Assessment and the self: academic practice and character attributes

Hanscomb, S. (2015) Assessment and the self: academic practice and character attributes. Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, 2015(8),

Abstract

A case is made for how, within higher education, we might make use of the relationship that exists between students’ academic practices and outputs, and their character attributes such as open-mindedness, enthusiasm and perseverance. Examples of how academic practices have the capacity to reveal a range of character attributes are discussed, and even though there are very good reasons for believing this potential exists, the need is identified for further research of a kind that would stimulate engagement from students, teachers and academic support staff. Since any generalised, formalised or non-student-led application of these insights to teaching practice would be inappropriate, two points are made about the nature and application of such investigation. First, qualitative methods, and in particular narrative analysis, would be best suited to the complex, ethically sensitive and significantly idiographic nature of the relationship in question. Second, research that generated detailed case studies would also serve as an appropriate means of inspiring this form of reflection in students. This could occur either as a direct result of students engaging with these case studies, or indirectly via increased teacher and learning development staff’s sensitivity to possibilities of these kinds of dialogues occurring. A brief example from my own teaching experience indicates the form and content of the studies that I have in mind.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Hanscomb, Dr Stuart
• Authors: Hanscomb, S.
• Subjects: L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social & Environmental Sustainability
• Journal Name: Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education
• Journal Abbr.: JLDHE
• Publisher: Association for Learning Development in Higher Education
• ISSN: 1759-667X
• ISSN (Online): 1759-667X
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2015 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education 2015:8
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License