Self-reflection as an assessment: have we reflected on why we are doing it?

The use of self-reflection as part of an assessment component, or a summative assessment, is becoming widely utilised, across many academic disciplines. In professional courses, such practices are long-established. There is a suggestion, however, that self-reflection may mean different things to different academic disciplines. What is often unclear, for example, is why such an assessment is included in the learning strategies of a given module. It could be part of the learning package undertaken by students - to encourage them to reflect upon why they have undertaken particular aspects of study and what has been achieved as a result. This is a type of reflective questioning. Alternatively, for undergraduate students, it could be about developing a particular skill for use in a future work environment - we all undertake some type of appraisal. Finally, for some academic colleagues, it may be about the perception of reducing the marking burden, through self-assessment and self-rating. There are many things to consider here. Are the aims of these assessments explained clearly to the students? Can the students make the links between conducting self-reflection and applying it to another arena? Do the students take such assessments seriously? For many professional courses, such questions may elucidate much more positive answers. In this respect, the emphasis of this paper is very much upon our experiences in the social sciences. There is also the issue of the perception of reducing the academic burden by undertaking such assessments. The reality is that - to do the job properly - it is likely to take longer to facilitate the assessment. The marking may also take longer if there is a need to examine the 'evidence'. This message will permeate throughout the paper. This paper will examine the issues around 'why' self-reflection may be a valuable part of assessment for both students and staff. It will include the case studies of two second-year modules in the Department of Politics, People and Place, which have forms of self-reflection embedded in their assessment strategies. The self-reflection aspect of these modules assessments comprises different modes and assessment weightings. There are variable experiences in these modules as to the value of these assessments. This paper will not be uncritical of the strategies undertaken in the modules with self-reflection as part of the assessment. The aim is to give careful consideration as to why such a form of assessment can be a valuable tool in developing a student's academic development and enhancing their potential employability, while also highlighting the drawbacks. Self-reflection is not the "all singing, all dancing" assessment that many may consider it to be. The context of the assessment needs to be explained clearly for the students to gain the maximum possible benefit from undertaking such an exercise. It could be questioned as to whether or not self-reflection is fit for purpose? To address this question, consideration must be given as to the purpose of the assessment

West of England: Gypsy Traveller Accommodation (and other needs) Assessment 2006-2016

This Gypsy Traveller Accommodation Assessment, in addition to calculating pitch requirements for the time-period 2006-2016, explores a comprehensive range of services and provision appropriate to improving accommodation and increasing social inclusion amongst Gypsy and Traveller communities in the study area

Designing for difference: lessons from a cross-disciplinary implementation of Universal Design for Learning

Funded by the Teaching Innovation Project (2016/17) 'Towards Equitable Engagement: the Impact of UDL on Student Perceptions of Learning'Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a pedagogical framework that seeks to provide students with flexible ways of learning, flexiblestudyresources,andflexiblewaysoftestinglearning. Just as Universal Design (UD) provides for difference of physical ability amongst users, UDL provides for difference of learning styles amongst students. Like UD, UDL assumes that learner difference, not commonality, is the norm. 1 De Montfort University (DMU) is a public teaching and research university located in the city of Leicester in the East Midlands of England. In 2016, DMU adopted UDL as part of a university- wide program to offset the consequences of changes to central government support for students with disabilities. Alongside a significant investment in lecture capture and replay technology, DMU’s adoption of the principles of UDL has challenged faculty members teaching at all levels and in all disciplines to re- appraise the accessibility and inclusivity of their teaching. This paper discusses research-in-progress from a cross-discipline survey of the implementation of the principles of UDL at DMU.* The project examines the perceptions and feelings of freshman students from a range of different backgrounds and in a range of subjects about the impact of UDL on their experience of higher education. When complete, the project will evaluate how the implementation of the principles and ideas of UDL are interpreted and applied by students, alongside their recom- mendations for the academic practice of staff

Reflecting to Rebuild and Strengthen Professional Development A Collection of ‘Post-Online’ Conversations

The file attached to this record is the author's versionThis monograph is a multi-authored collection consisting of our faculty’s post-online reflections. The objective was to gather thoughts and discussion around teaching and research during COVID-19. We aim to build and explore around ‘lived experiences’ to provide a reference point to help Continuous Professional Learning and Development (CPLD) activities. The section on ‘digital diaries’ consists of dialogues from staff categorised into varied themes. In the testimonies, staff have reflected around their challenges, targets, strengths, familiarity and how they managed to overcome difficulties and achieve goals. A special section, from the Centre for Urban Research on Austerity (CURA), is devoted to identifying how pandemic has intensified research challenges, highlighting the funding, time and location constraints on academic research

Self-reflection as an assessment for Public Administration students: have we reflected on why we are doing it?

