Creating Media as Learning: The Charms and Challenges of Digital Media-Based Assessment

Just as faculty seek to harness both established and emerging technologies to enhance learning, attention is turning to how technology and digital media can be integrated into the assessment experience of students. Easy-to-use devices and the growth in media sharing have shifted individuals’ perceptions of themselves from users to producers. Used effectively, digital media-based assignments can offer opportunities to engage students in assessment tasks that are authentic to the vocation or discipline, replicating practice and drawing on real-world resources and experiences.

At Sheffield Hallam students across a wide range of subjects including engineering, journalism, built environment, and nursing have been assigned media-based coursework. This session will explore the pedagogical and conceptual design of digital media-based assessment, the benefits to faculty and students, and the challenges of translating that initial "Hmm, interesting idea" moment into a reality. The session will draw on our experiences at Sheffield Hallam as illustrations of the broader themes and also provide opportunities for participants to share their experiences, observations, and questions.