TLT Assessment Feedback by

I feel like the timeline of the assessments was not very spread out. It felt like we had to juggle the 3 week block and then as soon as we came back we had assessments due. We had a space after we came back from xmas / reading week where some assessments could have been set. I have heard next year it is the same.

2024-04-03 08:28:32 UTC

I feel like it has been slow but that is what I expected.

2024-04-03 08:28:57 UTC

I don't feel like I understand any of the assessment criteria. For example the difference between a good and a very good (DTP). With all the modules it feels like the differences between them are very minor and subjective.

2024-04-03 08:31:10 UTC

Providing a scaffold worked well. And formative assessment sessions with the course lecturer. Not students, as I feel like we do not understand the criteria enough to give useful feedback. Additionally providing past examples to see how to structure.

2024-04-03 08:33:08 UTC

I feel like some of the remits for example create a workshop or make an exhibition make it harder to reach the assessment criteria as we are focussed on the creative element rather than the content, and the creativity is not graded.

2024-04-03 08:34:21 UTC

I like the different modalities but I prefer if we are given a choice. For example using the padlet in CYP. If we had a choice of what we wanted to do like we do with other courses I feel like this would be better (eg/ can be an essay can be a presentation).

2024-04-03 08:36:17 UTC

I feel like some lecturers do mark on how a person writes looking for fluidity and finesse, which is not everyone's strong suit, and we should be graded on our ideas and engagement with literature, not how well we can write.

2024-04-03 08:38:03 UTC

I have enjoyed the choice of modalities that we can use in some assessments. I have enjoyed the formative assessment sessions with lecturers.

2024-04-03 08:38:57 UTC

Sometimes I am unsure who I should reach out to and what is the difference between cohort lead and course lead in terms of responsibilities.

2024-04-03 08:39:40 UTC

I have really enjoyed this year, but I think the spacing of the assessments has been squished together in certain places and I struggled to understand assessment criteria.

2024-04-03 08:40:26 UTC

Slow so far, but I beleiev that is to be expected. (not within 2-3 weeks of submission)

2024-04-05 17:27:39 UTC

I feel like they are all crammed into a few months and not spread out well. I do understand why they are as they look to pull on our experiences within SBL, however having said this, could they possibly spread out over a larger space of time?

2024-04-05 17:29:09 UTC

It is very broad, a bit too broad. And also very subjective. For one marker it may be very good but for another it may be excellent. There needs to be more consistent marking criteria.

2024-04-05 17:30:10 UTC

This is a transformative course, so could the marking criteria be changed? Also scaffolds for essays have been very helpful.

2024-04-05 17:31:28 UTC

Marking is very subjective.

2024-04-05 17:32:36 UTC

Its nice, however group assessments don't always work. One person always ends up doing most of the work.

2024-04-05 17:33:42 UTC

I feel comfortable reaching out if I need help.

2024-04-05 17:34:31 UTC

2024-04-05 18:08:11 UTC

I have personally found it quite tricky having assignments due during the block placement and straight after. I believe these could be spread out more. This is tricky for everyone but especially for those of us who work/have other commitments. Managing planning lessons/teaching/writing/observing/reading is just burnout waiting to happen. All three people in my high school were very sick at some point and struggled to get better physically and mentally with this pressure. It’s really a lot more pressure than teachers are under and being told ‘teachers have a lot on their plate’ feels like our struggles are being hugely downplayed especially considering when speaking to qualified teachers they found it surprising that we had essays due in the block. I would rather just focus on teaching in this time and everything be a week or so later, especially seeing as the summer holidays come so early!

2024-04-05 18:12:02 UTC

I feel as though the turn around has been quite slow! Also for DTP, I’m not sure if I’m an odd one out but regarding feedback sessions 1:1, I never received a response to my email to book one in. I wouldn’t have minded fundamentally if this feedback session wasn’t offered I just found it strange that it was offered, and at least for me, not followed through with.

2024-04-05 18:14:22 UTC

I haven’t found it particularly easy dealing with marking criteria. Sometimes it feels as though turning in an essay is just rolling a dice to see how the marker will respond to it. I understand that there is nuances that we as pupils may not understand but I found it particularly alarming in the LLL course where we ‘marked work’ and all graded it completely differently, and hugely differently to the markers of the course. Perhaps this clarity could do with some work?

2024-04-05 18:17:16 UTC

I feel as though when offered the option to ‘make the marking/success criteria/assignment’ it has largely been a case of saying ‘oh this is what we normally do, is that okay?’. I understand that it is really tricky working with graded courses for professional certifications but sometimes I feel as though ‘Transformative’ is more of a buzz word re:our own teaching but applied much less to the students who are being taught.

