Advantages
Through engagement with applied disciplinary relevant issues, this assessment applies theory beyond the classroom. The workshop learning environment associated with this assessment encourages interaction between students as well as between students and teachers. This assessment fosters skills in collaboration and the ability to quickly produce outputs in a team environment – both of which have positive implications for student employability. This assessment is particularly well suited to policy problem-oriented classes. However, it has wide applicability to all HaSS courses that wish to combine conceptual and theoretical understandings with real life empirical issues and that seek to enhance both critical thinking strategies and domain knowledge.
Challenges
This assessment requires high levels of preparation prior to delivery in order to create appropriate scenarios – although time intensive initially, this assessment does not require high levels of time during delivery.
Tips for implementation
When writing scenarios it is important to find a balance between including sufficient information to warrant good discussion and student engagement, and not creating scenarios that are so dense that students are overwhelmed by the complexity of the issues raised. Provide students with a template when competing workshop activities (
analysis
of problem, proposal of potential solution, summation of advantages and disadvantages of solution). This helps students frame their responses to problems.
How it supports academic integrity
This assessment takes place in a dynamic, observed workshop setting. Additionally, scenarios are based on unique, contemporary issues – effectively reducing risks of outsourcing and plagiarism.