External examination based on student self-evaluation and evaluation by teachers

Abstract

The relationship between teaching and examination is a significant aspect of this project. Another main feature is student self-evaluation. An underlying concept of the project is that examinations should be conducted by an external examiner, on the basis of teacher evaluations, student performances and self-evaluations. Keeping the supporting and examining functions separate and getting the students involved in the evaluation of their own learning process, is supposed to increase the learning quality. The project also aims to provide a fairer and more adequate evaluation of individual students, as well as contribute to a general improvement in educational quality. A fundamental tenet of this project is that each student should have the right to know in any given situation whether he or she is being taught or graded. Such distinctions are difficult to maintain, and can probably only be fully achieved when the teachers are not the examiners. This project envisions teachers and examiners as different individuals. The present project is an attempt to co-ordinate self-evaluation and external evaluation and it proposes that the examination focus on considerably larger sections of the syllabus than is usually the case. In this way, it would be possible to reap the educational benefits of student self-evaluation, while keeping teaching and examination as separate functions, something which ought to be of benefit to all those involved in the educational process, especially, the students. The project has been implemented on a wide front within the Faculties of Liberal Arts (filosofiska fakulteten) of the Luleå University of Technology: up to now Pedagogy and Arranging and composing. Next semester (fall 2000) Political science, and Piano and Organ will be included. We propose that the courses are on the undergraduate or masters level, and that an external examiner will be appointed for each course. The preliminary results show that keeping the supporting and examining functions separate and getting the students involved in the evaluation of their own learning process, tend to increase internal motivation. Furthermore, the project seems to enhance the students' sense of responsibility and their ability to work concentrated and independently. In press is one book chapter (Forskarnärverket för bedömning av kunskap) and a paper is accepted (International Society for Music Education).