{"id":882,"date":"2020-12-08T14:00:30","date_gmt":"2020-12-08T14:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/digitaleducation\/?p=882"},"modified":"2020-12-08T16:06:43","modified_gmt":"2020-12-08T16:06:43","slug":"lessons-learned-and-looking-forward-reflecting-on-online-assessment-in-the-ioppn-during-the-covid-19-pandemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.kcl.ac.uk\/digitaleducation\/lessons-learned-and-looking-forward-reflecting-on-online-assessment-in-the-ioppn-during-the-covid-19-pandemic\/","title":{"rendered":"Lessons learned and looking forward: reflecting on online assessment in the IoPPN during the COVID-19 pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the university cancelling all in-person examinations and offering alternative online exams.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>As a\u00a0<\/span><\/span>collaboration between the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>IoPPN<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>and King\u2019s Academy<\/span><\/span>, we wanted<\/span><\/span>\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span><\/span>gain a snapshot of the impact these changes had on PGT students.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0The focus at King\u2019s is often on UG students and so we wanted to explore the views\u00a0<\/span><\/span>our<\/span><\/span>\u00a0PGT\u00a0<\/span><\/span>students\u00a0<\/span><\/span>across\u00a0<\/span><\/span>a number of<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>programmes<\/span><\/span>. As King\u2019s considers a move towards more online submission and marking of coursework,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the introduction of\u00a0<\/span><\/span>alternative assessments in a digital format and<\/span><\/span>,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0of course<\/span><\/span>,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the use of\u00a0<\/span><\/span>online examinations software tools, w<\/span><\/span>e hope that this data on what students\u00a0<\/span><\/span>think and f<\/span><\/span>eel and think about the approaches taken<\/span><\/span>\u00a0during 2020<\/span><\/span>\u00a0will\u00a0<\/span><\/span>help\u00a0<\/span><\/span>inform the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>best way forward.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Between July and August 2020, 71 PGT students across the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>IoPPN<\/span><\/span>\u00a0responded to our short survey\u00a0<\/span><\/span>asking for feedback on the<\/span><\/span>\u00a0changes made to their assessments in exam period 27<\/span><\/span>th<\/span><\/span>\u00a0April to 26<\/span><\/span>th<\/span><\/span>\u00a0June.\u00a0 Despite the relatively small number of respondents, the data in this report highlights student views on some key issues around online assessments and the approach taken by the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>IoPPN<\/span><\/span>\u00a0and the College.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Coursework didn\u2019t change expect for some deadline extensions, so the majority of our data focused on exams.\u00a0<\/span>Our results showed that<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>overall, students were positive about online exams<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>They appreciated<\/span>\u00a0the\u00a0<\/span>increased flexibility around\u00a0<\/span>time<\/span>\u00a0and location,<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>changes\u00a0<\/span>that\u00a0<\/span>were made to assessments\u00a0<\/span>that<\/span>\u00a0allow<\/span>ed\u00a0<\/span>them to demonstrate more than factual recall.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0There were a lot of individual differences though, with some students saying they had spent longer on their exams because of the extended time limit, and some saying that the social isolation and home circumstances were causing stress and anxiety.\u00a0<\/span>Students reported increased pressure on their mental health,\u00a0<\/span>and although<\/span>\u00a0these were largely issues related to COVID-19 rather than online education and assessment<\/span>, many did say that they missed the in<\/span>–<\/span>campus peer support that they would normally have during an exam period.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some of our earlier findings indicate that:<\/span><\/p>\n