Contextualizing the Patchwork Text: addressing problems of coursework assessment in higher education

The procedures of the Patchwork Text coursework assignment format are outlined, and a general justification of their current educational importance is presented. The argument begins with a review of current literature on assessment processes in higher education, followed by a discussion of work on the nature of 'academic literacies'. The Patchwork Text is compared with other assignment formats, including the portfolio and, especially, the essay. The advantages of the Patchwork Text over the essay are argued in the light of general theories of the nature of learning.