Closed-book examinations have traditionally been the most common method of summative assessment for mathematics and engineering in the UK since it is believed that they offer efficiency and validity. However, assessment provides the opportunity for much more than testing abilities. Assessment can provide deep learning opportunities and a chance for feedback/feedforward. Technology has advanced rapidly in recent years, the types of jobs available are changing, and young people learn in different ways today than even a few years ago. Universities are responsible for developing and preparing students for this increasingly complex and challenging world by developing employability skills such as creativity, resilience and problem solving. Assessment strategy should ensure a balance between assessment of learning and assessment for learning, and students’ understanding should be sufficiently deep that they can do more under assessment conditions than follow previously seen methods.
With these factors in mind, an IMA workshop was held on 3rd May 2019 on the theme of “moving beyond the examination – alternative approaches to assessment in the mathematical sciences and engineering”. The day’s event was organised jointly between Sheffield Hallam University and Queen’s University Belfast with the main venue being Sheffield Hallam University and a live-stream to Queen’s University Belfast and several other remote locations. The workshop was designed with the aim of providing ideas and examples of how students can benefit from creative assessment practice in the mathematical sciences and engineering. While not advocating replacement of closed-book exams, the workshop aimed to promote awareness, consideration and discussion of methods of assessment beyond the exam by providing evidence of successful practice.
The programme provided both variety and interest through five main presentations, some lightning talks and a final discussion session. Adrian Simpson (Durham University) presented ‘the mathematics assessment diet’, exploring the range of assessment practices in mathematics in the UK. Dafydd Evans (Cardiff University) talked about peer assessment, in which the focus was how mathematical arguments are communicated. Peter Rowlett and Alex Crombie (Sheffield Hallam University) presented their work on an interdisciplinary assessment task between mathematics and engineering. A case study on oral assessment was presented by Paola Iannone (Loughborough University). Ros Porter (Sheffield Hallam University) provided the final main presentation on a group assessment concerning infectious disease dynamics.
There were 61 delegates from mathematics, statistics, operational research, physics, computing, engineering and education disciplines; 42 attended the event at Sheffield Hallam University and 19 watched remotely at Queen’s University Belfast or elsewhere. Just over half the delegates filled in an evaluation questionnaire following the workshop, which showed that:
- 100% enjoyed the workshop;
- 100% found the main presentations useful;
- 87% found the lightning talks useful;
- 70% found the main discussion session useful;
- 97% found the other discussions throughout the day useful;
- 94% said they will use ideas obtained or developed at the workshop in their own teaching.
The delegates watching the live-stream of the event said it worked very well and there was encouragement for further events to be live-streamed. There were some technical difficulties reported and some suggestions for improvement, but there was recognition that the problems were fewer than expected.
The overall event was described as well organised, interesting, enjoyable and valuable. Specific comments included that “the content/subject of the workshop was extremely useful – both in terms of informing my own teaching but also…pushing for others in my department to reflect on their own practice in light of the workshop. It was also good being able to network with others in the mathematical community. Also, the event was very well organised!” and “Thank you for organising the event on Friday. It was very well run and I took a lot from a very short period of time. In addition, the lightning talk was a fantastic way for me to get a first taste of sharing my own ideas from teaching.”
The event was very well received and delegates were able to take away ideas to use in their own assessment practice. Most of the slides from the workshop are now available.
Claire Cornock, Sheffield Hallam University
Jonathan Cole, Queen’s University Belfast
