Digital Enhanced Patchwork Text Assessment Project

Improving academic practice through technology: the Digital Enhanced Patchwork Text Assessment Project (DePTA)

Patchwork Text Assessment is a method of assessment where students complete a series of separate small pieces of work ('patches') which are discussed with peers as each piece is produced. The final summative piece is a reflective synopsis of the learning that the individual draws from undertaking these patches and from peer feedback. Digital enhancement uses learning technologies to broaden the scope of work in each of the patches beyond text and facilitate communication between peers and tutors. It also facilitates the presentation of the final assignment by allowing links from the reflective text to the evidence provided by the patches.
Through a Project led from the University of Cumbria (UK) and with JISC funding, working across five Universities, and using a range of tools - blogs, wikis, learning management systems and ePortfolio/personal learning spaces, the project members concluded that:

• the Patchwork approach encourages students to engage throughout a module throughthe regular submission of patches from an early point. This can be particularly valuable in year-long modules where maintaining the motivation and engagement of students over such a substantial period can be challenging;
• both peer discussion and the final synoptic assignment encourage students to engage with reflection (which may not be a traditional feature within the discipline);
• the requirements of the final assignment for the selection of evidence encourages students to consider their learning and personal development (which again may be rare within a given discipline);
• technology does enhance the learning, in several ways and with different functionalities:staff and students can make use of a range of tools with similar functionalities so having the right functionality is more important than having a specific tool or configuration of tools.

More: www.recordingachievement.org/higher-education/depta-project.html