In Higher Education Focus Groups and Nominal Group Technique are two well-established methods for obtaining student feedback about their learning experience. These methods are regularly used for the enhancement and quality assurance. Based on small-scale research of educational developers' practice in curriculum development, this study presents…

The patchwork text is an assessment method whereby students produce and share short pieces of writing over the course of a module that are subsequently integrated in a final summative piece. This paper reports on the experience of using this method of assessment in a criminal justice module. The objective behind introducing this form of assessment…

Group projects are an established but debated pedagogical technique in higher education. The purpose of this study was to assess the appropriateness of combining individual and group marks in assessment. A mixed method design involving correlational and comparative elements was used. The sample included one cohort of students who completed a group…

This paper reports the results of a study into the quality of peer feedback provided by students within a computerised peer-assessment environment. The study looks at the creation of a "feedback index" that represents the quality of an essay based upon the feedback provided during a peer-marking process and identifies a significant…

When we think about assessment using digital technologies, we often assume this means the introduction of computer-based tests. There are, however, other ways of using assessment for learning in which technology can play a useful and important role. This paper will discuss an innovative project, eVIVA, which uses mobile phones and the Internet to…

Reports on an evaluation of the use of learning materials developed by the Open University for operational managers in the British Health Service by professionals in Australia, the Cayman Islands, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom. Discusses participant's views of the workbooks, the assessment process, and the development of competence. (LRW)

Discusses policy making in United Kingdom higher education that tries to balance expansion with maintaining high standards. Considers computer-assisted assessment as a method for coping with large class sizes while also providing meaningful feedback to students without dominating staff time. (Author/LRW)

Reports on an action research project evaluating the application of distance learning approaches in a new undergraduate degree program in the United Kingdom. Examines the integration of e-mail, computer conferencing, video conferencing, and satellite broadcasts with written module material and work-based learning. (Author/LRW)