The Impact of a Constructivist Approach to Assessment and Feedback on Student Satisfaction and Learning : A case-study

This paper adopts a case-study approach and applies assessment principles to two different cases, thereby illumina;ng some core features of assessment models that support learning in higher educa;on. The cases are differen;ated by the assessment instruments used: unseen examina;ons and coursework based on a two-stage wriBen paper. The key interven;ons implemented were the use of criteria; exemplars, model answers and assessment workshops to communicate the criteria and standard; feedback to support learning; and, opportuni;es to apply the feedback in their final assignment. Data was collected over the period 2011 to 2015 via a ques;onnaire. An analysis of the quan;ta;ve data reveals that learners are highly sa;sfied with the assessment methodology. This finding applies to both cases, indica;ng that learner sa;sfac;on ra;ngs relate to the assessment process, rather than the selected assessment instruments. The qualita;ve data iden;fies feedback as a key feature of the assessment environment and reveals that learners iden;fy with feedback that corrects, guides and mo;vates. A significance of the study is that it illustrates how both understanding and learner sa;sfac;on can be enhanced by evidence-based assessment prac;ces that focus on the assessment process.