K.+Rationales+for+assessment

What formal evidence might determine an acceptable level of performance?
Examination 0% Other 100% Assessment 1 50% Other: Progressive Quiz Assessment 2 50% Essay format Case study
 * Assessment strategies **

** Formative assessment ** defined as process of teaching and learning that allows for some element of feedback that occurs in response to smaller units of learning and testing. The benefit of using formative assessment in the earlier stages is in equipping the student for success in the course. Formative assessment provides feedback with an accompanying mark as students have requested (via previous evaluations) that comments be provided to guide their learning journey. For the student to acquire and finally demonstrate a depth of understanding, the process need to be developed- humble beginnings -This concept ties in the Bloom’s taxonomy. The students commence with developing and understanding of the terms and definitions (cognitive domain proposed in Bloom’s taxonomy) with assessment tasks calibrated to increase in complexity progressively building a knowledge base. This is developed through the informal assessment worksheet, and discussion forums. Quiz assessments form part of the formal assessment and commence in a formative way. The earlier quiz questions pertain to mostly matching terms and definitions- Bloom’s notion of knowledge. Blooms analysis, synthesis levels and evaluation levels are more readily to assessment item 2- essay. By building progressively, this serves to motivate and develop confidence within the individual student Quizzes Active learning theory needs to have flexibility of this course is often cited as one of the reasons students perform well. Quizzes are able to be accessed from week one as some students prefer to undertake the quizzes as they read the material while others prefer to complete the assessment in the second term after they have a sound understanding where each unit fits into the “big picture. This caters for different learning styles, giving greater control and ownership (Clauss & Geedey 2010). The immediacy of the marks for the quizzes is the greatest advantage. Quizzes are useful as they allow the student to orientate their- self to the areas that they are performing well in and highlight areas where additional application is warranted giving greater control to the student over the direction of their study. Basic technology quiz format is the same over all courses in first year. So not only are the students acquiring content specific education they are also learning sustainable skills that will assist them in all year levels. The ability to seamlessly integrate technology into work practices is a necessary skill within most nursing environments. There is a strong link between teaching students technology and having this technology enhances their education. The “no time limit” emphasises the assessment is not designed to test recall alone or how speedily the textbook can be referenced moreover, the assessment focuses on investigation, use of resources through reviewing and understand understanding which is the process of analysis and critical thinking. The open book format allows the student re-read the material to refresh memory then move to interpret meaning and answer the questions. The open book format allows students to make considered analysis of the material. Factual recall alone does little to enhance the thinking process for this course. ** Summative assessment ** Summative assessment -the process of testing knowledge the entire spectrum of a course. The the summative quiz and essay component compose the summative assessment phase. It is designed to be a positive component of the learning journey where students can demonstrate their mastery of the concepts covered throughout the course. Throughout the weeks of the course, the student has been watching a simulated interaction between a client and health practitioner that illustrates the course material for that week. The formative summary sheets cue the student to look for certain behaviours within the role play. This facilitates a link between theory and the real world situation. The essay consolidates all previous learning modalities – from knowledge to evaluation levels of Bloom’s taxonomy. Having self-selected a person as their case study, the students seek to analyse behaviours based on the information and the presentation of their client during their interviews. The essay seeks to have the students apply terms and concepts encountered throughout the course in a task that can be viewed as problem based Learning within a real-time environment. Students provide a justification of their application of the term and then link this to additional supporting literature. The interviewing techniques covered in each module of the course through the role play resource of a client’s interaction with the clinician. In providing the visual resource, the students are taught the principles of interviewing by default in the process of observing a skilled clinician in action. This skill is an essential component required in order to obtain data for the case study assessment. Summative assessment can also be viewed as the more pressured aspect of the entire assessment process and can be used to determine grade variations.
