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I have a solution… My weight gain to marking ratio (+WG:-%) disappeared once we went to a Pass/Fail system. I no longer need pain au chocolate to keep me motivated to mark. Take care all Nicky Nicky Meer Nicky Meer PFHEA Academic Developer (AQD) Room F10, Hornby Building University of Cumbria Bowerham Road Lancaster LA1 3JD Tel: 01524 590800 Extension 2581 Email: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development Association [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of BLAND TOMKINSON Sent: 26 September 2017 10:53 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Does Marking Make You Fat? Contrary to the performance of the judiciary, I am back to my original hypothesis - this mornings dissertation merited both one of the lowest marks and also the highest biscuit consumption! This despite having gained a pound in weight so far this week and facing my annual blood test tomorrow... I cannot imagine how Sally managed such a weight loss. Maybe I should focus on the ironing? Regards Bland C Bland Tomkinson BSc BA MEd PFHEA FAUA Visiting Lecturer, University of Manchester Special Consultant, South East University, Nanjing Associate Editor, HERD Co-Editor, IETI ----Original message---- From : [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Date : 25/09/2017 - 20:13 (GMTST) To : [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Subject : Re: Does Marking Make You Fat? Far be it from me to compare our students to criminals but research suggests that judges' decisions on parole are in fact influenced by whether they have recently eaten, suggesting that markers' grades may also vary depending on the recency of chocolate biscuit consumption! https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/law/2011/apr/11/judges-lenient-break Debby Sent from my iPhone You may have received this message outside of working hours, but you are not expected to respond at that time. On 25 Sep 2017, at 16:59, Phil Race <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: Yes John. Derek Rowntree's book was great, and he had the best handwriting I ever saw. In my early days, I marked with a fountain pen, and then as now to classical music, which from time to time I found it appropriate to assist the conductor, fountain pen still in hand. . I had to apologise to the student whose assignment was well ink-splattered! Nowadays, assessing on-screen is much safer. Phil Sent from my mobile Prof Phil Race On 25 Sep 2017, at 16:31, Edwards, Corony <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: At least marking online avoids a problem I had as a programme co-ordinator some years ago – having to make photocopies of the scripts marked by one colleague before returning the copies to students, because I didn’t feel I could send them the originals reeking of cigar smoke and liberally marked with red wine stains… (so it’s not just chocolate, it seems). Corony Corony Edwards PFHEA Independent HE Consultant www.coronyedwards.co.uk<http://www.coronyedwards.co.uk> 07771 923799 From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development Association [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Lea, John ([log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>) Sent: 25 September 2017 15:32 To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: Does Marking Make You Fat? Older members (no offense) of this community may remember what I thought was an excellent book by Derek Rowntree. I think it was called `Assessing students: how shall we know them?’ In it he recommended that assessment feedback should be accompanied with a statement about how assessment opinions can serious damage your sense of reality. I always wanted a similar statement to front of all assessment-feedback templates in the form of the government smoking warning: `Assessment feedback can seriously damage your health’. I thought this applied equally to teachers as much as students, but I was thinking more of mental health. Thank you Bland for helping me to see that this could be physical health as well. But in these more post-modern times I suppose that depends on whether you think that chocolate and coffee are bad or good for you. Best John John Lea ________________________________ From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development Association <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> on behalf of Wendy Garnham <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> Sent: 25 September 2017 14:49 To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: Does Marking Make You Fat? This is an interesting question to which I don’t have any obvious answers- I do wonder if the students spend less time reading the feedback when it is online though. My instinct is that they do. On a related note, the Active Learning Network (http://activelearningnetwork.com) is planning a series of online meetings across the academic year and on 5th December we are holding one on the theme of Improving the Feedback Process (assignments, verbal feedback, automated, 1-to-1 tutorials, reflective feedback and video/audio feedback). There will be an initial video conference where ideas can be exchanged on the key theme followed by a chance for facilitators to follow this up with groups in their own institutions. If anyone would like to be involved in this, please do sign up to the active learning network blog for updates on how to join and a list of what is planned for the term ahead. Similarly, if you have any ideas that you would like to see featured either in the blog or in the discussion meetings, then please get in touch. Looking forward to some cross institution collaboration! [https://activelearninggroup.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/smalllogo.jpg?w=200]<http://activelearningnetwork.com/> The Active Learning Network<http://activelearningnetwork.com/> activelearningnetwork.com<http://activelearningnetwork.com> A site for anyone interested in or working on Active Learning projects Wendy Garnham Dr Wendy A. Garnham D.Phil, P.G.C.E., B.Sc(Hons) Teaching Fellow in Psychology, University of Sussex University email: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Co-founder of the Active Learning Network: http://activelearningnetwork.com From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development Association [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of BLAND TOMKINSON Sent: 25 September 2017 14:31 To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Subject: Does Marking Make You Fat? The original question was “Is there a correlation between the number of chocolate biscuits that I consume and the mark that I give when marking Masters’ dissertations?” However, monitoring the first few that I have been marking suggested that the results were likely to be little better than random –bang goes another theory (and an opportunity to bid for a research study using a bigger number of markers and a huge volume of chocolate biscuits). However, I have noticed that there are some triggers for reaching for the chocolate. The obvious one is a dissertation written in poor English: perhaps the less obvious one is that I reach for the biscuits more frequently when marking online – at the moment one course is marked entirely online and the other has online scripts some of which I have printed out) but offline marking forms. (This wasn’t helped when BlackBoard refused to give me access to the courses!) What concerns me more is that I spend less time marking a dissertation online than I do with a paper copy. Doubtless Jo Johnson (and the university) would tell me that this is because it is more efficient, but I have a strong suspicion that not only is marking online more stressful (evidenced by chocolate biscuits) but also less reliable. After all, I could make the system really “efficient” and resort to random number tables – that would make the whole process less time-consuming, if somewhat unreliable. Does anyone else have assessment-induced cravings (I notice that my coffee consumption also goes up)? Does anyone else feel that marking online is less reliable (is there any research data)? Any scope for a research bid? Bland C Bland Tomkinson BSc BA MEd PFHEA FAUA Visiting Lecturer, University of Manchester Special Consultant, South East University, Nanjing Associate Editor, HERD Co-Editor, IETI ________________________________ [http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/images/email_footer.gif]<http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/worldclass> This email and any files with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the recipient to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient then copying, distribution or other use of the information contained is strictly prohibited and you should not rely on it. If you have received this email in error please let the sender know immediately and delete it from your system(s). Internet emails are not necessarily secure. While we take every care, Plymouth University accepts no responsibility for viruses and it is your responsibility to scan emails and their attachments. Plymouth University does not accept responsibility for any changes made after it was sent. 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