Assessment
Assessment tasks are the activities that measure students’ achievement of the course and subject learning outcomes and comprise their grades. A course-wide approach to assessment is key to ensuring students achieve the course learning outcomes. This approach involves the Director of Academic Program and the team of Subject Coordinators in designing assessments across the course.
Contents
Assessment design
Assessment tasks may include but are not limited to: essays, quizzes, examinations, case studies, professional tasks, participation, presentations and simulations. A full list of the preferred assessment types used at Western Sydney University can be found in the important links to the right.
When developing assessment tasks, consider the following:
- Change assignment topics each teaching session.
- Assessment for the subject must be based on at least two activities, one of which measures the individual student’s performance.
- Group work may comprise a maximum of 30% of the subject grade.
- Each assessment activity must be assigned a specific weighting (e.g. 25%).
- There may be a particular task that the student is required to pass in order to achieve a pass in the subject.
- There may be an attendance requirement to pass the subject.
- Assessment tasks should be staged so that students are not overloaded and can make use of feedback in subsequent tasks.
- Students cannot be asked to pay for resources in relation to assessment. This is a breach of HESA legislation. If using educational resources for an assessment and there is a cost associated, you need to discuss the resource with and obtain approval from your DAP and the Deputy Dean.
In the learning guide, include detailed marking criteria with clear standards of performance, due dates, times and the process for submitting assignments (for example, online via Turnitin, assignment box).
Academic integrity
As Subject Coordinator, you should:
- Design assessments that minimise the risk of plagiarism;
- Provide students with information and guidance on academic writing and avoiding plagiarism; and
- Ensure that your tutors and teaching academics are familiar with the Student Misconduct Rule and the Inappropriate Behaviour Guidelines.
Managing student misconduct
If a staff member reasonably suspects student misconduct, it is important that the correct procedure is followed. The steps below will assist you in the initial stages of the process:
- Tutors/teaching academics should be instructed that if they reasonably suspect a student of misconduct they should:
- Notify you as Subject Coordinator;
- Initiate the misconduct process as described in the Student Misconduct Team section.
- CDMS Misconduct will arrange a preliminary assessment which will be conducted by the Authorised Officer’s Nominee. If the decision is for the allegation to proceed under the Student Misconduct Rule it will be addressed by the Authorised Officer. If the decision is for the allegation to be addressed under the Inappropriate Behaviour Guidelines, CDMS Misconduct will arrange an interview with the Authorised Delegate.
- If at any stage the allegation is dismissed, CDMS Misconduct will notify the student of the outcome by email and notify the Subject Coordinator. Please finalise the grade as appropriate.
- If the allegation is upheld, CDMS Misconduct will advise the student of the outcome by email and notify the Subject Coordinator for reference. Please do not process a Change of Grade at this stage as the student has not completed the required sanctions/penalties.
- If the student is required to complete online educative modules or resubmit assessments, CDMS Misconduct will arrange access to vUWS (to facilitate resubmission) and the information will be included in the outcome letter.
- CDMS Misconduct will monitor the completion of the required sanctions/penalties.
- CDMS Misconduct will notify you once the student has completed the required sanctions/penalties.
- Where resubmission is an outcome, Subject coordinators are asked to mark resubmitted assessments in vUWS and finalise the grade as appropriate.
Assessment submission
Online submission of assessment is encouraged via the subject vUWS site. Online marking tools such as GradeMark and Inline, when used with well-designed rubrics, offer potential efficiencies in marking and the provision of feedback (including both written and spoken word comments).
Marked assignments are to be handed back to students online or in class. Only in special cases, it may be possible to arrange for assignments to be collected from the Student Experience Administration team.
After-hours assignment box
Subject Coordinators can pre-arrange with the Student Experience Administration team to use a box in which students can place their hardcopy completed assignments.
The Subject Coordinator needs to advise students of the location of the box, and advise the Student Experience Administration team what (if any) arrangements are in place for the acceptance of late assignments.
Examinations
An examination is a formal, supervised assessment of learning outcomes which usually takes place at the conclusion of a formal teaching session. Some subjects may also have mid-session examinations.
The Student Experience Administration team can provide assistance to the Subject Coordinator in all aspects relating to the preparation of examinations.
Subject Coordinator responsibilities
Final examinations (including deferred exams):
- Advise the Student Experience Administration team of exam requirements by completing the exam request form at the appropriate time.
- Prepare the final exam paper (or equivalent, e.g. practical, online test, oral exam), ensuring that the format and content are in accordance with the information provided to students at the commencement of the teaching session.
- Have the exam paper reviewed and approved by an academic colleague in the same discipline area (or approved Assessor).
- Submit the exam paper to Student Experience Administration team by the date requested and with the appropriate forms completed and signed.
- Advise the Student Experience Administration team in writing of any adjustments required to exam papers for students with an Academic Integration Plans.
- Coordinate and ensure consistency in the marking of exams.
- Advise the Student Experience Administration team if any supplementary exams have been approved via special consideration or review of grade. (These exams, both undergraduate and postgraduate, are coordinated by professional staff; see further details below.)
- Review exam results with the Director, Academic Program (or approved Assessor) prior to sending them to the Student Experience Administration team.
- Record exam results on the working file.
- Complete and return the Quality Assurance (QA) report (further details are below) with the final exam upload file.
- Forward final exam results to the Student Experience Administration team to upload to Result Grader.
Mid-session examinations:
- Prepare the mid-session exam paper (or equivalent, e.g. practical, online test, oral exam), ensuring that the format and content are in accordance with the information provided to students at the commencement of the teaching session.
- Advise the Student Experience Administration team if exam supervisors are required.
- Advise the Student Experience Administration team of the time, venue and staff members’ name (if held during lecture/tutorial).
