Each month Students’ Union Reps meet at an Academic Council meeting to discuss a topic related to their experiences at University - the focus of April 2022’s Academic Council was assessment and feedback. The CLT Student Assessment & Feedback Champions led April’s session and focussed on four discussion tables: Presentations, Group work, Coursework, and Exams.
The aim was to identify key academic issues impacting students, as well as determine what they feel is going well within the area of assessment and feedback to inform our future work. Below is a summary of the discussions and key takeaways.
Text only PDF version of the Academic Council key takeaways
Summary
Through the discussions during the Academic Council, we observed that during their studies at Bath students from various disciplines and study levels are encountering a variety of both formative and summative assessments.
What was apparent and common throughout the discussion at the four tables was the need for feedback in a manner that is clear and concise, providing students with further clarifications for both future assessments and their future careers.
Another aspect discussed was the preference for open book exams, as students described them as a preferred way of dealing with information without necessarily learning it by heart – they could apply their knowledge to the questions posed.
Finally, the discussions had a clear emphasis on transferable skills that can be useful to develop during studies. Students articulated the fact that the assessments are not clearly linked to those transferable skills and that there should be more emphasis on the future and how to evolve both academically, and as an individual as well.
Respond
