Scaffolded Assessment Case Studies

This section contains a range of case studies showing how academic staff at the University are currently implementing scaffolded assessments as part of their modules.
The case studies have been categorised into three broad characteristics:

Quizzes

• Artur Jaworski introduces the idea of SAIL (Score As I Learn) in the Department of Engineering as a strategy to increase student engagement and attainment.
  • Scaffolded Assessment Case Study – SAIL. 

• Simon Barrans modifies the SAIL format to introduce a formative element.
  • Scaffolded Assessment Case Study – Formative and Sail Quizzes. 

• Ann Smith and William Lee use a third party tool called NUMBAS to run weekly formative maths exercises.
  • Scaffolded Assessment Case Study – Numbas. 

• Rukhsana Din introduced fortnightly low-stakes tasks to incentivise engagement and attendance.
  • Scaffolded Assessment Case Study – Quizzes and Submissions. 

• Daniel Belton sets weekly assignments and quizzes to encourage engagement with assigned readings. Includes a summary of strategies used on other modules.
  • Scaffolded Assessment Case Study – Reading Assignments. 

• Richard Hill uses Brightspace quizzes as part of the summative assessments and allows unlimited attempts but does not reveal the score students have achieved.
  • Scaffolded Assessment Case Study – Multi-attempt Quizzes. 

• Peter Roberts tells us about a module, run by Mandy Graham which uses timed quizzes at the end of each unit of study for students to test knowledge.
  • Scaffolded Assessment Case Study – In-class Quizzes. 

Participation/Engagement

• Sandra Hernandez Aldave uses Microsoft Forms in class to increase student engagement and encourage revision between the classes.
  • Scaffolded Assessment Case Study – Microsoft Forms. 

• Haydn Martin uses a rolling log of project supervision meetings, awarding marks for meeting action points, to encourage attendance and engagement.
  • Scaffolded Assessment Case Study – Rolling Log. 

• Richard Jones uses a series of assignments throughout the first term to encourage engagement and provide early feedback and intervention.
  • Scaffolded Assessment Case Study – Learning Log. 

• Pamela Anderson awards summative marks for attending and engaging with tasks in five skills-based sessions to encourage engagement and attendance.
  • Scaffolded Assessment Case Study – Skills Tasks. 

• Vic Firth uses a range of strategies including interactive quizzes at the end of lectures, asynchronous quizzes on Brightspace and self-assessments.
  • Scaffolded Assessment Case Study – Quizzes and Self-Assessments. 

• Gareth Hudson has students give short presentations every few weeks as preparation and scaffolding for a longer Critical Reflective Summary.
  • Scaffolded Assessment Case Study – Presentations. 

Stepped Assessments

• Jiajia Liu uses early assessments such as presentations and in-class tests to help engage the students and scaffold the summative assessments.
  • Scaffolded Assessment Case Study – Early Presentation Task. 

• Dimi Kaneva has moved part of the marks for a Research Methodologies module to a “pitch” presentation.
  • Scaffolded Assessment Case Study – Research Pitch. 

• Rachel Terry used a reflective task during Flying Start to introduce the assessment/feedback cycle and identify students who might need to see an Academic Skills Tutor.
  • Scaffolded Assessment Case Study – Early Reflection Task. 

• Sarah Fletcher-Shaw has moved some of the summative marks to a 200-word submission due in week 5.
  • Scaffolded Assessment Case Study – Stepped Assessment. 

• Jo Bishop uses an open-book timed test using the quiz tool in Brightspace that students can take within a 6-hour window.
  • Scaffolded Assessment Case Study – Open Book Written Test. 

• Ash Cartwright, Lindsey Brooks and Andrea Gaynor have introduced an early writing task to support students who are less used to larger writing tasks.
  • Scaffolded Assessment Case Study – Early Writing Task. 

• David Powell asks PgCertHE students to submit 300-words during the first weeks of the course, which forms the introduction to their final reflective commentary.
  • Scaffolded Assessment Case Study – Written Introduction Task.