Assessments and the self: Academic practice and character attributes

Abstract

A case is made for the there being an important, but so far largely overlooked,relationship between a student’s academic practices and outputs and character attributes such as open-mindedness, enthusiasm and perseverance. Even though there are very good reasons for believing this relationship exists, a need is identified for further research of a qualitative kind for generating awareness in students, teachers and academic support staff of its complex and significantly idiographic nature. Since any generalised, formalised or non-student-led application of these insights to teaching practice is inappropriate, such research, generating detailed case studies, would also serve as an appropriate means of inspiring this kind of reflection – either directly in the student, or indirectly via increased teacher and learning development staff sensitivity to possibilities of these kinds of dialoguesoccurring. A brief example from my own teaching and research indicates the formand content of this research.

Keywords

• Academic practices and outputs
• assessment
• character attributes
• qualitative methods