A Mexican Hat Approach to Assessment

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A Mexican Hat Approach to Assessment
Alan Robinson alan.robinson_at_solent.ac.uk

• Southampton Solent University

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Benefits

• Provides a visualization of both the quality and
  quantity of learning in process for both students
  and tutors, which is evidence based and can
  overlay current practice.
• Facilitates a manageable overall workload through
  self-assessment and feedback generated by the
  learner.
• Facilitates learning in a diverse student group.
• Provides an audit trail and makes
  responsibilities clear.
• Improves retention and progression.

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Activity ILO compare and contrast your approach
to teaching and assessment with the Mexican Hat
approach, in determining the quality and quantity
of learning in process in your unit
Activity tasks 1. attend the session 2. listen
actively 3. take supplementary notes 4. contribute
to any discussions 5. attempt all the activity
tasks 6. formulate any questions to clarify areas
of uncertainty 7. complete your Progress record
sheet
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• The generic MHA framework is characterized by
• 1.Specific intended learning outcomes (ILO)
  associated with each learning activity.
• These clearly articulate the specific knowledge,
  understanding and skills (both cognitive and
  practical) associated with that activity. There
  are also associated assessment criteria that
  define the threshold standard of achievement, and
  if appropriate additional grading criteria to
  define higher levels of achievement.
•  

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Generic Attainment Criteria based on SOLO
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Key Questions
Student
Teacher
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• 2.Learning activities that allow students to
  assess their own learning and identify areas of
  uncertainty or problems.
• There is a body of learning material for each
  activity.
• There are specific and appropriately challenging
  learning tasks to complete before, during and
  after each contact session. There are defined
  outputs associated with each task, which are used
  as validating evidence of the extent of
  engagement and level of achievement.
• The learning activities are designed so that
  students are able to self-assess, identify areas
  of uncertainty or problems, reflect, formulate
  questions and instigate conversations on their
  progress. This is with respect to the ILO,
  assessment criteria and through comparison with
  expected qualities and standards.

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Aligned Process
Evidence of meeting ILO via summative
assessments Assessment For Learning
Admission criteria
Start of session
Evidence of Engagement e.g diagnostic, formative
and summative assessments, plus other indicators
e.g via SEMS, SIP, etc.
Series of Learning opportunities
Evidence of serious long term EC (Fit to Study)
e.g via Support Tutors, SSN, Student
Services Support For Learning
Examination Board Considers all evidence
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Formative Assessment
Engaged
Not Engaged
ILO met
Region 1
Region 4
Summative Assessment
ILO not met
Region 2
Region 3
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The assessment design defines the boundaries,
while student participation and performance
provides evidence of which region students are
currently in. Region 1 - students achieving
success (participating achieving) Region 2 -
students need extra support to achieve
success (participating not yet
achieving) Region 3 - students unlikely to
achieve success due to their lack of
engagement. (not yet participating not yet
achieving)
The Mexican Hat Model
Summative assessment boundary
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2
1
Formative assessment boundary
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• 3.A method that allows students and tutors to
  record engagement and achievement in these
  learning activities.
• There is a structured method for monitoring,
  managing and evaluating the learning process so
  that students and tutors can
• record and evidence, the students participation
  in the learning process.
• record and evidence the students perceived and
  actual achievement with respect to the intended
  learning outcomes, assessment criteria, and
  expected qualities and standards.
• engage in two way feedback about the students
  understanding (constructed meaning).

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• Assessment design is founded on a number of key
  principles
• Clarity about the academic standards required and
  how they will be assessed.
• Valid, reliable and affordable assessments that
  are appropriate, consistent, fair and aligned
  which enable learners to demonstrate achievement
  of all the intended outcomes.
• Assessments which enable internal and external
  examiners to discriminate between different
  categories of achievement.
• Assessment that aligns with the total programme
  outcomes.
• A balance between summative and formative
  assessments, providing sufficient formative
  feedback for students to understand their own
  learning needs and the minimum summative
  assessments needed to give confidence in the
  awards.
• Assessments designed to discourage plagiarism,
  collusion and other forms of academic misconduct.

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• Assessment Design - continued
• early identification of problems, by staff
  students
• students are set work so they can assess their
  own learning and generate their own feedback
• accounts for slow starters' and motivates
  students to learn
• summative assessment which tests students at the
  right time using the right methods (i.e dont
  fail students because of the type of assessment).

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compare and contrast your approach to teaching
and assessment with the Mexican Hat approach, in
determining the quality and quantity of learning
in process in your unit

• Activity Tasks (Yes/No Answers)
• 1. Did you attend the session?
• 2. Did you listen actively?
• 3. Did you take supplementary notes?
• 4. Did you contribute to any discussions?
• 5. Are you going to attempt all the activity
  tasks?
• 6. Will you formulate any questions to clarify
  areas of uncertainty?
• 7. Have you completed your Progress record sheet?

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Progress Record sheet
Please hand in your Activity Record sheet
Y
4
3
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• Thanks for participating and I would be pleased
  to receive your attempts at Task 6.
• Please email
• alan.robinson_at_solent.ac.uk