STRATEGY
Emma Watton, Programme Director, Executive MBA, Lancaster University We are looking at integrating assessments across modules that might be linked. If you think about subjects such as leadership and HR, or accounting, finance and economics, there are similarities. Therefore, we’re looking at assessments that build on knowledge module by module. We are trying to think about assessments more holistically, rather than each module having an exam here or an essay there. We are also looking at peer assessments. We’ve always had them, but we’re looking to do more with them in terms of events that happen outside of the classroom but have an impact when students are doing assessments such as group work. There is also the opportunity to involve organisations in assessments. In a portfolio contribution, for example, how might a student be applying skills in their workplace? What’s being noticed? I think that, moving forward, we need to think about students in terms of their employability and the future skills that they are going to need. I’ve received comments from some of our students who have experienced online studying and feel that they have gained real skills in online technology – which are, of course, transferable skills in themselves. There are multiple ways that students can apply their learning. The challenge for us is to make assessments more relevant and interesting, engaging and varied, and not just use one or two methods of assessment. Thabang Mokoaleli-Mokoteli, MBA Director, Wits Business School We are still struggling with online assessments. Students seem to have a major problem with them for quantitative subjects such as finance, accounting, and statistics, when compared with qualitative subjects, such as marketing. For qualitative subjects, they can analyse the exam case study and submit on time, using the right tabs in the learning management system.
We are looking at integrating assessments across modules that might be linked
Ishan Kolhatkar, General Manager, Inspera UK Academics know that some students look on the internet for answers [to examination questions]. Many of us have easy access to devices which connect to the internet. In the world we live in, it’s not access to knowledge that makes people experts in something; it’s how they use their knowledge. There needs to be a much bigger drive to make assessments mirror what people do in the world, both inside and outside of education. If the answers to your exam questions can be Googled, is that a test of the person’s knowledge, or of their ability to go and find that information? Which are you trying to assess? Technology has rapidly advanced to the point where we can allow candidates to take assessments with as many or few restrictions as we want to place on them. What takes much longer is changing the assessments themselves. Ensuring quality takes time and skill. I would like to see Business Schools continue to make their assessments far more reflective of what happens in the real world. I say ‘continue’ because Business Schools are, and always have been, at the forefront of authentic assessment. Technology is the enabler to this continued innovation. Prem Chandrani, Professor in Strategy and Finance, SP Jain Institute of Management & Research Different courses require different approaches to evaluation. If you are teaching a quantitative course – for example, statistics – you may use applied exercises where statistical tools would be used to solve a problem. On the other hand, if you are teaching a course on strategy, you may use a case with a real-world problem. It is important that we base assessments on what will be of value to students once they leave the Business School. We should assess their readiness to hit the ground running and make an early impact at the workplace. In the past, exams were about testing memory but that has changed. Exams are no longer about remembering what you learned in class, but your ability to apply that learning in evolving business situations to solve business problems.
We do need to think creatively to ensure the integrity of our online assessments
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