Identifying and resolving key institutional challenges in feedback and assessment: a case study for implementing change

Abstract

As a consequence of increasing pressures to enhance assessment and feedback in response to the National Student Satisfaction (NSS) and Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), universities continue to invest significant time and resources in making improvements to this area of practice. Since 2013 the University of Greenwich has adapted, enhanced and implemented an approach called TESTA (Transforming the Experience of Students through Assessment). This case study offers a unique and sustained institutional perspective of the landscape of assessment and feedback. It examines the results from the analysis of 157 programmes over 5 years categorised as a top ten set of challenges. Through an examination of programme documentation and module evaluation by staff, the paper highlights some findings of facilitators, barriers and impact at institutional, faculty, departmental, programme and module levels. Its ultimate aim is to explore the real impact of TESTA and to contribute to an understanding of the conditions required for making and disseminating changes and spreading good practice across an HE institution.