Why did you decide to study the MSc Educational Assessment course at Oxford University?

I didn’t take a traditional route into working in assessment and felt that a structured course of study of the fundamental principles of what makes assessment good or bad would support my professional development. The course definitely delivered that. Core Module 1 covers the main theoretical concepts – validity, reliability, fairness – that underpin best practice in assessment, so from day one I was achieving what I had set out to.

 

What is your full-time job?

Assessment development and delivery. I work as subject manager at the International Baccalaureate. My area of responsibility is qualifications in language acquisition.

 

How does the programme support and engage you as a distance learning student?

The teaching weeks in Oxford are what sets this course apart. Studying part-time while working is challenging and requires focus. The residential weeks give you the chance to escape work and experience Oxford life – they reinvigorate you. In Year 2, the support from supervisors was invaluable and I still felt connected to the department despite not physically being there.

 

What did you particularly like about the course?

The chance to meet other assessment professionals and discuss different perspectives. Not everyone on the course was from the UK, so hearing about different approaches in national systems was fascinating. My cohort also included research staff from one of our regulators, and a better understanding their work was an unexpected benefit for me personally.

 

How has studying the course helped with your professional development?

I feel more able to contribute to cross-departmental objectives or volunteer for big projects because I notice how my approach and way of thinking has changed. I see nuance that I perhaps was unaware of previously. It has also made me far more comfortable reading research papers and engaging with complex ideas.

 

What do you most value about the teaching at the Department?

The teaching staff have proven leadership experience in the assessment industry, in a range of contexts; simply put, they are experts. They facilitate excellent discussions in the classroom and will regularly arrange guest lectures from those within their professional networks. That exposure, as a learner, is invaluable.

 

What is the community like at the Department?

I cannot speak highly enough about this – even as a distance-learner, you feel part of the community.

 

What advice would you give to new students who are about to start the course?

Build a community with other students in your cohort. Talk to each other about the readings. Share ideas and build each other’s confidence. You’ll learn so much that way.

 

What is your favourite memory of studying at the Department?

Becoming friends with my course mates. Those teaching weeks were something on the calendar to look forward to, to reconnect with everyone and enjoy being in Oxford.

Peter Hallsworth