The use of self-reflection as part of an assessment component, or a summative assessment, is becoming widely utilised, across many academic disciplines. In professional courses, such practices are long-established. There is a suggestion, however, that self-reflection may mean different things to different academic disciplines. What is often unclear, for example, is why such an assessment is included in the learning strategies of a given module. It could be part of the learning package undertaken by students - to encourage them to reflect upon why they have undertaken particular aspects of study and what has been achieved as a result. This is a type of reflective questioning. Alternatively, for undergraduate students, it could be about developing a particular skill for use in a future work environment - we all undertake some type of appraisal. Finally, for some academic colleagues, it may be about the perception of reducing the marking burden, through self-assessment and self-rating. There are many things to consider here. Are the aims of these assessments explained clearly to the students? Can the students make the links between conducting self-reflection and applying it to another arena? Do the students take such assessments seriously? For many professional courses, such questions may elucidate much more positive answers. In this respect, the emphasis of this paper is very much upon our experiences in politics and public administration. There is also the issue of the perception of reducing the academic burden by undertaking such assessments. The reality is that - to do the job properly - it is likely to take longer to facilitate the assessment. The marking may also take longer if there is a need to examine the 'evidence'. This message will permeate throughout the paper. This paper will examine the issues around 'why' self-reflection may be a valuable part of assessment for both students and staff. It will include the case studies of two second-year modules in the Department of Politics, People and Place, which have forms of self-reflection embedded in their assessment strategies. The self-reflection aspect of these modules assessments comprises different modes and assessment weightings. There are variable experiences in these modules as to the value of these assessments. This paper will not be uncritical of the strategies undertaken in the modules with self-reflection as part of the assessment. The aim is to give careful consideration as to why such a form of assessment can be a valuable tool in developing a student's academic development and enhancing their potential employability, while also highlighting the drawbacks. Self-reflection is not the "all singing, all dancing" assessment that many may consider it to be. The context of the assessment needs to be explained clearly for the students to gain the maximum possible benefit from undertaking such an exercise. It could be questioned as to whether or not self-reflection is fit for purpose? To address this question, consideration must be given as to the purpose of the assessment

Putting the action into politics: embedding employability in the academic curriculum

Employability is one of these concepts that polarises opinion. There are those who see it as an integral part of student education and learning, and those who see it as undermining conventional academic study. In this paper, we argue it is a key part of student learning experiences and use a case study of a particular module-'Politics in Action'-to highlight the potential benefits to students. This should be seen in conjunction with the rest of a degree programme, where employability maybe embedded but not prioritised. Student feedback reinforces the potential benefits of prioritising employability in one part of a degree programme, while acknowledging the beneficial spillover into other areas of study. There is, however, potential resource cost in adopting this type of approach to delivering such a bespoke module. It is far from being a conventional module, but the impact and benefits to student learning and understanding are clear

Putting the Action into Politics: Embedding Employability in the Academic Curriculum

ECPR Virtual Conference, 24-28 August 2020 This was the virtual replacement for the annual ECPR conference which was planned for Innsbruck, Austria for August 2020We have developed a module which seeks to address the challenge of balancing academic and professional skills development. The Politics in Action module is currently delivered to approximately 80, second year undergraduate politics and IR students. After a period of confidence and trust building, students are tasked with working in small teams, to scope, develop and implement a project which aims to tackle one or more of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at a local level. The module is resource intensive. It takes specific competences and motivation to successfully lead this pedagogical model. For instance, the current module leader has expertise in digital capabilities, extensive experience of being a facilitator, teaching skills development and professional recognition and working with part-time professional students. The teaching team needs to be ‘agile’ in its approach, to deal with real-time issues as they arise. The module has been influenced by the requirements of the Quality Assurance Agency’s Benchmarks for Politics and International Relations (QAA, 2019). Students in their individual reflective assignment must engage with the graduate skills and knowledge they have gained through the year, linking this with their personal SWOT analysis. There is a focus on experiential learning to complement and reinforce the theoretical knowledge taught elsewhere. This co-created module gives students an opportunity to shine, to develop confidence and enhance their strengths. Practical research skills and ethics are also incorporated into the hidden curriculum to help those who go on to take the politics dissertation. Politics in Action is about giving students the opportunity to gain experiences of working on projects in a place where it is alright for the project to ‘fail’. This real-world experience can be included in the Higher Education Achievement Record at the same time as gaining academic credits. Where does politics fit? Firstly, students have to engage with and debate about the merits of the UN SDGs. They must also consider and explore the concept of what local politics in action means to them. Additionally, students are exposed to the theory and practice of project management, leadership and team development, which they might not otherwise encounter. Students have created projects which have raised awareness and acted on a range of issues such as food poverty, homelessness, and waste reduction. The projects have involved developing relationships with a number of external stakeholders. Students have commented how proud they are of their achievements and recognise their impact. The module aligns strategically with the University by working with the public engagement team (DMU Local) and embracing Universal Design for Learning. This module is seen as a template of good practice and the concept has been used to design a stand-alone module which could be embedded into any programme across the institution. The Politics in Action module does offer a model where skills development and employability take priority. But this is within a framework of academic integrity and personalised learning, linked with the concepts of education for sustainable development and political activism for a highly diverse group of students

Embedding critical project management approaches into public entrepreneurship

Projects create the future and come in many shapes and sizes, including large organisational and infrastructure projects, but also smaller, socially focused projects aimed at the public and citizens. This chapter takes a broad view of public entrepreneurship and projects as entrepreneurship for the public good, including a range of individuals and organisations motivated to progress community priorities. The chapter utilises ‘critical project management’ approaches of project studies and responsible project management to inform this context. This is particularly important with the call to integrate citizen stakeholders, co-production and co-creation into project design and delivery. Two real-life community projects provide illustrative examples to identify some connecting themes between public entrepreneurship and community projects, using Geraldi and Söderlund’s (2018) typology of project studies. The last section highlights four aspects crucial for community projects and public entrepreneurship in theory and practice: understanding, connections and future directions. Learning materials are attached to assist academics and practitioners to explore the relationship between critical project management and public entrepreneurship