IASE Panel: Assessment
| Date | 28 Jan 2026 |
| Time | 07:00 - 08:30 in UTC |
| Presenter |
Emily Robinson
, Cal Poly
Rachel Hilliam
, The Open University
Stephanie Budgett
, University of Auckland
|
Join us for this IASE panel on Assessment. Emily, Rachel and Stephanie will each present for 20 minutes, then there will be breakout spaces where participants can join with one of the presenters for a deeper dive into their topic area. We will join back together at the end for a wrap up of the breakout conversations.
Emily Robinson | Analog and AI: Embracing Both in the Writing Process
AI is changing how we write, but it doesn’t replace the creative, messy, and iterative process of storytelling, especially when working with data. Writing isn’t just about getting words on a page; it’s about exploration, structure, and finding meaning. AI can be a great brainstorming partner, helping students generate ideas, refine drafts, and push past writer’s block, but it shouldn’t do all the heavy lifting. Inspired by Teaching with AI (Bowen & Watson), I’ve been experimenting with ways to incorporate AI into the classroom while keeping students actively engaged in their own creative process. This talk will explore strategies for integrating AI in a way that enhances, rather than replaces, the essential thinking and storytelling that make data communication effective.
Rachel Hilliam | Can statistics assessment ever be truly inclusive? Insights from over 10,000 distance learners
The Open University delivers statistics education at scale to diverse distance learners across multiple disciplines and qualification pathways. This diversity brings significant variation in students’ prior mathematical experience, motivation, and confidence with statistical concepts which poses challenges for inclusive assessment design. This presentation showcases how we address these challenges through a strategic blend of summative and formative assessment methods, which include remote group investigations, student-led database development, and the structured use of generative AI.
To support student preparedness, we also employ pre-start ‘Are You Ready For…?’ quizzes to help students self-assess their knowledge before starting a module, alongside a self-reflection tool that prompts students to identify and articulate statistical anxiety. In each case, we provide targeted resources to help students develop confidence and autonomy in their statistical learning. For each intervention, we highlight the accompanying resources that enable students to build confidence, develop key skills, and engage meaningfully with statistical learning from the outset.
Stephanie Budgett | Interactive oral assessment
Stephanie will share her experience implementing an interactive oral assessment (IOA) in a first-year statistical literacy course. She will discuss the rationale behind the implementation, the practical aspects of the process, highlight student and instructor feedback, and reflect on key lessons learned along the way.
Presenters
About the presenter
Biography:
Emily is an Assistant Professor of Statistics at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, CA. She earned her PhD in Statistics from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2022. Her research focuses on graphical tests to evaluate how design choices in data visualization impact communication and interpretation. At Cal Poly, she teaches Statistical Communication, a course for statistics majors that emphasizes both written and visual communication. Emily is passionate about teaching, mentoring, and working collaboratively - especially in ways that make statistics more accessible and engaging.
Contact: erobin17@calpoly.edu
About the presenter
Biography:
Rachel Hilliam is Professor of Statistics in the School of Mathematics and Statistics, where she is currently Head of School, having worked in several universities and as a medical statistician in the NHS before joining The Open University in 2011. In 2019 as Director of Teaching for Mathematics and Statistics at the OU, she introduced a new degree in Data Science which had over 400 students across the UK in its first year. She is an expert in teaching statistics at higher education level to adult students who do not necessarily have standard university entrance qualifications.
Her learning and teaching interests include supporting students who are studying statistics as part of a non-mathematical qualification and exploring the different types of statistical anxieties which such students can exhibit. She has a strong interest in supporting colleagues’ teaching activities and has been involved in the national induction course organised by the IMA. Rachel is a founding member of the Teaching Statistics Section at the Royal Statistical Society (RSS) and is a founding co-organiser of TALMO (Teaching and Learning Mathematics Online).
During 2021-2023 Rachel was Vice-President of the Royal Statistical Society leading on its Professional Affairs activities and the inaugural chair of the Alliance for Data Science Professionals of which she is now Chair Emeritus. In 2024 Rachel was awarded The Chambers Medal by the RSS, a prestigious commendation of her significant contribution to data science. She has been named the Teaching Statistics Trust Lecturer for 2025/26.
About the presenter
Biography:
Stephanie Budgett is an Associate Professor in the Department of Statistics at the University of Auckland. Stephanie’s research interests include statistical thinking and reasoning, statistical literacy, probabilistic thinking, and the role of technology in the teaching and learning of statistics and probability.
Contact: s.budgett@auckland.ac.nz