Our Assessment Innovation Fund pilots: The Sheffield College
Shaping the future of learning and assessment
We’re on a mission to break boundaries in assessment with an investment fund to support and pilot new ideas on the future of assessment.
The Sheffield College
The Sheffield College is a general further education college in the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, providing high-quality academic, technical and vocational training to enhance qualifications, skills and employability across the region.
Adopting a “one college approach”, it operates from a number of sites across the city.
About the pilot
The Sheffield College’s pilot has been testing the effects of how virtual reality (VR) can be used effectively in summative and formative assessment. The college was awarded the money to support its research on assessment, which focussed on catering, animal care and construction. Their aim was to build experiences that enable learners to go into a fully immersive VR setting and practise their skills. Giving learners more practice time when the physical spaces for work experience are limited and increase learners’ opportunities to work with teachers and get constructive feedback.
The Sheffield College
Trialling virtual reality in assessment
The pilot results
The pilot study on the use of virtual reality (VR) in assessments has shown promising results.
With three primary objectives in mind, the study aimed to:
1. Analyse the impact of VR on student performance in assessments
2. Evaluate how VR can support long-term learning
3. Gather feedback from staff and students.
The collected data from the study showed that students performed well in VR assessments, with high average scores and notable retention of information 24 hours later. The feedback from both staff and students was overwhelmingly positive, recognising the potential of VR for future use.
A key finding from the pilot was that the successful implementation of VR in assessments requires committed curriculum staff driving the process, support from digital specialists, thorough training for staff and students, and the right technical setup. The pilot study has opened up possibilities for further development, such as using VR for campus tours or resource orientation.
Overall, the pilot study has demonstrated the positive impact of VR in enhancing learning programs through assessments where its successful integration should be driven by institutional needs and regularly evaluated for its impact. The Sheffield College and NCFE hope that this study further inspires future exploration into the potential of VR for enhancing learning experiences.
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