BACK TO THE FUTURE: FACILITATING ASSESSMENT DESIGN, COLLABORATION, AND OUTCOMES ALIGNMENT WITH AN ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK

Philip J. MacKinnon; Kristy C. Osborne; Alan Hayes; Louise Lexis; Deanne H. Hryciw; Michelle Towstoless; Kathy Tangalakis

Authors

Philip J. MacKinnon Australian Council for Educational Research
Kristy C. Osborne Australian Council for Educational Research
Alan Hayes Institute for Health and Sport, College of Health and Biomedicine, Victoria University
Louise Lexis Department of Physiology Anatomy & Microbiology, La Trobe University
Deanne H. Hryciw School of Environment and Science, Griffith University
Michelle Towstoless First Year College, Victoria University
Kathy Tangalakis Institute for Sustainable Industries & Liveable Cities, Victoria University

Keywords:

assessment, assessment framework, bioscience, core concepts, intended learning outcomes, PISA, threshold learning outcomes

Abstract

The National Bioscience Assessment Collaboration team constructed and piloted an assessment framework for the biosciences. The framework contains five dimensions, including an adaptation of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Programme for International Student Assessment framework and physiology discipline core concepts. Pilot mapping of a 72-question physiology exam, containing multiple choice and short answer questions, showed that reliable mapping of assessment to most dimensions of the framework is possible. It also showed that the exam items were skewed on most dimensions of the framework, suggesting a bias to memory rote recall, which has previously been identified as a systemic issue across the biosciences. The assessment framework can help diagnose where assessment improvement is required in a subject or across a degree and facilitate improvements to assessment design and possible assessment collaboration and benchmarking between institutions.