Assessment for Learning in Higher Education

This book is a practical guide to Assessment for Learning (AfL). AfL has become an accepted term in Higher Education in the UK and beyond and features in the learning and teaching strategies of many universities and in the form #xE2;#xAC;#xDC;assessment as a tool for learning#xE2;#xAC;" or #xE2;#xAC;#xDC;assessment to support learning#xE2;#xAC;" it is mandated by official bodies such as QAA in the UK. Many staff in HE are uncertain about how to implement AfL especially in times of constrained resources and this vital new guide provides low cost solutions that make best use of this essential new assessment tool. The book provides an important and accessible blend of practical examples of AfL in a variety of subject areas. AfL approaches ask for more than minor adaptations to teaching practice, but the authors present practical, often small-scale and eminently #xE2;#xAC;#xDC;do-able#xE2;#xAC;" ideas for approaching the introduction of AfL. It provides practical case examples both for new lecturers and more experienced staff who may be interested in embedding AfL principles and practice into their university teaching. The suggestions include approaches to foster effective learning environments and communities via, for example: collaboration, research-based learning, social interaction, peer interaction and inquiry-based learning. The book provides practical, realistic guidance backed up by relevant theory and is written in an accessible, jargon-free style grounded in practical experience and brought to life via a wide range of illustrative examples and case studies, using features such as text boxes, illustrations and a wide variety of activity suggestions. Assessment for Learning in Higher Educationfills a vital gap in the assessment literature and as AfL is increasingly on the Higher Education agenda, particularly where Quality Assessment and Enhancement policies are promoting assessment as a tool for learning, this book will become a useful handbook to guide all academic practitioners.