Three alternative assessments that build managerial skills
Personal development discussions, presentations and peer coaching help build essential communication skills and emotional intelligence. These tips will make them effective
Created in partnership with
Created in partnership with
The ability to give constructive feedback, self-evaluate and present information are all vital managerial skills. But how do we hone these in our students? Non-traditional assessments, when designed well, can offer a solution. Here, we share lessons learned while assessing students in our management degree apprenticeship modules.
Personal development discussions
On a Level 6 management module, we asked students to complete two 20-minute personal development discussions – one at the beginning and the other at the end of the module. This had to be followed by a 400-word self-evaluation of the knowledge applied using a predefined marking rubric. Students had to use the self-evaluation to explain their rationale, including where they showed module knowledge, and identify areas of development. The aim was to develop managerial behaviours and confidence in conducting personal development conversations with colleagues. Each submission accounted for 15 per cent of the overall grade.
Reflections and recommendations
Consider the benefits of self-assessment: students reported that completing this assignment took more time than traditional essay formats. However, many acknowledged that they learned more through the self-evaluation process. Its emphasis on self-assessment fostered metacognitive skills crucial for ongoing professional development.
Build opportunities for learning progression: dividing the assessment into two submission phases enabled students to familiarise themselves with the evaluation criteria and build confidence in their abilities. It also supported self-efficacy development through the recognition of improvements over time.
Relinquish control: challenge your assumptions about what a tutor’s role should be. Should they primarily act as evaluators or should the focus be on facilitating valuable learning opportunities?
Integrated peer coaching and assessment centre masterclass
On a Level 7 management module, we used peer coaching to build knowledge, skills and trust leading up to an assessment-centre-style masterclass. We introduced students to the concept of coaching and had them practise weekly, in small groups, before a masterclass. Constructive peer feedback was fundamental in establishing the foundations for effective teamwork and collaborative assessment and building trust.
During the masterclass, students completed four assessments (two individual and two group) that drew out skills in:
- Creating and communicating data via an individual assessment (infographic)
- Collaborative working via team assessment (a critical analysis)
- Presentation skills via a team assessment (a professional discussion)
- Reflexivity via an individual assessment (a reflective exercise).
Reflections and recommendations
Build trust: students were hesitant to engage in teamwork when it impacted their grade, however, feedback highlighted the value of learning gained by working together and the relationships built through coaching.
Link formative and summative assessments (and share the learning): team-based activities tend to receive higher engagement if related to an assessment. In this instance, while coaching was formative, their summative professional discussion reflected on the knowledge they gained from coaching and peer observation prompted additional learning.
Be careful with timescales: students appreciate assessments being completed by the end of the masterclass. However, they need time to engage in teamwork in the lead-up to the masterclass.
- Read more: three ways to optimise your business school’s AI-related offering
- Business school recruitment: disrupt to diversify
- Spotlight: AI and assessment in higher education
Narrated personal development PowerPoint plan
This assessment involved a 15-minute PowerPoint presentation in which management apprentices critically reflected on their personal development plans, showcasing and applying their knowledge of concepts like emotional intelligence.
Reflections and recommendations
Develop student presentation skills: pre-recorded narrated PowerPoint presentations only viewed by markers enable students to practise their skills in a low-stakes environment. Requiring students to record in a single take using their own voice, rather than AI-generated narration, enhances authenticity.
Encourage meaningful critical reflection: we encouraged students to use the lens of the literature or experience to inform their own goals and learning methods. We also encouraged them to collect evidence about themselves through feedback and questionnaires to help them decide whether to use this information to shape their goals.
Allow a creative approach to reflection: we encouraged students to experiment with different methods of reflection beyond just the assignment. They took part in an exercise that required them to create a visual representation of themselves (ie, beliefs, strengths, interests and values) using art materials. This enabled them to connect their learning experiences and values in a way they wouldn’t have otherwise.
The implementation of alternative assessments in management degree apprenticeships provides exciting opportunities to improve student learning and engagement. Our experiences illustrate how innovative assessment practices can significantly support students’ professional development and set them up for success.
Michelle Trottier, Alison Sydenham and Julie Pepper are senior lecturers at the University of Exeter.
If you’d like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.
