Edinburgh Napier University

  The purpose of the current research is to explore what a programme-focused approach to curriculum design should imply for feedback. This research will assist programmes to devise and implement assessment procedures that will help students engage with and use the formative feedback that they receive throughout the entirety of their degree programme. A key new concern for the university is to achieve ‘programme focus’ in its teaching, ensuring that students experience a coherent and planned set of modules that build towards programme level outcomes. To this end the university will be supporting the application of Transforming the Experience of Students through Assessment (TESTA) approach to programme audit across the schools. The current research will support this and use it as an opportunity to ask new questions about a programme perspective on feedback and formative, or non-credit barring, assessment. Because the TESTA process will involve the independent collection of rich data from staff and students concerning feedback and assessment, it will provide an excellent opportunity to explore.