the Ass out of Assessment: Getting Rid of the Donkeywork

After an introduction from Professor Sally Brown, Professor Mark Schofield of Edge Hill University delivered the first of two keynote speeches 'Taking the 'Ass' out of Assessment: Getting rid of the donkey work'. In this session we raised issues, provoked discussion and shared solutions related to our experiences of assessment 'that works.' No matter how often you weigh the donkey, it won't get fatter as a result, unless it is a nourishing process. If assessment doesn't lead to enhanced learning, then it is indeed little more than donkey-work for both students and teachers. In this session Mark stretched the metaphor and looked at taking the 'Ass' out of the 'Assessment' donkey, as a vehicle to stimulate our interactions.