PR 1 Co-Creation Workshops
Introduction
PR 1 is about engaging participants to co-create the results of this project, especially digital peer assessment (PR 4) and AI-hand washing technology (PR 5). It is about finding out what has worked well in the past and where the gaps are for teachers and learners in terms of digital assessments.
Surveys
We have developed a bespoke survey to identify teachers’ and learners’ level of engagement, and their own perceived level of confidence and competence with digital assessments. This information will assist us in the preparation of co-creation workshops and in the design of the technologies used in this project. There is some detailed information in the survey about the types of digital assessment that participants are familiar / unfamiliar with, which will also inform the micro-learning units in PR 3. Surveys will be sent through the lead organisation to the participants. The aim is to collect at least 80-120 responses. The draft survey is attached to this document.
Workshops
Co-Creation workshops will be useful to develop a more in-depth understanding of what works well and not so well for the teachers and learners in partner organisations in terms of digital assessments. The lead organisation has already piloted the methods at their university and provided a findings report (see attached). Workshops will provide participants with an overview of the digital assessments developed in this project, followed by questions and answers.
There is a moderator who will take notes during the discussions. We do not need to record any names of participants for the data collected. The main aspect that we are interested in is their role in using digital assessment e.g. school-based teacher (SBT), practice- based teacher (PBT) or student/learner (L).
Workshops will take up to 2 hours and will be carried out locally in person, if possible, or virtually. Training on the methods for co-creation workshops has been provided by the lead organisation (MUL) at the recent transnational meeting at Hanse Institut Oldenburg, Germany to ensure consistency in the delivery of the workshops across countries. Each partner has identified a lead for running the workshops and one moderator. A list of participants (4SBT, 4PBT and 4L) has been developed with the assistance of associate / clinical partners. MUL have developed a workshop manual. A draft version of the manual is included in this document.
Ethical considerations
In order to ensure high quality and ethical rigour, we have submitted the co-creation survey and workshop methods for research ethical approval at DCU. The review is ongoing. Data collection for both, survey and workshops will commence following research ethics approval and when learners return to their education (September / October 2022). Drafting the ethics consideration document was a useful process as we developed a plain language statement,
recruitment letters and consent forms, all of which are attached to this document.
Conclusions
The Co-creation surveys and workshops PR is well on the way, although it took a little while longer to develop the tools than what was originally anticipated. As outlined in the progress report, the revised plan is to finish PR 1 in M14 instead of M9, as data collection has to commence when research ethics approval has been granted and when learners are back in their education institutions. All project partners have worked well and in collaboration to produce the survey and workshop materials required for this project result.
Co-Creation Papers
We are currently drafting a paper for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. During Co-Creation workshops, we ask school-based teachers (lecturers, tutors, etc.), practice-based teachers (clinical teachers / educators / facilitators, mentors, preceptors, etc.) and learners (students, trainees, etc.) about their experiences with digital assessments in Co-Creation workshops. The data collection period covered average 30 days (between October 2022 and January 2023). The DCU (Ireland) data was collected between 5–31.10.2022 , ); the ICU (Georgia) between 4-12.12.2022 HIO (Germany) between 16.12. 2022-10.01.2023 with using GoogleForm and Microsoft Office Forms (HIO).
Co-Creation workshops were useful in this project to develop a more in-depth understanding of what works well and not so well for the teachers and learners in partner organisations in terms of digital assessments. Digitalisation was described during workshops as an ambivalent phenomenon - positive and negative terms appeared; as far as positive descriptions are concerned - digitalisation as a choice, a form of lengthening the distance especially during the pandemic, allows selection of the scope and forms of social participation (as a manifestation of freeing from the conventions of previous types of interactions). Co-Creation surveys showed the barriers and challenges faced by students and teachers including available skills and platforms. Poor internet connection and a lack of technical support was frequently highlighted as a challenges.
Overall, Co-Creation workshops and surveys have shown that learners frequently use digital assessment tools on Moodle platforms, as well as tools for tests and quizzes. Addressing issues related to internet connectivity, access to equipment, providing adequate support and resources, and minimising distractions can help create a more favourable environment for successful implementation of digital assessment methods. A team within the AHEAD project group is working on progressing the details of this paper, which will be published as soon as possible.
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