ERIC Number: EJ1133215
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017-Apr
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1474-0222
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Assessing the Transition between School and University: Differences in Assessment between A Level and University in English
Wilson, Frances; Child, Simon; Suto, Irenka
Arts and Humanities in Higher Education: An International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice, v16 n2 p188-208 Apr 2017
High stakes assessments are commonly used at the end of secondary school to select students for higher education. However, growing concerns about the preparedness of new undergraduates for university study have led to an increased focus on the form of assessments used at upper secondary level. This study compared the structure and format of assessments used at upper secondary level (GCE A level qualifications), and the first year of undergraduate study of English literature in England. Greater diversity of assessment was found at university compared to A level, while there was little difference in the level of scaffolding and guidance provided in assessment materials. We conclude that it seems inevitable that some students will meet forms of assessment with which they are unfamiliar at university. Implications for the design of first-year undergraduate courses are discussed.
Descriptors: Comparative Analysis, Transitional Programs, College School Cooperation, Multiple Choice Tests, Scaffolding (Teaching Technique), Foreign Countries, High Stakes Tests, Undergraduate Students, Undergraduate Study, English Literature, College Bound Students, Secondary School Students, Standardized Tests, College Entrance Examinations, College Freshmen
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Secondary Education; High Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom (England)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A