Herdsa 2009 - workshop on assessments with David Boud

In sunny & warm Darwin for the HERDSA2009 conference at Charles Darwin University and attending workshop sessions today. First up, Dr. David Boud's session on 'reconstructing assessment for longer-term learning: Generating positive student experiences through future orientated assessments.

The workshop was centred on work completed for the Australian Learning & Teaching Council and a website has been set up as a resource site. This site provides good information on key assessment elements which include engaging students, using authentic activities, allowing students to design assessments, assessing using integrative activities, helping students to learn judgement, modeling the practice of good asbe susessments, allowing students to work with peers and reommendations on giving and recieving feedback. There is also an option for practitioners to provide examples of effective practice.

In order for assessments to be viable for longer term learning, they need to be sustainable, help students develop informed judgement, onstruct reflexive learners and contribute towards the formation of becoming practitioners.

A good session, raising very pertinent questions and feedback from various partiipants. It was also heartening to see participants were interested in improving assessment practice and keen to provide students with better ways to learn via assessment.