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Transforming Experience For Students Through Assessment (TESTA) is a student-focused mechanism to improve assessment and feedback practice
As part of our Education Strategy 2016-21, UCL has committed to review and improve assessment and feedback practices. One mechanism that we will use to achieve this is TESTA at UCL, an in-depth and student-focussed analysis of the assessment experience.
What is TESTA?
We know that good assessment design is a crucial factor for student success and satisfaction. By reviewing assessment regularly and holistically we can make sure that our practice continues to supports effective student learning.
TESTA is a tried and tested methodology to review assessment and feedback practices. It aims to critically analyse assessment as experienced by students across the student lifecycle, producing detailed data and insight that will support informed change.
About the project
TESTA at UCL will support departments to use the TESTA process to make sure their assessment strategies maximise the potential for student learning and success.
From 2019-20, UCL will pilot the systematic use of TESTA across a number of departments who wish to review their assessment strategies.
Key features of the TESTA approach are that it is always:
- Supported and supportive
- Confidential
- Student-focussed
- Holistic
- Carried out at programme-level
As well as providing rich information for pilot departments, outcomes from this project will help us to better understand what we can do institutionally to improve students’ experience of assessment and to maximise their opportunities to be successful.
The project team
The TESTA at UCL approach will be guided by Professor Simon Walker who is the Academic Lead for the activity. The opt-in pilot project will be managed by the Strategic Projects team in the OVPESA in close collaboration with Arena. Departments will receive comprehensive support to enable them to engage in and benefit from their participation in the pilot.
If you have a question about TESTA at UCL, please contact Megan Gerrie, Associate Director (Strategic Projects), in the first instance m.gerrie@ucl.ac.uk
The project is run by the Office of the Vice-Provost (Education and Student Affairs) and the Arena Centre for Research-based Education.