- The document discusses a curriculum review of chemistry courses at Keele University using the TESTA (Transforming the Experience of Students Through Assessment) framework. - As part of the review, the number of assessments was reduced from 65 to 54 across 240 credits, with more formative assessments added. - Data is presented comparing the old and new assessment schemes, showing changes in types and frequency of assessments at different levels. - Feedback to students also changed, with more individual written feedback provided under the new scheme.

1. Putting Chemistry to the TESTA
Dr Katherine J. Haxton
k.j.haxton@keele.ac.uk @kjhaxton

2. Need for general review of curriculum
Significant changes in staff
Re-introduction of Royal Society of Chemistry
accreditation (and requirements)
Development of Keele’s Graduate Attributes and
subject specific graduate skills
Inclusion of diverse assessment and feedback

3. How do you evaluate a curriculum review?

4. Transforming the Experience of Students
Through Assessment
Reflection on
Assessment
and Feedback
Student
Questionnaire
Student Focus
Group
Inventory of
Course

5. Our TESTA
Journey
• Change Academy, Feb.
‘12, Psychology Pilot
• Modular system –
provides framework for
course-wide
perspective
• Keele-wide deployment
of ‘TESTA lite’ in Sept.
‘13
• Before and After data
for Chemistry
Curriculum Review,
Aug. ‘14
CC BY-ND 2.0 https://www.flickr.com/photos/philwirks/

6. The Chemistry Approach
Carried out TESTA ‘lite’ for Major Route Chemistry
1st & 2nd year 60 credits Chem, 3rd year 120 credits
Chem including 30 credit research project
• Old: 65 summative assessments over 240 credits
• New: 54 summative and 8 formative assessments
over 240 credits
[120 credits in 2nd subject in 1st & 2nd year]

7. 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Coursework Written Exam Practical Exam Other
%credits
Broad Assessment Types: Overall
OLD NEW

8. 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
FHEQ L4
OLD
FHEQ L 4
NEW
FHEQ L5
OLD
FHEQ L5
NEW
FHEQ L6
OLD
FHEQ L6
NEW
%Credits Broad Assessment Types: by Year
Coursework Written Exam Practical Exam Other

9. 0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Lab Book / Report Lab Assessment /
Practicals
Practical Exam - Lab based
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Lab Book / Report Lab Assessment /
Practicals
Practical Exam - Lab
based
Red – OLD
Blue – NEW
Number of Lab Assessments, Level 4
Number of Lab Assessments, Level 5

10. 0
2
4
6
8
Exam Unseen Class Test (S) Class Test (F)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Exam Unseen Class Test
Number of Exam-type
Assessments
Level 4
Level 5
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Exam Unseen Class Test (S) Class Test (F)
Level 6*
Red – OLD Blue – NEW
*estimated

11. FHEQ L4 FHEQ L5 FHEQ L6
OLD NEW OLD NEW OLD NEW
Presentation
(Individual)
1 1 1 0 0 3
Poster
(Individual)
1 0 1 1 0 3
Poster
(Group)
0 1 0 0 0 0
Presentation Skills

12. % Breakdown of Feedback Types
Individual
typed/writte
n
52%
Generic/Gro
up
typed/writte
n
13%
Model
answer
18%
Audio-visual
13%
Verbal /face
to face
group
4%

13. https://www.flickr.com/photos/domiriel/CC BY-NC 2.0
Shortcomings: Broad Brush
• TESTA defines summative assessment as a point at which
marks are allocated.
– judgement required where assignments have multiple
assessment points (e.g. Peer vs Tutor)
• Many summative assessments have formative elements
– e.g. peer review of a draft laboratory report
• Many assessments have several ways of awarding marks
– e.g. presentation with self, peer and tutor assessment
elements

14. Conclusions & Acknowledgements
• TESTA is a good way to provoke discussion on
assessment and feedback within a course.
• Must acknowledge limitations
• Chemistry course is different, reflects draft
Benchmarking statement (but *feels* better!)
• Thanks to: Keele TESTA people, Chemistry staff
and students.

15. Links
• TESTA
http://www.testa.ac.uk/
• Keele’s TESTA site
http://www.keele.ac.uk/lpdc/learningteaching/reviewofasses
smentpractices/resources/