IATL Assessment Methods
IATL Assessment Methods
Our Philosophy
At IATL, assessment is considered a space for empowering students.
We facilitate an inclusive research culture that values student-led learning and treats students as contributors of original knowledge.
Our multi-, inter-, and trans-disciplinary learning environment encourages students to step outside of conventional disciplinary boundaries, introducing them to new perspectives and deepening their understanding of their own fields.
Our flagship “Student-Devised Assessment” (SDA) celebrates the diversity of student voices by giving them the freedom to determine the medium of their research – whether through blogs, reflective journals, conferences, pieces of music, and much more.
Our modules supplement the standard disciplinary experience, offering the chance to meet students from every department at Warwick and integrate the insights, methods, and experiences of different disciplines.
Assessment in IATL is geared towards real world impact.
We actively embed research into our curriculum by streamlining access to our world-leading research opportunities, including:Reinvention, the Journal of Undergraduate Research; the IATL Assessment Exhibition; and ICUR, the International Conference of Undergraduate Research. These opportunities ensure that student work continues beyond assessment and reaches wider audiences.
All IATL students learn to write interdisciplinary abstracts, improving their ability to communicate across disciplines and equipping them with the skills to navigate academia, industry, and beyond.
Additionally, our enterprise-infused approach encourages students to take risks, embrace uncertainty, and bring their ideas to life in the form of original research, social enterprises, or business concepts.
We are experts in non-traditional assessment
IATL invites students to become co-creators of knowledge and bring their unique experiences to help shape their own assessment.
Our assessment methods are tailored to the learning outcomes on our modules. This means that they vary greatly across modules, including events, Blogs, e-Portfolios, Reflective Journals, Podcasts, Presentations, Videos, and Student-Devised Assessments (SDAs). The sheer variety of our assessment methods is a key strength for our students and convenors. Some of the benefits are as follows:
Staying dynamic
Many of our modules retain traditional methods, such as essays and presentations, due to their proven effectiveness, but experimenting with alternative assessment methods ensures they serve their purpose and are not simply followed out of convention.
Adapting to Learning Goals
Different modules require different approaches, and flexibility allows convenors to choose the most suitable assessments for their aims.
Future-Proofing Against AI Challenges
We actively experiment with new formats to ensure assessments remain meaningful in an AI-driven world while preparing students for this evolving landscape.
Enhancing Inclusivity
Some students excel in alternative formats. Offering varied assessments ensures fairness across disciplines and allows students to showcase their strengths.
Empowering Students
Our flagship 'Student-Devised Assessment' (SDA) enables students to design their own assessment format, fostering creativity, engagement, and a sense of ownership over their work.
Bridging Theory and Practice
Our varied assessment methods encourage students to apply their theoretical knowledge to real-world problems. Whether they create a podcast, organise an event, or write a reflective journal, our students learn how to translate abstract ideas into practical outputs.
Examples of our non-standard assessment methods
Read about some of the student-led assessments that are utilised in IATL modules
The SDA offers students the chance to display their critical engagement with the themes and theories of the module and to take a considered approach as to how they might practically apply what they have learned in a medium of their choosing.
It gives space and the opportunity to test ideas and to be creative!
The SDA’s form is down to the student. They consider what issues and theories they want to address and then pick whatever form they feel best expresses them. The SDA can take any form they wish (a story, workshop, presentation, blog, comic, painting, video, essay, dance, website, poem, song, learning resource, collage, diary...anything!) and it displays their personal experiences of and thoughts about the module’s topics, questions, and stimuli in the best way possible. They have to clearly demonstrate and critically engage with theory and give an explanation of their choice of medium. To help with this, they write an accompanying explanation or give an accompanying presentation to their piece together with a detailed bibliography.
IATL modules that currently use SDA for assessment are:
Understanding Wellbeing,Link opens in a new window Forms of IdentityLink opens in a new window, Applied ImaginationLink opens in a new window, Rethinking Health ScienceLink opens in a new window, Global ConnectionsLink opens in a new window, Change: Critical Understanding, Practices and ActionLink opens in a new window.
Intercultural Communication in Theory and Practice and Your Idea, Your Research: How to pursue your Passion Project at WarwickLink opens in a new window.
Curious to see what assessment on our modules looks like? See our Assessment ExhibitionLink opens in a new window
Hear from our students
'The SDA is really special because it gives you the chance to explore your interests, in relation to the module’s content, in a way that is important and unique to you. For instance, when I started to read more about feminism, I always wished there were more blogs dedicated to African feminism and African feminist thinkers. The blog I created for my SDA wasn’t just for a grade, it was really a project that I believed in and had a passion to complete.'
Nana Adwoa Obeng - Philosophy
IATL modules taken: Reinventing EducationLink opens in a new window
'During Censorship and Society we had an assessed presentation. I actually really enjoyed this opportunity because it’s relevant to future careers and was a good way to practice these skills in front of a smaller, encouraging audience.'
Holly Warner - Applied Linguistics
IATL modules taken: Censorship and Society and
‘The prospect of a Student Devised Assessment (SDA) was at first very daunting, being completely different to any assessment I have done in the past. This is the first time I’ve been given complete freedom over what topic I wished to pursue but also the format in which I wished this to be assessed on. However, as the process of constructing my SDA progressed I found myself enjoying the assessment more and more, as I became immersed in a topic I found really interesting and I was allowed to present this in a far more creative and interactive way than an essay would allow.'
From the SDA accompanying piece of Molly Inglis - Sociology
IATL modules taken: Genetics: Science and Society
‘'The openness and interactive nature of the module; the atmosphere was a very safe space, allowing me to feel comfortable to voice opinions, thoughts and personal experiences. The assignment was not a formal academic essay and allowed us to communicate more naturally.'
Rhys Boxall - Classics
IATL modules taken: Public Engagement and
Reinventing EducationLink opens in a new window
Read Rhye's blog about Public Engagement
Additional Resources
Demystifying Student-Devised Assessments (SDAs)
What is the SDA? This video should answer your questions.