Exploration of collaboration with university students in marking and moderation

Student assignment moderation and written feedback are integral to tertiary education, supporting student learning and providing a means of ensuring equity in grading. The processes of moderation and feedback provision have, however, been associated with a number of negative outcomes including confusion, disengagement, and reduced self-confidence. Improvements to moderation processes must be reviewed to facilitate continued student engagement and learning. Embedded within empowerment theory, this pilot study aimed to explore the feasibility of involving students in the moderation process and to determine whether students benefit from participating in the moderation process. A multiple method approach was undertaken to understand the perspectives of students on the moderation process. Six undergraduate occupational therapy students participated in the moderation of a written essay with tutors and participated in a focus group. Three themes relating to their experiences emerged: 1) student empowerment, 2) transparency and increased understanding of the moderation process, and 3) understanding the assessor mindset. Combined results suggest that inclusion of students in the moderation process is feasible within a tertiary education context, with this study acting as a pilot for the inclusion of students in these processes.