A new summative assessment was introduced requiring learners to complete a 1500-word essay detailing a hypothetical multi-stage plan for scaling-up mental health treatment in a setting of choice. It was anticipated that this assessment would be challenging due to the requirement that learners contextualise their learning within a hypothetical scenario mimicking real-world conditions.

A formative pre-assessment was designed to encourage learners to reflect on the attributes of a high-quality submission for the upcoming summative assessment (Creating a Scaling-Up Strategy: Essay). This activity aimed to strengthen learners’ writing, critical analysis and reflective skills. It was anticipated that completing this pre-assessment would better equip learners to complete the summative assessment. The pre-assessment was not reviewed or graded by the course team.

Completion of the pre-assessment provided opportunities to:

• Establish a strong familiarity with the summative assignment requirements by encouraging students to plan and engage with an initial draft of a component of their summative assignment several weeks before it was due to the submitted;
• Review exemplars of hypothetical essay sections prepared by the Programme team;
• Reflect on attributes of good assignment allowing them to enhance their initial draft prior to summative submission;
• Receive additional assessment tips from the Programme team for the summative assignment.

• The pre-assessment activity consisted of three steps (draft submission, comparison and reflection) directly targeting the successful completion of an upcoming summative assessment.
• Students were asked to make their submissions via a dedicated Moodle submission page.
• Submissions of the individual steps were to be made one week apart from one another.
• The first step of the pre-assignment required the submission of a 500-word draft addressing a specific component of the summative essay (Creating a Scaling-Up Strategy: Essay).
• The second step asked students to review two sample exemplars addressing the same assignment component as their draft submission. They were asked to make comparison judgements about the quality of the excerpts by specifically considering assessment criteria such as use of evidence, critical evaluation and adherence to the respective intended learning outcomes.
• The final step required that students apply their learning to the draft they had submitted in the initial step, and consider ways to enhance their submission-in light of their engagement with grading criteria.
• Upon completion of all three steps, students were presented with ‘assessment tips’ providing additional advice on preparing a successful submission for the upcoming summative assignment.

• From a class of 29 students, engagement rate with the formative pre-assessment was relatively good initially; however, there was a sizeable decline observed after the first activity: 16 (55%) for the first activity (Draft Submission); 10 (34%) for the second activity (Comparison); and 8 (28%) for the final activity (Reflection).

  Nine students responded to a pre-assessment evaluation survey. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive:

  • 6 (67%) stated that the academic value of the pre-assessment was made clear;
  • 8 (89%) believed the pre-assessment activities were ‘useful’;
  • 8 (89%) stated the pre-assessment made them more confident about completing the summative assessment;
  • 8 (89%) stated they would engage in a similar activity if such was available for other modules.

  Some students’ free text responses offered an insight into what they perceived to be the most valuable aspects of the pre-assessment activities-including:

  • It clarified the scope of the summative assessment;
  • It encouraged independent research and new learning;
  • It helped understand the grading process better;
  • It helped improve students’ writing;
  • It offered clear directions for enhancing students’ own work;
  • It helped with students’ time management.

  For example, one student shared: ‘I thought it was a really useful idea, especially when you are prone to procrastinating, it's a good way to get you to think about the topic in advance. It also made me feel a lot more confident about the next assessment.’

This approach can be feasibly transferred to other taught programmes-both undergraduate and postgraduate, whereby educators wish to embed a gradual, staged preparation for a particular novel of challenging summative assessment.

This approach is suitable for both on-campus and online distance learning.

Pre-Assessment Overview

This formative pre-assessment encourages learners to reflect on the attributes of a high-quality submission for the second summative assessment for this course - Creating a Scaling-Up Strategy.  This activity aims to strengthen learners’ writing, critical analysis and reflective skills.  It is anticipated that completing this pre-assessment will better equip learners to complete the summative assessment. 

This pre-assessment is NOT graded or reviewed by assessors.  Completion of the pre-assessment provides opportunities to:

• Establish a strong familiarity with the summative assignment requirements
• See exemplars from previous students
• Reflect on attributes of good assignment
• Receive additional assessment tips for the summative assignment

The first step of the pre-assignment requires you to submit a 500-word draft addressing the planning and the implementation stages of your scaling-up strategy (Creating a Scaling-Up Strategy: Essay).  The second step requires you to review sample exemplars addressing the same theme as your draft submission.  You will be asked to make comparison judgements about the quality of the excerpts.  The final step requires you to apply your learning to the draft you submitted in the initial step.  

This formative activity is presented in three stages.  Learners will be prompted to action each stage in weeks 5, 6 and 7; however, you will have the option to complete all of these steps consecutively and finish the pre-assessment as early as week 5.  Learners will also be asked to complete an anonymous survey on their experience with this pre-assessment exercise.

Should you have any queries about this exercise, please do not hesitate to contact your Course Lead, Dimitar Karadzhov (dimitar.karadzhov@glasgow.ac.uk).  The Programme Team will not be assessing your submissions for this pre-assessment, but will read some of the submissions in an effort to improve the course content and assessment guidance.  

Step 1 Information

Submit a 500-word draft addressing the planning and the implementation stages of your scaling-up strategy.  There is no requirement to include the same draft in the summative assignment.  The draft submission is for reflection and self-development purposes only.  It is anticipated that this pre-assessment exercise will inspire ideas on how to progress your work.  As a draft, there is no expectation for the work to be fully developed.  More details and instructions on the assessment are available here.

Step 2 Information

Carefully read the two exemplars that detail the planning and implementation stages of a scaling-up plan. It may be helpful to print off the PDFs.  Provide short answers to the following questions comparing the exemplars.  You may wish to consult the marking criteria used in summative assignment as you make these judgements.

• (Use of Evidence) To what degree does each exemplar support ALL planning decisions with appropriate evidence? 
• (Critical Evaluation) How well does each exemplar demonstrate critical analysis of the key decisions and arguments made? 
• How well does each exemplar cover each ILO. 

• Critically discuss strategies to strengthen and sustain mental health care and treatment within existing health systems. Such strategies may include: task shifting, community based rehabilitation, collaborative care and scaling up. 
• Critically discuss how health systems and political factors may enhance or hinder the accessibility of mental health innovations (such as e-Health)

Access the Exemplars in this folder  (Please note: This Folder will only allow access once Step 1 has been completed)

Step 3 Information

Now that you have had the opportunity to review the two exemplars, reflect on the extent to which your own draft submission addresses the requirements for evidence use, critical evaluation and coverage of ILOs.   Submit brief answers to the following questions:

• Identify aspects you did well at and components that could be further developed.  
• Share a minimum of two concrete ways that you can develop your writing in the summative assignments.

Pre-Assessment Completion Overview

Well done on completing this formative pre-assessment activity.  It is hoped that this exercise will increase your confidence when undertaking the summative assignment and your ability to excel at meeting the requirements for the summative assignment.

Upon completing the summative assignment, additional consideration should be given to:

How well the plan is contextualised within the chosen local setting;

How critically evidence from other settings is applied to support the scaling-up plan;

How well the roles of different stakeholders in implementing the plan are detailed.

The course team are keen to improve the course content and assessment guidance.  This pre-assessment resource was newly developed for the 2019-20 student cohort.  We would appreciate your feedback on your experience and perceptions of this stepped activity.  Please engage with this 5-minute questionnaire: https://glasgow.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/2019-20-pre-assessment-feedback