Developing principles in practice: a dialogue in assessment and feedback

Abstract

This paper presents an overview of the Dialogic Assessment and Feedback (DAF) project which is funded by the Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA). DAF is part of a social constructivist pedagogical approach which highlights the importance of a strong commitment to engaging with and investing in learners and formative assessment to benefit learners. Enhancing, Enriching, Engaging in dialogue with learners; has been shown in this project to be a key critical enabler of change in assessment and feedback practice. DAF is deeply rooted in a dialogue and partnership approach with learners. The DAF principles of ‘good learning, teaching and assessment” practice’ were established by engagement in dialogue with tutors and learners alike and are presented in this study; using the learners own voice. These principles were voiced and developed based on learner and tutor experiences of learning and teaching; whilst engaged in coconstructed and collaborative assessment and feedback opportunities on a final year course on a BSc programme of study. The DAF model is iterative and evolutionary, evolving based on practice across a number of subject disciplines in Higher Education. As such the project presented is a work in progress.