Hello! My name is Miyambo and I am one of the BILT Student Fellows and I will be working on agency and choice in assessment. I am excited to undergo this project!
Currently, I am in my second year of my Biology undergraduate degree. Despite not being in higher education for that long, my experience in the education system has already had some turbulence. I was a part of the cohort that didn’t complete their GCSE’s due to Covid-19 and we didn’t have traditional exam grading in A-levels because of this. Essentially, before starting at university, the last time I completed a traditional assessment was at age 11 for my SATs.
Due to my relatively unique experience with assessment, I am excited to research and learn more about assessment design’s impact at all levels: individually and institutionally. During Covid-19, we learned that traditional, closed book assessment that relies on memorisation and measuring individual minds against millions of other individuals may not be the most effective method of measuring one’s ability. It also may not be applicable to the 21st century world. Today, anyone can have access to information on a topic of their choosing: whether typed in on Google or by asking Chat GPT. Therefore, it is important for us, here at the University of Bristol, to know the best way to support students and educators through efficient methods of assessment.
This year, I also want to focus on collaborating with students that may have felt like their voice hasn’t been heard when it comes to agency in their assessment. Hopefully the outputs of my project can help students feel more empowered and take control of their education and I, along with my other Student Fellows here at BILT, can help foster a curriculum that is inclusive for all students.
Outside of academics, I am passionate about sustainability: socially and economically. I have volunteered for the Festival of Nature which promotes conservation of wildlife and habitats in our local area. This year, I plan on volunteering at some climate activism groups. During my A-levels, I completed an Extended Project where I did a dissertation about the impact of immigration in the UK after World War II, which I loved. Completing interviews and understanding the lived experiences of people that are completely different to oneself is fascinating. I have always had an interest in anthropology and social constructs, particularly how they impact marginalised groups such as BAME, LGBTQ+, women and disabled groups.
Here at BILT we focus on empowering students, and we are constantly trying to improve the student experience here at the University of Bristol. Therefore, I want my role to help bridge the gap between students and projecting their say within academia. So if you have any questions on BILT or the research that I will be conducting, don’t hesitate to send me an email (yv23152@bristol.ac.uk) or message me on LinkedIn! And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram for regular updates throughout the year!
Sounds like a really worthwhile and Excitiong project. Good luck with it, Myambo.
Thanks 👍 looking forward to it!