It pays to think for a minute about why we assess students. Why do we, as a University, spend several weeks each year, allocate tens of thousands of dollars, and go through enormous organisational hassles to carry out assessment on our students? And why do we expect our lecturers and tutors to spend countless hours first composing assignments and exams, and then marking them? Surely this time and money would be better spent in teaching and research?
Rowntree (1987) lists the 6 major reasons that are typically advanced for implementing student assessment. You may not sympathise with all of them, but they do demonstrate the tremendous importance of assessment in any educational institution.
1. Selection by assessment
Through the assessment of students, we attempt to determine who is capable of continuing on to the next level of a course of study.
2. Maintaining standards
The University is expected to ensure that all students who have attained a degree have a minimum set of skills. For example, employers might expect that all ITEE graduates can at least program and think logically. We can (must?) use assessment to verify that this is so.
3. Motivation of students
How many students would be dedicated enough to attend an 8am tutorial, if not for the looming spectre of assessment? It seems that students welcome — and perhaps need — this extra incentive to learn.
4. Feedback to students
The student needs to know in detail how she is progressing, in order to correct her weaknesses and build on her strengths. ``Feedback, or `knowledge of results', is the life-blood of learning" (Rowntree, 1987, p. 24). Issues involved in providing effective feedback to students will be discussed in more detail below.
5. Feedback to the teacher
Just as assessment may give the student feedback as to how well he has learned, so too it may give the teacher feedback as to how well he has taught. Assessment provides the ultimate, detailed feedback on a teacher's ability that peer visits and TEDI evaluations cannot.
6. Preparation for life
Life is full of tests and trials; students should be shown how to work hard and compete with others, if they want to forge a successful career.
A lot of energy is invested into assessment, both on the part of the students and the teaching staff. To give a good return on this investment — to both parties — it is imperative that written work be marked carefully and accurately. Your role in marking is one of the most important aspects of being a tutor. As shown above, it is an integral part of teaching.
Source: Rowntree, D. (1987). Assessing students: How shall we know them? London: Kogan Page.