 * Assessment rationale: ** #

Forums- these discussion sites are offered in both open and closed formats. The open sites have demonstrated on all offerings of the course, frequent postings relating to each weeks topics. Collaborative learning environments are fostered whereby students learn by ‘taking the roles of teachers…’ and explores the student’s own understanding while reflecting upon the view points of others; the lecturer as the moderator of ALL forums. The closed forums allow a classroom space for students to link with their own group to develop their essay. Google docs had proven to be an excellent resource to generate the essay. Frequent use of Skype or face time has also been demonstrated with increasing numbers of students electing to Skype the lecturer rather than phone.
 * ** Principle ** ||  ** Learning and teaching strategy **  ||
 * Encourages contact between students and staff || NURS11153 is delivered as a totally online- paperless based course. The student cohort are located over a geographically diverse environment with some students residing overseas and a number of students on active military service. The essential features of Nurs11153 are the role play and text book. Nurs1153 is supported many technologies that are user friendly, cost effective and timely such as Skype, Scopia and Face time as well as closed and open forums to facilitate contact with students. Resources embedded within the Moodle teaching site include by role play, video summary, worksheets, online progressive quizzes, forums (open and closed) and weekly discussion topics. At various points throughout the teaching block, evening Sykpe or Scopia sessions have been arranged to encourage student contact with the lecturer. ||
 * Develops reciprocity and cooperation among students || Assessment item 2( Case studying essay format) is an optional group activity. The option has been provided due to the number of students who reside interstate, in geographically diverse areas and even overseas. Some of these students would find compulsory group work prohibitive ( 12 hour time differences and service at sea for military members are examples of this).

Group work promotes the collaborative approach to learning and facilitates changes in perspective through collaboration with your group members (Ainsley & Brown 2009). Students are not forced to take up group work nor are they assigned to groups. The benefit of a social element, through the social forum, assists students develop effective groups for group work.The benefits of group work include developing judging, multiple perspectives, increased depth of perception, and the latent process of functioning in this environment which is reflective of a realworld situation. || All essential course materials are available form week 1 with additional resources being added to compliment enquiries form the students about their essay topic. Students are able to self select their client and condition for the essay assignment which allows them to explore conditions that have relevance to them and makes this course applicable to a wide range of disciplines from nursing, social work ...oral health. Quizzes are progressive in nature and are opened within the first four weeks of the teaching term. Students can elect to undertake the quizzes during the second part of the teaching term. The formative quizzes offer two attempts at teach quiz with the student being redirected to the appropriate section of the text for incorrect responses to review the material before reattempting the question (there is a penalty factor involved). The combination of learning modes and resources promotes active learning with the self-paced aspect and the ability to monitor their progress providing greater control over the learning journey for the student and also ties in with active learning theory. || ** Forums ** : permit engagement, not only with course content but also with their peers on a social level as well, and it is indicated that respect for different values and perspectives, motivation, confidence and outcomes are linked to the satisfaction of the learning journey can be gained through this medium. ** Social: ** Part of the university environment should be the mingling of people socially, is often a neglected factor amongst distance education students Contact with lecturer and students is not only presented in text format, once each week time was set aside in the morning and in the evening (from week four) for students to interact socially in a Scopia virtual room as well as with the course co-ordinator in a more content oriented virtual room which is “open topic”. . . feedback is best delivered orally rather than in written form as more can be conveyed in person that via an impersonal comment on a paper. Further to this, the student can then explore and clarify the feedback. The lecturer also can have an enthusiastic role due to their presence (even in an online course) and therefore, serve to motive and engage the student. The variety of times appears to meet the needs of working and non-working students. The use of these technologies also reflects systems utilised within the health environment. Informal learning also takes places as a “by the way” process. A latent learning process is then the use of technology. The option of **Group work** to complete the case study essay also has value. Group work promotes the collaborative approach to learning and facilitates changes in perspective through collaboration with your group members. Students are not forced to take up group work nor are they assigned to groups. The benefit of a social element, through the social forum, assists students