Developing professional identity in biomedical science: Face-to-face marking of an assignment as a “space of influence”

Learner approaches in biomedical science often focus on acquiring knowledge and concepts. We introduced an assessment approach that encourages students as participants in the community of biomedical scientists. In an Honours level module we offered students the option of being present with the lecturer when their work was marked, and receiving immediate verbal feedback ("face-to-face marking"). The questionnaire used for evaluating the initiative was co-developed with students. Feedback from participating students (n=88, 52%) was overwhelmingly positive, and all recommended the experience to others as worthwhile. In particular, the marking environment provided a social space in which discussions of professional identity could emerge; and students highlighted the potential impact on their professional development. We suggest that this assessment strategy, in addition to evaluating the student's "doing" according to the norms of the discipline, can be used as a space of influence to encourage the student's "being" in the discipline.