Student and Teacher Perceptions of Assessment and Constructive Alignment in Creative Writing Units

The problem of adequate assessment methods within University Creative Writing Units is one that is continually noted by teachers and students alike. This paper looks at student and teacher perceptions of the constructive alignment of assessment and outcomes in two Creative Writing units at The University of Western Australia. Using a mixture of focus-group discussions and written surveys, students and teachers involved in lower-level and upper-level Creative Writing units were questioned on their opinions regarding the forms of assessment and constructive alignment in their respective subjects. The results show a similar response from both students and teachers, with a clear preference for the methods of assessment found in the upper-level unit (for which the majority of marks are given for a Folio of work) and a sense of dissatisfaction towards the lower-level unit (for which an examination forms part of the assessment requirements). Both groups found that the examination was not constructively aligned with the outcomes of the unit, whereas the forms of assessment in the upper-level unit satisfied these requirements much more successfully. Both groups provided suggestions for improvement of the constructive alignment of assessment and outcomes. These results are relevant to the structure of creative writing units both at The University of Western Australia and in a broader context, as evidenced by the continual growth and popularity of this subject in universities Australia-wide.