An investigation into the receptivity of undergraduate students to assessment empowerment

Abstract

Providing empowerment to students with regard to assessment procedures is a potential mechanism for increasing students’ satisfaction with their education programme and environment. The receptivity of students is likely to vary according to several factors, including their confidence in the ability of assessors to adequately judge the quality of their work, their understanding of assessment procedures and the degree of autonomy they feel is appropriate. Their perception of these factors can also be expected to vary according to how advanced they are in their degree programme. This paper presents the results of a pilot study into the receptivity of first‐ and third‐year undergraduate geography students to various mechanisms and concepts associated with assessment empowerment. Some receptivity to empowerment relating to choice of assessment was observed in first‐year students but the greatest receptivity was found in third‐years, at both individual and community empowerment levels. Third‐year students displayed an increased desire for assessment choice, criteria choice and community empowerment, and decreasing confidence in the lecturer as assessor. Based on these initial results, a methodology for incorporating assessment empowerment into undergraduate teaching is outlined.