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Send to friendEffective assessment for practical classes with large numbers of Biology students
Large practical class
Assessment for large practical classes that is cost effective, relevant and covers a range of skills.
Approximately ten years ago students at The University of Melbourne submitted their Biology practical reports at the end of every practical class. Their work was marked by their demonstrator and returned at the next practical class. The work load for the demonstrators was considerable, ensuring comparability between demonstrators' marking was an issue, the exercise was costly for the department and the effectiveness of the feedback in relation to the amount of work and cost involved was questionable.
Subsequently the assessment has been changed in order to reduce the marking work load and to assess a broader range of skills. Every practical is still assessed but this assessment takes the form of one or a combination of the following:
- A computer-marked test taken at the end of the practical class. The test usually consists of ten questions; either multiple choice questions or questions involving the identification of structures or functions of images related to the practical. The test is 'open book" in that students can refer to their practical manuals;
- The assessment of practical skills. The skills assessed are the ability to dissect and produce an accurate diagram of the displayed dissection or the production of a slide or the production of DNA after following a protocol. These practical skills are assessed by the demonstrator during the practical class; and
- Submitted report. Practical reports are submitted at the end of the class and selected drawings/diagrams and short written answers are marked.
Marking schemes for submitted work and answers for tests are displayed on a notice board behind glass. For one piece of submitted work, each student is provided with a sheet of coded comments and the appropriate codes are written on the student's work by the demonstrator. This system of coded comments not only provides extensive feedback but also streamlines the marking process.
The marking load for the demonstrators has decreased dramatically but this was balanced in the initial years by a considerable amount of time and effort spent by the demonstrators in producing and refining the tests. The cost to the department was reduced although there is some cost involved in the printing and processing of the computer marked test papers. The demonstrators prefer the new method of assessment since it reduces the repetitive work of marking reports and they consider the assessment of a wider range of skills worth while. Most students are satisfied to be assessed in a number of different ways as indicated by student surveys conducted over many years. For example in 2005 in answer to the question "How would you rate the system of assessing practicals using tests", 85 % of the students responded with a score of 3 or above on a 5-point scale of satisfaction. Similarly for the question "How would you rate the system of assessing practicals where reports are collected and marked by your demonstrator", 88% of the students responded with a score of 3 or above on a 5-point scale.
The assessments are reviewed each year but generally no major changes are made unless the content of the practical classes has changed.
