CETL Seminar: So What Have They Really Learnt?: Looking Behind the Grade and Satisfaction Ratings – Feb 19

Date : February 19, 2013 (Tuesday)
Time : 12:45pm – 2pm
Venue : Room 321, Run Run Shaw Building
Speaker : Dr Iris Vardi

Abstract
The analysis of marks, grades and student satisfaction ratings often dominate the educational landscape, and are an important part of ensuring a quality education. But do they give us sufficient understanding of what students actually learnt, how we can improve that learning, and how we can express that learning to the students and others? This seminar looks behind the grade and satisfaction ratings to explore different types of learning, how (and if) they can be made visible, and how they can be identified and acted upon at the class, course and programme levels. The seminar will also share how student learning in a large newly re-constructed first year core course was examined, tracked, reported, and used to improve student achievement. In so doing, it will also explore the challenges in identifying, tracking and reporting learning.

This seminar is for academic staff who want to get to the bottom of what their students believe, know and can do, and use this information to make improvements to their course and programme outcomes.

For details and online registration, please go to http://www.cetl.hku.hk/seminar130219.

For enquiries, please contact Mr William Yieu by email wyieu@hkucc.hku.hk .

About the speaker
Dr Iris Vardi has been involved in education for over 25 years. She has worked with a variety of disciplines at the University of Western Australia, Curtin University and Edith Cowan University, and has published and presented extensively both nationally and internationally. Her research and work in different teaching methodologies, critical thinking, assessment and feedback has improved student learning outcomes and student satisfaction across a range of disciplines.

Dr Vardi is the author of the 2012 Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia (HERDSA) Guide Effective Feedback for Student Learning in Higher Education, the author of the upcoming 2013 HERDSA Guide Developing Students’ Critical thinking in Higher Education, the winner of the HERDSA 2012 Conference Creative Presentation Award, and the recipient of a 2012 HERDSA Fellowship which recognised her “important contribution to higher education at the local, national and international levels”.

CETL Seminar: Changing Assessment Practices in the Disciplines: A Tale of Two Methods – Feb 18

Date : February 18, 2013 (Monday)
Time : 12:45pm – 2pm
Venue : Room 321, Run Run Shaw Building
Speaker : Dr Iris Vardi

Abstract
Universities have long been concerned with improving assessment practices. The question is how best to achieve this within the disciplinary context where traditions and ways of doing and thinking differ. This seminar compares and contrasts two different approaches to change and improvement through examination of two specific change initiatives: one undertaken with business disciplines, the other within the health sciences. The first was a cross-faculty change initiative which focused on assessments that develop generic skills or graduate attributes. The second was an initiative which focused on whole of degree programme change through the adoption of a problem-based learning methodology. The seminar will examine impacts and challenges of these different approaches to change, and examine the implications for changing assessment practices in the disciplines.

This seminar is for academic staff who are looking to improve assessment practices in their course, programme, school or faculty.

For details and online registration, please go to http://www.cetl.hku.hk/seminar130218.

About the speaker
Dr Iris Vardi has been involved in education for over 25 years. She has worked with a variety of disciplines at the University of Western Australia, Curtin University and Edith Cowan University, and has published and presented extensively both nationally and internationally. Her research and work in different teaching methodologies, critical thinking, assessment and feedback has improved student learning outcomes and student satisfaction across a range of disciplines.

Dr Vardi is the author of the 2012 Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia (HERDSA) Guide Effective Feedback for Student Learning in Higher Education, the author of the upcoming 2013 HERDSA Guide Developing Students’ Critical thinking in Higher Education, the winner of the HERDSA 2012 Conference Creative Presentation Award, and the recipient of a 2012 HERDSA Fellowship which recognised her “important contribution to higher education at the local, national and international levels”.