NF Assessment Experts

As part of the National Forum’s Enhancement Theme, we are drawing on Irish expertise to build capacity for the enhancement of assessment of, for and as learning. This working group is a) focusing on ‘Assessment of, for and as learning: Developing a sectoral understanding’and b) Programme assessment . Each member of this group (n=33 and n=45) has been identified either through their publications, presentations or self-identified expertise in this area.

This online forum will build on the face-to-face sessions in order to contribute to a national understanding, plan for identification and sharing of good practices in this area. In addition, the group will assist in the development of further resources that will inform the sector, i.e. Practice or Policy Forum Insights

The first face-to-face activity, for the sectoral understanding group is a workshop on Wednesday 9th November, 10.00am-4.00pm in O’Callaghan Mont Clare Hotel, Dublin. The anticipated outputs of this workshop are, to create:

A first draft of working definitions of assessment of, for and as learning in Irish higher education
A first draft of a visual overview of the relationship between concepts such as assessment of, for and as learning, formative assessment, summative assessment, student feedback, staff feedback, dialogic feedback, high/low stakes assessment
The identification of a glossary of terms
The identification of key resources/case studies for engaging students in of, for and as assessment
The initial identification of some key assessment principles
The first workshop for the Programme assessment Group is the Wednesday, 7th December, 2016. The workshop aims to explore:
• What are the key enablers and barriers to programme assessment?
• What approaches do Irish assessment experts feel are most effective in informing, reviewing, planning, implementing and evaluating programme assessment?
• What are examples of good practices in this area (development of case studies)?
• What programme-level assessment review tools and datasets are currently available at national and international level which might inform the development of an Irish tool and process?
• What are the first step in creating an Irish Data-Informed Programme Assessment Review Tool and Process?

Over the coming months we plan to integrate the work of these two groups.

The National Forum greatly appreciates the contribution of these two groups to the assessment theme.