{"id":5946,"date":"2022-07-20T11:27:01","date_gmt":"2022-07-20T10:27:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/humteachlearn\/?p=5946"},"modified":"2026-10-14T14:46:22","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T13:46:22","slug":"innovative-assessment-posters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/humteachlearn\/2022\/07\/20\/innovative-assessment-posters\/","title":{"rendered":"Engaging students with innovative group assessment creating academic posters"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” fullwidth=”on” next_background_color=”#000000″][et_pb_fullwidth_menu _builder_version=”3.0.106″ menu_id=”7″ submenu_direction=”downwards” fullwidth_menu=”off” background_layout=”dark” module_class=”main-navigation” \/][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ prev_background_color=”#000000″ next_background_color=”#1d1d1d”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″][et_pb_post_title _builder_version=”3.17.6″ meta=”off” featured_placement=”above” featured_image=”off” \/][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″]<\/p>\n

\"One<\/p>\n

On our MSc in Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship<\/a> we have long used group work as a way to encourage social learning. Many of our modules use group presentations, which are a good way to evaluate team work and students\u2019 ability to condense complex topics into a few slides or minutes. However, often students do not pay sufficient attention to the content and coherence of their slides. They also often do not rely sufficiently on academic references to support their presentations and there may be an overall lack of analytical depth.<\/p>\n

For \u201cGlobal Challenges, Emerging Technologies and Governance\u201d (BMAN 73952) we ask students to prepare academic posters for their group assignment. We ask groups to focus on a specific emerging technology and research how it can support the UN\u2019s Sustainable Development Goals. Posters are a visual representation of students\u2019 research on the topic.<\/p>\n

The course first ran in spring 2020 and due to the pandemic, which saw all teaching move online, we asked students to create e-posters. Students then presented the posters to their classmates and responded to questions.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_accordion _builder_version=”3.17.6″][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Evaluation \/ Student Feedback” open=”off” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ title_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em” body_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em” link_option_url_new_window=”off” use_background_color_gradient=”off” background_color_gradient_start=”#2b87da” background_color_gradient_end=”#29c4a9″ background_color_gradient_type=”linear” background_color_gradient_direction=”180deg” background_color_gradient_direction_radial=”center” background_color_gradient_start_position=”0%” background_color_gradient_end_position=”100%” background_color_gradient_overlays_image=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” background_size=”cover” background_position=”center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_blend=”normal” allow_player_pause=”off” background_video_pause_outside_viewport=”on” text_shadow_style=”none” box_shadow_style=”none” hover_transition_duration=”300ms” hover_transition_delay=”0ms” hover_transition_speed_curve=”ease” text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em”]<\/p>\n

All groups presented good to outstanding posters, which to us shows the success of this assessment method. None of the groups had issues with team work and every single person was very engaged with this task and the presentation session.<\/p>\n

In the unit surveys and informally via email we received the following feedback from students:<\/p>\n

\n

The posters \u201cprovided a deeper understanding of the topics and it was really fun making them.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

\u201cThe Poster was a great idea and a steep learning curve\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

\u201cA creative exercise and very conducive to good group work.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

\u201cEvery group delivers different ideas and technologies and I do learn a lot from the poster session.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The main challenge highlighted by students related to the amount of work going into an effective poster. They felt that it should be more than 40% of the mark to reflect the effort they had put in. The high level of engagement with this task, however, also demonstrates how much students enjoyed the challenge and often they conducted more research than they would do for a different assessment format.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Benefits” open=”on” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ title_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em” body_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em” link_option_url_new_window=”off” use_background_color_gradient=”off” background_color_gradient_start=”#2b87da” background_color_gradient_end=”#29c4a9″ background_color_gradient_type=”linear” background_color_gradient_direction=”180deg” background_color_gradient_direction_radial=”center” background_color_gradient_start_position=”0%” background_color_gradient_end_position=”100%” background_color_gradient_overlays_image=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” background_size=”cover” background_position=”center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_blend=”normal” allow_player_pause=”off” background_video_pause_outside_viewport=”on” text_shadow_style=”none” box_shadow_style=”none” hover_transition_duration=”300ms” hover_transition_delay=”0ms” hover_transition_speed_curve=”ease” text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em”]<\/p>\n

Expected benefits<\/strong><\/p>\n

Posters can help students to understand the research process. They encourage students to summarise their research in a creative and concise fashion. They needed to select, condense and organise information they collected as part of their research, which is one of the main benefits of this assignment as it can support deep learning.<\/p>\n

Actual benefits<\/strong><\/p>\n

Students took full advantage of the new assessment format. They created engaging and informative posters, which demonstrated their ability to select and organise information. In the presentation Q&A they showed excellent understanding of their selected technology.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Top Tips” open=”on” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ title_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em” body_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em” link_option_url_new_window=”off” use_background_color_gradient=”off” background_color_gradient_start=”#2b87da” background_color_gradient_end=”#29c4a9″ background_color_gradient_type=”linear” background_color_gradient_direction=”180deg” background_color_gradient_direction_radial=”center” background_color_gradient_start_position=”0%” background_color_gradient_end_position=”100%” background_color_gradient_overlays_image=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” background_size=”cover” background_position=”center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_blend=”normal” allow_player_pause=”off” background_video_pause_outside_viewport=”on” text_shadow_style=”none” box_shadow_style=”none” hover_transition_duration=”300ms” hover_transition_delay=”0ms” hover_transition_speed_curve=”ease” text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em”]<\/p>\n