Assessment and feedback practice

Assessment and feedback are key aspects of our students experience and can have a significant influence on the quality, enjoyment and success of their time at the university. The University vision for assessment states:

Assessment at Leeds will be fair, inclusive and authentic and designed to support learning. Using digital technologies to deliver assessment and feedback practices and processes, we will ensure that assessment upholds academic standards and integrity whilst providing students with appropriate opportunities to demonstrate their potential and achievement.

Institutional assessment strategy

The ‘Institutional Assessment Strategy‘ has been developed to provide clarity and outline a unified institutional approach to assessment. The strategy builds on the progress towards enhancing assessment and feedback at Leeds that has already been made through Leeds Expectations for Assessment and Feedback (LEAF). LEAF principles can now been seen as guidance to support the implementation of the defined strategy.

Key principles and objectives of the Assessment Strategy include;

Developing an assessment and feedback culture that is fair, inclusive and authentic – this includes students as partners in assessment- involving students in shaping assessment that is relevant and gives the best opportunities to show how they have met their learning objectives in addition to surfacing the ways in which that learning prepares them for their futures.
embed digital technologies in our assessment and feedback practices and processes
assessment practices are designed to support learning and progression using an evidence-based approach

This page has been divided into sections that align with these principles to support you in your practice and implementation of the strategy. See also the Inclusive assessment, Student Success and Belonging Sharepoint page for resources to help you take an inclusive approach to assessment.

Inclusive and authentic assessment

Authentic assessment and assessment literacy is aligned with with the University strategy in supporting students to develop the knowledge and skills they need to succeed and make a positive impact in the world and engaging students as partners in their education allows for a more inclusive and valuable student experience. Explore these resources to further develop your practice and to align it with the University strategy.

The importance of assessment

This Sway resource takes you through an introduction to assessment and why it is important and is a good starting point for exploring assessment.

Exploring authentic assessment

Explore how and why you can make your assessments authentic in this Sway.

Embedding assessment literacy

Find out how to increase your students capacity to make sense of assessment tasks and feedback in this Sway.

Resources to help students with assessment

To help your students prepare for assessments get them to explore the library's resources on supporting students in preparing for exams.

Compendium of assessment

This compendium of assessment gives you an insight into assessment from the point of view of students.

SAAW: Academic integrity sharing practice

In this Share, Adopt, Adapt workshop, presenters shared their strategies to prevent contract cheating.

Inclusive marking and feedback

The University's approach to inclusive marking and feedback promotes fairness in marking criteria for our diverse student body.

Accessible assessment

Use the University's principles to ensure that your online assessment is accessible to a wide range of students.

Feedback

Together these resources are designed to help you consider feedback and explore 'what does 'good' feedback look like and how you make it inclusive.

Principles of good feedback

This resources in Sway explores why feedback is important and the principles of good feedback.

Giving effective feedback

This online resource explores feedback further and allows you to practice giving feedback.

Online marking and feedback

This recorded webinar takes you through the process of marking and feedback using Turnitin.

Inclusive feedback for disabled students

Find out how to provide inclusive feedback and helps the student meet the learning outcomes.

Digital technologies and assessment

Current contexts have moved assessments to being online this move has highlighted that online assessment can support diversity, inclusivity and improve efficiency in assessment. Therefore we need to make optimal use of digital platforms. These resources are specifically selected to help you design and conduct online assessments.

Designing open book assessments

You may have to find alternatives assessments for invigilated exams if you are thinking of using an open book assessment then this guide aims to offer some suggestions on what to consider.

Create digital presentations-options

We have variety of options for staff and students to create and share digital content. This resource will help you discover which option is best suited to you based on your context.

Student podcasts and assessment

Guidance on the use of podcasts in assessment design, including case studies from across the University and assessment briefs and marking criteria.

Online assessment resources

This is a general resource providing a collection of guidance from the sector.

Digital practice- how to guides

Assessment and feedback guides to plan and deliver a variety of summative and formative online assessments that are appropriate for the hybrid delivery of your subject.

Digital tools for assessment and feedback

Explore the range of platforms and tools available to support your work.

Case studies and shared practice

Explore the TIPS Blog and TIPS channel for articles and videos created by colleagues showcasing their excellent practice in teaching and learning. Focus your search on assessment or feedback using the search boxes.

Get involved with LITE’s – Share, Adopt, Adapt Workshops (SAAW) aimed at showcasing best practice across the University if you missed one recap on the discussion on the LITE Stream channel.

Sector developments

Assessment and feedback in higher education – a guide for teachers by Teresa McConlogue is available to download for free
A compendium of examples of authentic assessment in practice from diverse discipline – Sally Brown and Kay Sambell share a collection of subject specific examples of how authentic assessment can work in practice section
Assessment and Feedback in a Post-Pandemic Era: A Time for Learning and Inclusion – AdvanceHE publication (to download log in using your UoL email address) that comprise of 19 papers on assessment and feedback in higher education.
Student partnerships in assessment – AdvanceHE project supporting the development of assessment models and practices within higher education institutions. The outputs from this project will include shared examples and a series of guides on ‘What works’ to engage students as partners in assessment.
Students as partners in assessment (SaPiA)– Dublin City University explore a variety of partnership possibilities in assessment and how academics and students can make partnership a success.
Transforming assessment and feedback with technology– this JISC guide provides ideas and resources to help colleges and universities enhance the entire assessment and feedback lifecycle.
Inclusive assessment design – these guides will help you think through the design of your assessment to ensure it is inclusive to the widest range of students from the outset.
Principles of good assessment and feedback – this JISC guide explores how good learning, teaching and assessment can be applied to improving assessment and feedback practice.