Enhancing design teaching and learning through standardised assessment instruments

Aldegonda Bruekers
Curtin University of Technology

Keywords: assessment; student performance; systematic approaches

Design is a value-laden practice that operates within the conventions of the social organisation in which it is found. These conventions are also a way to interpret works, which makes neutral, objective discussions of design difficult. The crossover of subjective and objective reactions and intentions leaves its critique and assessment open to accusations of interpretation and subjectivity by students.

To address the problems in assessing student performance in Multimedia Design at Curtin University , standardised assessment instruments and systematic approaches have been developed, implemented and tested. The instruments have been developed to focus on explicit sharing of expectations for different levels of achievement, clear alignment between project outcomes and assessment criteria, and continued interpretation of performance through generic criteria applied to different design problems.

This paper will describe how the University grade descriptors have been used to define what constitutes design work at five levels of outcome, through the lens of four generic components of design-specific outcomes. It will discuss how these have been interpreted to provide performance guidelines prior to project commencement, detailed and objective marking schemes with assessable components reflecting relevant skills requirements, and efficiencies in assessment where every solution is unique and requires consistency in individual and formative feedback.