What do environmental science students want from assessment?
They want varied, transparent, and well‑calibrated assessment that privileges applied coursework alongside concise exams, with predictable scheduling and timely, developmental feedback. Across National Student Survey (NSS) open‑text on assessment methods, sentiment trends negative (66.2% Negative; index −18.8), so parity and clarity matter. In environmental sciences, applied learning lands well, with fieldwork and placements strongly positive (+22.9), yet judgement remains contested: marking criteria register −44.0 and assessment methods −19.2. These signals shape the practical moves below for programme teams and module leads.
Are diverse assessment formats more than just exams?
Yes—students value a balanced mix that lets them evidence different capabilities. Essays build critical analysis; presentations develop communication for public engagement; lab reports embed scientific method; interactive quizzes can sustain engagement. Design each assessment to explain its purpose, weighting, allowed resources and common pitfalls. Use checklist‑style rubrics and annotated exemplars, and avoid duplication within a term by coordinating a programme‑level assessment calendar.
What does group work contribute to learning and assessment?
Group projects mirror environmental practice and can build collaboration, planning and communication. They need explicit scaffolding to feel fair. Set roles, interim milestones and contribution tracking; provide a simple escalation route for team issues; and balance group outputs with individual components so students can demonstrate their own understanding.
What coursework challenges and expectations matter most?
Students want unambiguous marking criteria, consistent application across markers and feedback they can act on. Publish a one‑page assessment brief per task (purpose, marking approach, weighting, resources, pitfalls). Calibrate markers with boundary exemplars and record moderation notes. Release briefs early and map deadlines to smooth peaks, especially where fieldwork compresses study time.
How can we navigate exams and alternative assessments amidst challenges?
Programmes increasingly prioritise coursework and authentic tasks alongside targeted exams. Project‑based work, consultancy‑style briefs and portfolios assess applied understanding more effectively than wholly exam‑centric models. Support the shift by piloting formats, providing practice opportunities, and coordinating timelines across modules to reduce clashes with field trips and other intensive activities.
How can staff and students communicate effectively about assessment?
Start with concise rubrics, exemplar assignments and a visible feedback service level. Provide short orientation on format expectations, academic integrity and referencing, with mini practice tasks—especially helpful for students not UK domiciled and for those returning to study. Build accessibility in from the outset: alternative formats, captioned or oral options, and plain‑language instructions. Offer asynchronous alternatives for oral components where appropriate.
How do feedback and marking enhance the learning journey?
Actionable, timely feedback improves performance and confidence. Use staged feedback points, brief post‑assessment debriefs on common strengths and issues, and targeted support where recurring problems appear. For larger cohorts, sample double‑marking with spot checks where variance is highest to reinforce fairness and transparency.
How do assessments prepare students for the real world?
Authentic assessments—field notebooks, data briefs, consultancy reports and stakeholder presentations—translate academic learning into employability skills. Keep applied components reliable by publishing kit and travel expectations early, standardising pre‑trip briefings, and integrating short, structured on‑site feedback. Ensure students can access required software and specialist tools on and off campus so technical constraints do not undercut learning.
How Student Voice Analytics helps you
- Pinpoints where assessment method issues concentrate by discipline (CAH), demographics (age, mode, domicile/ethnicity, disability) and cohort/site.
- Tracks sentiment over time and surfaces concise, anonymised summaries for programme and module teams.
- Supports like‑for‑like comparisons by subject mix and cohort profile, with export‑ready tables for boards and quality reviews.
- Highlights practical fixes for environmental sciences: clarify marking expectations, smooth assessment timetables around fieldwork, and strengthen group‑work design and core IT reliability.
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