Introduction

Michael Ebere Chidubem is a multi-media creative artist who explores the use of various artistic media and techniques to communicate messages that are usually driven by hope, optimism, personal experiences, and a belief in positivism. Michael believes that regardless of one’s achievements and successes, there is still room for improvement and development. His most used slogan is "The best is yet to come".

 

Michael also attended the University of Lagos, Nigeria where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in creative visual arts in 2008. He also attended SAE Institute between 2009 – 2011 where he obtained qualifications in Animation, Visual Effects, Motion Graphics, and Electronic Music Production. Between 2011 and 2012, Michael studied for his MTECH (Master of Technology) qualification at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in Cape Town, South Africa. His research titled “Formats for storytelling by caregivers for sharing knowledge in home-based health care” focused on the use of storytelling and animation as a tool by caregivers to communicate care and administrative processes within the homebased healthcare. He holds an honorary doctorate award conferred on him in 2019 by Trinity International Bible University, Cape Town, South Africa for his work with his pet missionary project called, The Kingdom TV.

 

Michael was Programme Coordinator and animation lecturer at STADIO, a prestigeous private higher education provider in Cape Town, South Africa between December 2018 - January 2023.  Michael joined the University of Brighton in January 2023 and was Course leader until recently when he stepped down to focus on work on his PhD research and family demands.

 

He is also a musician, prolific bass player, and recorded artiste with so many releases to his credit. Michael is a Jazz lover and open to collaborations with local and foreign artistes. 

 

 

Anonymous Participants' Feedback

It's all about choice.

“I don't mind how we do it already, but choosing how we are assessed could benefit some peoples’ skillsets than having to stick to one assessment type. Having a choice lets people tailor and show off what they know best.”

I would like to choose.

  • “I don't mind how we do it already, but choosing how we are assessed could benefit some peoples’ skillsets than having to stick to one assessment type. Having a choice lets people tailor and show off what they know best.”
  • “I would like to be able to choose between a few options of things to work on for my submission.”

Freedom is a good thing.

  • “… it allows more freedom and for me to get the best mark I can get”
  • “Freedom of choice is good”
  • “It would be nice to be able to control how you’re assessed in some way”
  • “It could give more personalized feeling to the assessment”
  • “It may improve the studying experience”
  • “… everyone should be assessed by their unique and individual work process”

Research Questions

What are students’ understanding and sentiments around the concept of variable assessments in the animation course?

This question seeks to establish a premise for the discussion by understanding students' understanding of the concept of variable assessment.

What possible variable assessment types could be explored, adopted or made available to animation students and why?

Using a survey, this question works with the animation students at the University of Brighton to find out what possible variable assessment types could be explored within the course that would be beneficial to their learning experience. 

How can variable assessment be used as a tool for supporting deep learning and students’ engagement with course?

This question seeks to find out if variable assessment can be used as a tool to support deep learning and critical thinking with the animation course at the University of Brighton.

How does variable assessment sit currently within higher education space? Are there previous or current usage of these assessment types in other higher education institutions? How effective or ineffective has the usage of this assessment type been?

These questions would guide the literature review of current arguments around the use of a variety of assessment types with a view of finding the merits and demerits of the approach and offer suggestions for future studies/research.

“From our students' point of view, assessment always defines the actual curriculum.”

[Ramsden 1992, 187]

ABSTRACT

Assessment is important to all stakeholders in higher education. However, with an ever-changing educational landscape, relying solely on the conventional assessment method to gauge knowledge acquisition and retention could be counterproductive. It is important to constantly engage in the ongoing dialogue around the subject of assessment to find opportunities for adopting strategies which are not only dynamic but effective in harnessing the learning experience of each student. The purpose of this study is to critically discuss fundamental ideas of variable assessment methods in the context of students' opinions and feedback regarding how it might impact their education in the University of Brighton's animation program. A total of 27 undergraduate animation students at the University of Brighton participated in the survey. Data were collected through anonymized online survey. Findings suggest that over 90 percent of students have never heard about the term variable assessment and although they expressed various sentiments regarding the effectiveness of current assessment methods, they were open to a possibility of varied assessment methods provided it has the potential to enhance their learning experience.

Quotes on Assessments

"Assessment is at the heart of the student experience." (Brown and Knight 1994, 1)

 

"From our students’ point of view, assessment always defines the actual curriculum".

(Ramsden 1992, 187)

 

"Assessment is ‘the Achilles’ heel of quality" 

(Knight 2002a, 107)

 

References

  • Brown, S., and P. Knight. 1994. Assessing learners in higher education. London: Kogan Page.
  • Knight, P.T. 2002a. The Achilles’ heel of quality: The assessment of student learning. Quality in Higher Education 8, no. 1: 107–15
  • Ramsden, P. 1992. Learning to teach in higher education. London: Routledge.

Author: Michael E. Chidubem

University of Brighton

Student Number: 23853006

Supervisor: Dr. Jo-Anne Lester

Module: LT765 Enhancing Academic Practice

 (November 2024

CONCLUSION

Assessment in higher education is a multi-faceted tool that, when used effectively, supports deep learning and provides valuable feedback for both tutors and students. For tutors, assessment is an essential means for understanding the extent to which deep learning has occurred, provided the assessment methods are aligned with higher-order thinking skills. For students, ... 

Create Your Own Website With Webador