- Advise the Student Experience Administration team if assistance is required with regards to online ordering of mid-session exam printing.
Moderation and quality assurance
Moderation involves quality assurance processes to ensure that every student receives fair treatment with regard to assessment processes. Pre-, intra- and post- marking strategies should be considered to ensure equitable arrangements are in place for all students, irrespective of their study location or mode of study.
Moderation processes are particularly important to have in place in subjects with large student cohorts and offshore locations where multiple markers are involved. This is particularly critical for understanding and assuring the Higher Education framework and ensuring broad equivalency across the School’s multiple teaching locations, those being;
- WSU Online (OES)
- On campus at WSU locations
- On campus at Sydney City Campus (SCC)
- On campus at University of Economics, Ho Chi Minh City (UEH).
Quality assurance in assessment design
Moderation strategies to regulate the marking of individual assessors should be applied prior to the commencement of teaching in order to achieve consistency in the application of performance standards and marking criteria. When markers are involved in collegially setting standards, they are more likely to develop a shared understanding of the standards and more likely to apply them consistently.
Where markers have not been involved in standard setting, it is important to discuss the marking scheme with markers prior to it being applied. Suggested activities to facilitate this process include;
- Discussions with tutors to facilitate shared understandings and expectations
- Design marking criteria with the teaching team;
- Provide marking rubrics to ensure reliability between markers;
- Ensure cross campus teaching staff are included in consultations and briefings where appropriate.
Quality assurance during subject delivery
Well-crafted intra session marking schemes promote consistency amongst markers, however it is still important to moderate in the early stages of marking or following marking. This ensures that assessors have graded consistently according to the standards. Suggested activities to facilitate this process include;
- Arrange marking panels to review and cross mark assessments
- Supervise marking via tools such as Turnitin.
Marking, feedback and grade allocation
Post session marking strategies and quality assurance processes should be followed to verify consistency.
Students are to receive feedback on performance in assessment tasks in a timely and effective manner. Feedback should be aimed at supporting the student’s learning process and achievement of learning outcomes.
To ensure that the above occurs, Subject Coordinators should:
- Look at using online marking tools; and
- Ensure results are recorded in the Grade Centre on vUWS and that returned assessment is accompanied by feedback.
Reviewing grades
Before marks are released to students for any assessment, the results from marking should be reviewed to ensure consistency across the marking team. The Subject Coordinator should review results through methods such as:
- Spot checking of random or selected sample of student work to check for consistent application of marking criteria and standards;
- Second marking a sample of student work to compare marks awarded;
- Analysing results to see if any variance between markers; and
- Benchmarking.
Subject Coordinators are also required to review and provide adequate consideration to any borderline marks, e.g. 49 F, 64 P, 74 C and 84 D. It is at the Subject Coordinators discretion as to whether they would like to make any adjustments to final grades and include an explanation in their recommendation to the School Academic Committee SAC).
QA reporting
At the end of the teaching session, each Subject Coordinator prepares a Quality Assurance (QA) report and submits it, along with the grades for the subject, to the Student Experience Administration team. The Quality Assurance report includes subject data (grades, fail rates, dropout rates, assessment weighting, etc.) and relevant descriptions (for example, reason for a high fail rate). The process requires
- Ensuring that each assessment item for the subject has a dedicated column in its vUWS grade listing.
- Forwarding the results to REPS using the EDMM within vUWS
- Verifying that the results in REPS are correct and adding required comments to the QA report in REPS
- Submitting the results in REPS
Note that REPS is found in Staff MySR under "Results Processing System (REPS)".
The Student Experience Administration team then convenes a marks meeting for each discipline. Subject Coordinators are required to attend in order to answer any questions relating to the grades and assessment activities. QA reports are also referenced during the School Academic Committee’s review of subjects. This is a rigorous process designed to continually improve the subject quality. This report is also required for all third party locations. Refer to the policy for the full list of responsibilities.
Resources for updating and developing curriculum and assessment
Curriculum Advisor Digital Futures Team
The Curriculum Advisors in the School of Computer, Data and Mathematical Sciences provide both advice and functional / technical support in improving subject delivery. If a substantial change to the delivery of a subject is planned, the Subject Coordinator may request a workload release (people and time allocation) for curriculum development. Discuss with the Director, Academic Program (DAP) in the first instance.
Subject enhancement
Subjects are increasingly offered in a ’blended learning’ format that integrates traditional face-to-face teaching with online learning activities, using a variety of technologies. Your Director, Academic Programs (DAP) is your first point of contact in terms of obtaining advice and direction on how to create an effective blended learning or online experience. The School of Computer, Data and Mathematical Sciences Learning and Teaching web page links to various resources, including the:
- Digital Learning Toolkit - an easy to use resource for teaching staff interested in learning about the range of tools currently available
- Assessment Toolkit - detailing a range of tools and techniques that can be used to develop a subject’s assessment strategy
- Digital Portfolio - to share and showcase good teaching practice in the School of Computer, Data and Mathematical Sciences.
The Digital Futures portfolio also provide a range of useful resources to assist with any aspects of your teaching practice, including:
- Curriculum Transformation
- Innovation in Digital Education
The Learning Transformations website includes links to:
- The Induction to Learning and Teaching webpage. Useful resources that can be accessed include:
- the Tutor’s Guide - practical advice on student learning and ways to promote this in small class learning contexts in use at Western Sydney
- The Teaching guide - a resource for all new academic staff at the University.
- Events, Workshop and Forums
- The Foundations of University Learning and Teaching (FULT) – professional development program which is compulsory for all new full-time Western Sydney teaching staff.
Reading lists
The Western Sydney Library can recommend newly published material, suggest eBooks that may be relevant and assist with resources for teaching and blended learning. Contact the School Librarian for more information.
