Marks of Excellence: Gathering, Analysing and Reporting Direct Evidence of Students’ Learning and Achievements

Due to the large number of participants anticipated, the venue will be changed to T5, Meng Wah Complex.

Speaker
Professor Dai Hounsell, Vice-Principal for Assessment and Feedback, University of Edinburgh

Abstract
Against a background of curriculum transformation in higher education and calls for greater accountability for quality, there is a growing interest, nationally and internationally, in evidence of excellence in students’ learning. Two closely interwoven questions are raised. How can university teachers best use assessment and evaluation to capture the breadth and depth of learning outcomes being demonstrated by students? And how can the students’ distinctive achievements be communicated more widely, within and beyond the campus? The seminar will explore these twin questions, with particular reference to recent curriculum change at HKU.

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Seminar 2: Evidence of Experiential Learning

Date: 6 December, 2013 (Friday)
Time: 12:30pm – 2:00pm
Venue: T5, Meng Wah Complex

Overview
The second seminar focuses more closely on the enhanced opportunities for experiential learning which is one of the hallmarks of the quality of undergraduate education at HKU. It considers how excellence in experiential learning can be captured and communicated, focusing particularly on strategies that are complementary to traditional forms of assessment and feedback, including those that capitalise on advances in communication technologies.

For details and online registration of seminar 2, please go to:

http://ghelc.hku.hk/gallant-ho-experiential-learning-centre-seminar-series/ghelc-s10/


Seminar 1: The Evidence Challenge

Date: 3 December, 2013 (Tuesday)
Time: 12:30pm – 2:00pm
Venue: T5, Meng Wah Complex

Overview
In reviewing the challenges of capturing and communicating evidence of excellence in learning, the seminar will:

  • invite participants to explore what kinds of learning-and-assessment opportunities would seem to align well with what types of learning outcomes
  • provide illustrations of such opportunities drawn from real-life course and subject settings in established universities
  • highlight key steps that need to be followed in designing and implementing valid and robust assessment-for-learning initiatives

For details and online registration of seminar 1, please go to:

http://www.cetl.hku.hk/seminar131203/


About the Speaker
Professor Dai Hounsell is currently Vice-Principal for Assessment and Feedback (part-time) at the University of Edinburgh. From 2009 to 2012 he was the University’s Vice-Principal for Academic Enhancement, and Professor of Higher Education from 2000-2012.

He has published widely on assessment and feedback and many other aspects of university learning and teaching, served in various editorial and refereeing roles, and led several multi-institutional higher education research and development projects with external funding. In 2007 he was awarded a Fellowship by the Society for Research into Higher Education.

Throughout his career, a key concern has been with evidence-informed approaches to the advancement of excellence in university teaching and learning, within and beyond his own institution. He has coordinated initiatives for the Quality Assurance Agency and Universities Scotland (Integrative Assessment 2005-07), the Higher Education Academy (Innovative Assessment Across the Disciplines 2006-07) and the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education (Leading Change in Assessment and Feedback, 2012-13). Internationally, he has advised the Australian Learning and Teaching Council, the South African Academic Development Association, and the Netherlands & Flemish Universities Quality Assurance Agency. Since he and his wife Jenny created the Enhancing Feedback website three years ago, it has attracted 27,000 visitors from across the world.