result:
The project constructed a bilingual, self-assessed instrument of generic intended learning outcomes. Four sets of questionnaire were designed based on the item bank and were used to administer to all students since 2012.
Besides, the project examined use of e-portfolios to demonstrate student learning outcomes through their e-portfolio submissions, responses to questionnaires, and comments gathered from group meetings. This helped to develop the framework of the implementation of e-portfolios with the four pillars at HKIEd: General Education, Language Enhancement, Co-curricular Learning (Field Experience), and Overseas Learning Opportunities (student internships). By focusing on the courses in the four pillars, students would be supported to develop their e-portfolio to monitor and manage their learning in the Institute.
Impact:
The items identified from the pilot study data are of high psychometrics qualities and have high item reliability. The instrument provided evidences to senior management, programme teams, and students on student development of GILOs. It had extended the use to all first years students in the Institute.
Besides, the e-portfolio not only demonstrated students’ learning progress towards graduating professional competencies but also promote student reflection. The e-portfolio students submitted indicated that a variety of electronic entries such as inputted text, electronic files, images, videos and hyperlinks were included. These artifacts included students’ reflections on their learning and experiences as well as teaching staff, tutors and peers’ comments. The project was scaled up to institute level where all first year students would have an e-portfolio of their learning experiences when they graduate from the Institute.
Deliverables:
Outcome-based Learning Unit, Assessment Research Centre, Student Affairs Office, and Registry. (2012). Instrument for the Self-Assessment of Generic Learning Outcomes. The Hong Kong Institute of Education.https://repository.eduhk.hk/en/publications/85851ea9-d1b8-494b-b218-b25a...
Xie, Q., Zhong, X., Wang, W.-C., & Lim, C. P. (2014). Development of an item bank for assessing generic competences in a higher-education institute: a Rasch modelling approach. Higher Education Research & Development, 33(4), 821-835.https://repository.eduhk.hk/en/publications/55854a19-f167-431c-a8f1-068f...
Lim, C.P, Hung, V.H.K, & Liu, B.Y.K. (2012). Self-Management of Learning Trajectories by Students: E-Portfolio in the Hong Kong Institute of Education. E-Learn 2012 – World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education. Canada, Montreal – 9 to 12 October 2012.https://repository.eduhk.hk/en/publications/dc5f4b8c-2bc9-4b54-97ae-76d6...
Technology Enhanced Assessment Initiative – E-portfolio Report. The Hong Kong Institute of Education.(2012, June).https://repository.eduhk.hk/en/publications/ba03d883-8c31-4fea-86c0-8074...
Financial Year:
2008-09
Type:
TDG