Surveying the Foundations: The Purposes of Assessment at Foundation Level and How Best to Achieve Them

Abstract

Assessment is central to university study and is a key aspect of how students experience higher education. It is a significant source of worry and stress to students, and this is arguably particularly so for non-traditional Foundation Year students. The purpose of assessment in most contexts is to test and/or demonstrate knowledge and/or competence, which conflicts with the key Foundation Year aim of developing skills in undertaking assessment. Drawing on the literature, alongside case studies from the University of Sheffield’s Foundation Year, this article explores ways in which these tensions can be lessened, and assessment deployed effectively to better meet the needs of Foundation Year students.