UCD Case 1:
Group Poster or Group Presentations
Dr Kathy O’Boyle, School of Biomolecular &
Biomedical Science.
Geraldine O’Neill, UCD T&L
University College Dublin.
The Assessment Choices
PHAR30040, Stage 3 BSc
A: Group Oral
B: Group Poster
Assessment contributed 20% of module grade
Why I decided to use these assessments
1. UCD audit of assessment practice 2007-2008:
•
•
Mapped degree major aims to curriculum
Aligned assessment practice to aims
little formal assessment of communication skills and creativity
verbal (formal)
2. Real world choice:
oral
performance
organisation - timing
visual - creativity
Scientific communication
visual - creativity
poster
writing skills
organisation - pre-plan
verbal (informal)
3. Students have different strengths
How implemented
1.
11 groups, n6
Class of 65, Stage 3 students
Coach re group work
Explain choice
Match for: - programme
- ability
2. Develop equitable, transparent assessment criteria
3. Assess groups
4. Collect student feedback
Developing equity of assessment methods
Geraldine O’Neill, UCD Centre for Teaching and Learning
Inclusive Assessment Project
Assessment criteria
Geraldine O’Neill, UCD Centre for Teaching and Learning
Inclusive Assessment Project
The choice: 10 oral presentations, 1 poster
Outcome: no difference in students’ performance
Student comments
Why?
Oral
Poster
10 groups
25/59 respondents
1 group
4/6 respondents
‘We knew we could do
well with this method’
‘Wanted to try something
different’
Glad you chose
100% yes
this method?
Positive
experiences
‘I feel better prepared
for next year’
‘really benefited from
working in a group’
‘it was nice to have
some choice’
50% yes
‘It was new, different’
‘physical evidence of
work’
Student feedback
I felt ownership of learning experience
Module tried to accommodate my learning style
I appreciated being given choice
I felt empowered by having choice
Having choice reduced stress
Choice allowed me to play to my strengths
 I felt I was given sufficient information to make choice
I found it stressful to have to chose
 Workloads appeared similar
I was satisfied with level of feedback vs other
 I felt I was given adequate support
I was satisfied with examples of my method vs other

My method was not as well explained
 I was confident in my choice
It was a relief to experience some choice
I would like greater variety of choice
My assessment allowed me to show my knowledge
 Staff didn't give enough advice in helping us chose
It helped to talk to other students about the choice
I felt I should have had more control over assessment
1
2
3
4
5
Mean (Likert)
n = 29
strongly
disagree
disagree undecided
agree
strongly
agree
Student feedback: oral versus poster
poster
oral
Difference of >1 Likert point
I felt I was given sufficient information to make choice
Workloads appeared similar
I felt I was given adequate support
My method was not as well explained
I was confident in my choice
Staff didn't give enough advice in helping us chose
1
poster: n = 4
oral: n = 25
2
3
4
5
Mean (Likert)
strongly
disagree
disagree undecided
agree
strongly
agree
Staff reaction(s) and suggestions for change
Pros
Cons
• Increased student engagement
• Required considerable initial effort
• Encouraged ownership of learning
• Concerned about equity
• Empowered students
validity of assessment
• Gave students a chance to excel
Lessons:


Avoid unbalanced division
Better communication between staff!!