The phrase “in the real world” is often used in higher education. Educators use it to inspire students, while industry partners critique courses with it. It’s spoken casually, as if its meaning is clear and universally accepted. In the classroom, phrases such as “in the real world……………..(fill in the blank)” […]
Assessment & Feedback - Student Learning & Engagement
Enhancing Learning with Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) in Higher Education
We usually view assessment as something that occurs after learning, serving as the final step where students show what they’ve understood. However, the most impactful assessments do not only happen at the end. Instead, they occur subtly, during a conversation or at the end of a class. These provide brief […]
Assessment & Feedback - Innovation & Future of Higher Education - Reflections & Provocations - Student Learning & Engagement - Teaching Practice
Beyond the Tick Box: Why Curriculum Mapping Isn’t Evidence of Learning
I was recently listening to The Grading Podcast when Marc Aronson, Dean of Academics at Cheshire Academy in Connecticut, described their practice, in which students undertake Final Demonstration of Learning (FDoL) activities. Listening to this, I couldn’t help but question: When, in a university course, do students truly demonstrate the course learning outcomes […]
Student Learning & Engagement - Teaching Practice
From Presence to Participation: The Case Against Blanket Mandatory Attendance
Attendance policies have long been a point of contention in higher education. For some institutions, enforcing attendance is seen as a vital measure to ensure students remain engaged, connected, and on track. For others, such mandates are outdated remnants of schooling that prioritise compliance over genuine learning. At the centre […]
Assessment & Feedback - Innovation & Future of Higher Education
Narrative Evaluation: Feedback That Helps Students Grow
Assessment and feedback in higher education have long been dominated by grades, rubrics, and numerical scores. While these methods offer efficiency and standardisation, they often miss the deeper story of learning. A grade may indicate where a student’s work stands on a scale, but it rarely reveals how they arrived […]