FRAMEWORK FOR FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT LEARNING STRATEGIES IN BUILT ENVIRONMENT HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAMMES

Formative assessment has begun to be recognized as a driving force for enhancing student learning. This paper addresses the context of Built Environment (BE) undergraduate programmes and the findings from a research project in the context of the changing Higher Education (HE) environment. The analysis of the literature on formative assessment shows that there is a common concern among the educational researchers about the function and position of assessment in HE today. The overall aim of this research is to contribute to an improvement in the quality of student learning in BE undergraduate education through the development of a theoretical framework for formative assessment. The application of a mixed methods approach and more particularly a constructivist stance to the research was adopted. A four- phase sequential approach has its key characteristic assessed and the advances in conducting and evaluating this design are presented. The results and analysis of all four phases of the research, which gives the views and preferences of senior academics, programme managers/leaders and lecturers/teachers in the BE in Ireland, are presented. From this ongoing research work a framework for a more scholarly approach to assessment in BE has been developed and piloted with selected student groups. The purpose of this framework is to provide an opportunity for undergraduate learners through their lecturers/teachers to change approaches to assessment practice so that their learning is enhanced to a level where they can become more self- regulatory and autonomous.