Are you a lecturer interested in the area of assessment and feedback?
Would you like the opportunity to explore proactive approaches to cultivating academic integrity by enhancing assessment and feedback practices?
MTU has received funding from the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching & Learning in Higher Education under its allocation of the Strategic Alignment of Teaching and Learning Enhancement Funding in Higher Education (SATLE) 2022/23. Building on the successful SATLE 2020 RAFT (Reimagining Assessment & Feedback Together) project, MTU will adopt a similar approach to enhance the feedback and assessment experience for both staff and students at MTU with a particular focus on Academic Integrity.
There are two distinct ways in which academic staff can engage with this project, either through:
- Individual Assessment & Feedback Action Research Projects
Or
- Programme Team Projects which take a Whole-of-Curriculum approach to Assessment & Feedback
Successful applicants will have their assigned teaching load reduced by 1 hour per week for Semester 2 in the first instance (once approved by Head of Department/Function). The programme will consist of two phases. Phase 1 will commence in Semester 2 of 2022/23 and, following successful completion of Phase 1, participants will be invited to continue into Phase 2, commencing in Semester 1 of 2023/24. You will be expected to participate in an online session on Mondays at 14.00-15.00 (1 hour per week) and undertake your own preparation/reflection throughout the programme (1 hour per week).
Please note the following key dates:
- Closing Date for Expressions of Interest, 12th January 2023 (Extended until 18th January 2023)
- Applicants notified of outcome, 13th January 2023 (Communication by 19th January 2023)
- Programme to start week commencing, 30th January 2023 - Mondays 14:00-15:00
We understand timescales outlined above are challenging but these restrictions are related to the funding call itself.
What is meant by Individual Assessment & Feedback Action Research Projects?
These projects will see staff from across disciplines and campuses working together during Phase 1, with a range of external inputs, to identify how the assessment and/or feedback practices of a module (or element thereof) could be enhanced to better support academic integrity. It is expected that there will be 15-20 lecturer participants working on their individual projects and engaging with students to inform their work.
Three or four common themes may be identified as the research projects develop e.g., reducing potential for plagiarism in assessments, developing open-book assessments, implementing authentic assessment practices, etc.
Cross-disciplinary teams will be formed around common thematic areas allowing for a collaborative approach to exploring theory and sharing ideas and practice. Throughout this process, staff will engage students-as-partners so that both parties gain an empathetic view of the challenges associated with transforming feedback and assessment practice and understanding issues of academic integrity from a student perspective.
In Phase 1, participants will attend a weekly timetabled workshop that will help them identify the assessment and feedback practice to enhance and explore potential solutions. By the end of the semester, they will have developed a plan to implement their chosen solution to the problem they identified.
Following successful completion of Phase 1, an action research approach will be used to implement and evaluate the planned chosen solution in Phase 2 (Semester 1, 2023/24). Each individual lecturer will implement their planned solution in their own teaching context. Contact with the coordinating team will continue to provide accountability, partnership, support, ideas and encouragement.
Staff will evaluate their intervention with input from students and will be supported to disseminate findings across MTU, the HE sector nationally and internationally.
What is meant by Programme Team Projects Taking a Whole-of-Curriculum Approach to Assessment & Feedback/Academic Integrity?
These projects will involve teams of up to 4 staff, ideally representing each year of a specific programme, who will consider how enhancements to assessment and feedback practices across the programme in question can enhance student and staff understanding of academic integrity.
In Phase 1 (Semester 2, 2022/23), these teams will also participate in the weekly workshops, but their focus will be on identifying how assessment and feedback literacy can be enhanced to support a proactive approach to their identified academic integrity challenges.
By the end of Phase 1, they will have created a framework of how some of these challenges could be addressed, communicated and managed - student input will be a key part of this process so that teams understand the users’ perspective.
In Phase 2 (Semester 1, 2023/24), the teams will focus on implementing the framework to their programme, taking advantage of the start of the new academic year.
Staff will evaluate their intervention with input from students and will be supported to disseminate findings across MTU, the HE sector nationally and internationally.
What are the expected project outputs?
The key output of this project is the ongoing development of assessment and feedback literacy in both staff and students to effect positive change in assessment and feedback practice in relation to academic integrity across MTU at both module and programme level informed by evidence-based research.
Where can I get further information?
If you would like further information about this programme, please contact:
- Aoife McCarthy (aoife.mccarthy@mtu.ie)– MTU Cork Campuses
- Margaret Finch (margaret.finch@mtu.ie) – MTU Kerry Campuses