develop effective groups for group work. The benefits of group work include developing judging, multiple perspectives, increased depth of perception, and the latent process of functioning in this environment which is reflective of a real world situation. ** Cultural diversity ** and inclusive practices. Specific modules of the course emphasise the need to consider cultural aspects, disability and inequities of greater society. The forums allow for comments from those with first hand experiences- personal and professional. Rather than this characteristic/ experience marginalising the student these cohorts are identified as possessing valuable life experience which is developed within the essay assignment- in a de-identified manner. Evaluation feedback from the past offering from NESB students showed they were seen as critical members of groups and sought after in the formation of groups as they brought valuable experiences that could not be learnt from reading alone. ||
 * Encourage active learning || Being a totally on line course, students are able to adopt a self paced application to the required tasks. This has been shown through feedback to be a unique feature of the course and as many benefits to the students in particular those taking this course over the T3 period. Each week of the course follows the same format: Students: Read through the appropriate chapter of the text book. This gives an in depth explanation of the material and introduces the students to the concept and definition. View the audio lecture. This will provide an introduction to some key concepts. Students then view the role play. This will give a practical example of the content encountered in the text book. There is a weekly work sheet for the student to complete (non-assessable) with example responses posted by the lecturer in the following weeks. The short audio lecture and summary sheets highlight key terms and concepts that may be useful in completing the essay assignment.
 * Gives prompt feedback || Feedback from students regarding course content occurs primarily through the forums and within the closed forum for each essay groups. The lecturer continues to moderate ALL forums. To initiate feedback preliminary information is available on the Moodle site outlining modification to the course based on previous feedback gained from formal and informal sources. Formal evaluation is sought from the students at week 5 and 12 through the embedding of an e-survey regarding quality of teaching and format Moodle site. Information is disseminated about week five feedback after the mid semester break via Moodle. Email turnabout time for student enquiries remains less than 24 hours on week days and next working day for emails sent over the weekends. Moodle quizzes are scored automatically with feedback given. Students who receive 100% score on any quiz are sent an congratulatory message. ||
 * Emphasises time on task || NURS11153 is presented as 12 modules each covering one week of the teaching term. All required tasks are housed within that Moodle block. Additionally, there is a week by week guide that outlines strategies to complete the assessment item 2 essay with timeframes included. In the weekly communication “from my desk” a checklist is presented to facilitate students staying on task. At the end of each week the lecturer contacts students via who have been less engaged on the Moodle site than would be expected. Students who have not been active on the Moodle site for more than 7 days are contact via telephone where possible. The self paced aspect of the course is one of the features fro it being so well received by students as the majority of the cohort are working ( often shifts) and have family responsibilities so the flexibility is a great advantage. ||
 * Communicates high expectations || The lecturer maintains a presence on all forums and presents a weekly update on course happenings and encouragement… congratulations in anonymous way students who have received perfect scores on quizzes. There is a weekly comment in the essay forum as well as in the “from my desk” presentation that emphasises components of the essay assignment which is a major assessment item. Frequent reminders about the nature of the essay being a focus of behaviours and that this particular assessment item is not one that can be completed in the last two weeks of the term and a quality item presented. Examples are provided within the forums, via email about the standards of information and referencing needed to achieve HD grades. Further emphasis is placed on the completion of both types of assessment – quizzes AND essay in order to meet the requirements for the course as per the course profile. Messages of expectations about valuing other opinions and general etiquette were used to guide students to appropriate interactions within the forums. No issues were experienced in the offering undervaluation. The co-ordinator monitored ALL forums and.  ||
 * Respects diverse talents and ways of learning || ** Change of delivery: ** This course is different from the standard face to face instruction that had traditionally been associated with nursing and health disciplines. There are many learning activities both formal (contributing to assessment) and informal (non-compulsory and not countered toward assessment). Informal assessment: basically “takes the pressure off” as best practice suggests “learning gains are best with comments only”. This practice centres on respect for the student’s need to acquire basic knowledge before being examined. The end result is the student becomes more engaged and has and experiences an enjoyable learning journey through.