Davies, Aled W.  ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-9972-117X
2025.
Providing choice and autonomy in coursework assessment: what happened next.
Presented at: EERN 2024,
Ulster, Northern Ireland,
17-18 June 2024.
Published in: Brown, Alan, Henry, Rosalind, Pick, Louise and Cairns, Matthew eds.
UK and Ireland Engineering Education Research Network Annual Symposium Proceedings 2024.
Ulster University,
pp. 132-134.
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Abstract
Assessments frame how students learn and what they achieve, so it is essential that all learners are given an equal opportunity to demonstrate their learning and understanding. Offering a range of diverse assessment approaches can provide all learners with an equitable chance of success, creating a more inclusive, caring and motivational learning environment. However, inclusivity can be a problematic concept, implying change to allow outliers to join in rather than acknowledging that some learners can be denied access to educational opportunities. Often it results in mere accommodation rather than addressing systemic barriers to access and success. This review recounts how inclusive assessments were delivered in a problem- based engineering design coursework module and outlines challenges encountered. Students were given choice and autonomy in selecting assessment formats while still achieving the prescribed module learning outcomes. Albeit initially met with bewilderment and fear, students embraced the approach following further support, resulting in positive feedback, enhanced module performance and improved progression rates. Reflections underscore the importance of developing student assessment literacy, mapping of learning outcomes, managing student expectations and implementing change without causing undue stress and anxiety.
| Item Type: | Conference or Workshop Item - published (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Date Type: | Published Online |
| Status: | Published |
| Schools: | Schools > Engineering |
| Publisher: | Ulster University |
| Related URLs: | |
| Date of First Compliant Deposit: | 9 April 2026 |
| Last Modified: | 09 Apr 2026 08:59 |
| URI: | https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/186268 |
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