Try once, refine once: a handy pattern from Aliy Fowler

Aliy Fowler from Kent is one of the participants in our formative e-Assessment group. She brought us a case story called String comparison in language learning. At the 2nd workshop of this group, we discussed this case, and identified a pattern, which she called Try Once, Refine Once. Aliy and her table posted the first version of this pattern, and we’ve been iterating on it for the last couple of weeks.

This pattern is far from complete. The discussions around it are still hot, and you’re welcome to pitch in. But even in its current form, it is worth a read. This pattern uses a clever grading scheme to promote students to make a serious effort to get the answer right, and then make good use of the feedback they receive.

try once refine once flow chart

Eureka!, again

On Thursday we had the 2nd practical inquiry day of the formative e-assessment group. The focus of this day was collecting case stories and identifying seed patterns (aka proto-patterns).
To get people in the right mood, we started with the Eureka! game, which we first tried in Singapore. You have to try it – it’s such great fun, and brings out the hidden truths about learning.
It’s also a great release exercise before diving into case study writing. After playing this, people loose all inhibitions, and the stories just pour out.

Scoping a vision for formative e-assessment

The centre for Work-Based Learning for Education Professionals, at the Institute of Education,  has been commissioned by JISC to conduct a study on Formative e-Assessment process modelling.  This study, based on a combination of desk-based research, case study building based on empirical data gathered from practice, will survey existing literature as well as sample practice in the field to identify effective models of formative e-assessment and the software tools to support them.

Formative e-assessment is understood as the use of ICT to support the iterative process of gathering and analysing information about student learning by teachers as well as learners and of evaluating it in relation to prior achievement and attainment of intended, as well as unintended learning outcomes.

The outcomes of the survey will combine theoretical and pragmatic resources, in the form of a literature review, case studies, and semi-formal models of tools and processes, to serve as requirements for software development.

The formative e-assessment project team has chosen the Planet platform and methodology as a central part in its framework. The team will use a a group space on the Planet platform to collaboratively author the literature review, and then use the tool provided to record their case studies and patterns, building on Planet’s methodology of Pattern elicitation workshops.