Session 5.3: Are Grade Descriptors perceived similarly by students and staff alike?

Lingard, J.M., Cathers, I.R., Minasian-Batmanian, L.C., and Vella, G.J.

Recently, the University of Sydney committed itself to criterion- referenced assessment in which allocation of grades is based on published standards, rather than on a student’s position within a cohort. As the skills required to obtain higher marks will drive learning behaviour, it is important that students and staff have the same perceptions/understanding of these skills. Students’ perceptions may be different, having been influenced by many factors, such as prior study or attainment level. The aim of this research was to ascertain if students performed better when their perceptions of question difficulty and skill requirement were well aligned with staff judgments. The study was conducted at the end of first semester this year and involved first year students in the Faculty of Health Sciences. A set of 30 multiple choice questions was prepared and graded for level of difficulty by three content and educational experts. These questions provided formative assessment for the students and at the same time asked them to indicate their perception of the level of question difficulty. Student perceptions of difficulty will be compared with staff judgements and the congruence will be correlated with several factors, including students’ prior level of topic knowledge and their performance (marks).