2024-04-05 18:21:22 UTC

I agree that the ‘creative/workshop’ element sometimes feels as though it’s for show rather than actually for a mark. I’ve found it much easier to access better grades in my written work (so far, above 70+) and all ‘creative’ things fall below this because we spend too much time being creative and making things pretty for the research that we have done to come through. I’ve found these ‘timed’ workshop/creative sessions frustrating as timings haven’t really been followed. I believe if something is a 30 minute assessment that groups should be stopped after that 30 minutes otherwise it’s redundant having a timed element.

2024-04-05 18:25:46 UTC

I feel this course is too group orientated for something with so much pressure put on it. Given we are spending so much time together as a cohort of 10 it can be tricky coming back from differences of opinions working in a group. This is especially tricky given that these group presentations can fall after block placements where we have all been in different areas of Lothian etc. I don’t think it’s conducive to good friendships, or good work.

2024-04-05 18:27:45 UTC

I like that often we can choose our specific area of interest and make it work for an essay. However, the difficulty with this is it often results in frustratingly general assessment briefs!

2024-04-05 18:29:28 UTC

I find it quite tricky reaching out, and I’ve felt quite anxious about the conversations I’ve had when having to speak to someone about how I feel.

2024-04-05 18:32:36 UTC

I agree with the former comment, super squashed assessments. Sometimes I feel like the PGDE chunking of placement/assignments could be looked to for compromise. Perhaps a 4 week block and a little more time to focus solely on assignments or a period with 3 placement days to provide a little more wiggle room would be useful. I think it’s quite tricky taking off your teacher hat after a day of teaching, followed by planning, and then trying to get to the library to get into student mode to write.

Sbl activities- if we are using them for the portfolio next year, is there a way to link this to specific parts of the portfolio questions / and theory of what we have learnt in class.

anisadoubell — 2024-04-23 10:24:15 UTC

jemma31 — 2024-04-23 11:55:24 UTC

I feel like the timeline of assessment wasn't really well thought out. Often I was asked to reflect on my experiences as a student teacher even though I hadn't have a lot of experiences as a student teacher.

jemma31 — 2024-04-23 11:58:08 UTC

Some of the assessments came back really quickly and I understand that they may be some delays however if those delays could be communicated that would be cool.

jemma31 — 2024-04-23 11:59:33 UTC

I feel like the assessment criteria is something I leave on the back burner because it doesn't apply to the specific courses

2024-04-23 12:02:36 UTC

I would very much love a larger window of turning in items (of course, have a due date, but allow me to turn it in earlier) and I cannot work out why I cannot submit multiple documents. It was vert frustrating to work out how to squish everything into one PDF document. Also, the word count reflected in the submission receipt is not accurate, which made me worry that I would be docked points because I went over the word count.

2024-04-23 12:03:33 UTC

The speed was fine, I was not bothered by the quick/slow return/

2024-04-23 12:05:48 UTC

Wanted to echo the "roll the dice" feeling. I do have fundamental issues with the marking scheme, that I understand are beyond the capacity of this course. But it does feel, by design, detrimental to international students who return to their home countries and have to explain a very low grade average, comparatively speaking.

2024-04-23 12:07:58 UTC

Taking time to truly reflect on formative assessments. I feel like it was often pushed to the side when there could have been some really nice discussion. But, truly, fundamentally, it really is just a gamble. I don't know, formatively speaking, if it would have helped

I feel like the assessments at the end are very condensed and it is quite a struggle to keep up with them. I don't feel I will be able to do my best work due to the timeline.

2024-04-29 07:37:57 UTC

I feel the speed has been different for different assignments but generally ok.

2024-04-29 07:42:36 UTC

I also find it confusing the difference between a good/ very good etc like with DTP.

2024-04-29 07:45:22 UTC

I think a scaffold system will be useful for all subjects so we know we are on the right path. Also getting shown past examples for all assignments would be useful. We are told with some assignments we are not allowed to see past examples but with others we are. It is inconsistent .

2024-04-29 07:51:07 UTC

I think that the idea was that we create the assignments ourself was interesting but it would have been better done at the start of the year so we had time to focus on the assignments throughout the term.

2024-04-29 08:00:40 UTC

I like the collaborative part of it but agree it does not always work out fairly.

2024-04-29 08:03:34 UTC

I like that we can choose our assessments depending on our personal interests.

2024-04-29 08:06:08 UTC

Absolutely, I have had incredible support from the University, student advisor, Kathleen and course leaders. Support from my SBL however not so great.

2024-04-29 08:28:00 UTC

Feedback has been not so great.

2024-04-29 08:28:40 UTC

anisadoubell — 2024-04-29 12:18:54 UTC

*** Group pres timings / questions at the end