Assessments

Preamble
This policy is intented to take advantages of competency-based assesment without its unwelcome complexity and disadvantages. In particular it allows for the following:

  1. It allows for assessor judgement.
  2. Assessment may be done directly from the unit objectives.
  3. It uses an educator's definition of valid, which is different from that used in the Australian training sector.
  4. It is not atomistic (assessing tiny items separately with predetermined answers). This is the most unwelcome aspect of competency-based assessment in the higher education sector.
  5. Other items are included in the catalog (e.g. definition of objectives-based assessment, grades).
  6. It must be adequate to enable WU to pass an accreditation audit.

Range of assessments

Assessment policy needs to accommodate at least the following:

  1. Alternative Assessment of Competence (AAC)
  2. Automated assessments (e.g. on-line quizzes)
  3. Documents (e.g. essays, reports)
  4. Face to face assessments

Definitions

  1. An objective is a unit requirement that is expressed as something the student must be able to do and defines the actual requirements. It may be accompanied by assessment criteria.
  2. An assessment criterion is a unit requirement that refers to an objective. It may either qualify the objective, or be a sub-objective.
  3. Evidence refers to the student's work that is submitted for assessment.
  4. Generic skills refers to ancilliary skills that are necessary for achieving objectives. They are not stated in the objective but are necessarily implied, for example:
    1. handle contingencies
    2. written and/or oral communication skills
    3. decision-making skills
    4. managing oneself and one's schedule/work habits
    5. relating to colleagues and one's organization.

Principles of assessment

  1. To achieve a whole unit, students much achieve all unit requirements.
  2. Applied skills should be assessed in the workpace or in a realistic simulation.
  3. Some kinds or aspects of assessment may be automated, e.g. on-line quizzes, plagiarism checking.
  4. Assessors may conduct assessment either directly from the unit outcomes, or through the use of assessment tools (e.g. assignments, tasks).
  5. Subject to this policy, individual units may have their own assessment practices e.g. grading rubrics, required equipment, stakeholders, question lists, procedures, outcomes (pass/fail, letter grades, etc.).
  6. Assessment requires the professional judgement of the assessor.
    1. In automated assessments, this applies to the preparation of assessments.
    2. Assessment judgments must be justifiable e.g. in the case of appeals.
  7. The assessment process must include:
    1. the knowledge required to perform unit objectives.
    2. the generic skills required to perform unit objectives.
  8. The general principles of assessment are as follows:
    1. Valid: Evidence must be directly relevant to the unit objectives; it is the same as that to which the unit objective refers.
    2. Authentic: Evidence must be the student's own work.
    3. Fair and consistent: The assessment process must work equally well for all students for whom it is intended.
    4. Flexible: The assessment process must work equally well for all contexts for which it is intended.
    5. Sufficent: The assessor must have sufficient evidence upon which to make a judgment, although no single definition of 'sufficient' can address all situations.
    6. Professional: The assessment process should include current professional standards if applicable.
    7. Holistic: The same evidence may be used in one assessment to address a whole unit, one or more specific objectives, or multiple units.

Assessment records

Assessment records must contain:

  1. Identifying information, e.g. name of student, name of assessor, date of assessment, title and code of unit(s) assessed.
  2. That to which the assessment refers (e.g. one or more particular objectives, a particular assessment task, a whole unit, multiple units).
  3. A description of the evidence submitted.
  4. A description of the assessment procedure.
  5. An assessment outcome, e.g. a letter grade, pass/fail grade, another outcome described in the catalog.
  6. Comments to the student, e.g. encouragement, advice, reasons for the assessment outcome.
  7. If the student did not achieve a passing assessment outcome, the assessor must state the nature of the deficiency in case the student appeals.
  8. Any comments for review and improvement.

Other

  1. Students have a right to be clearly informed of:
    1. the rationale behind assessments before the assessment is made.
    2. the assessment task and outcomes required.
  2. WU has a right to expect students to be honest in taking assessments.
  3. If WU uses automated online assessment in a unit, WU may require students to pass that assessment to be eligible to submit items of extended written work (e.g. essays).
  4. Students have a right to make a preliminary submission of written project or essay work before the final submission. Assessors may either carry out the final assessment on the preliminary submission, or advise the student on ways to meet any unmet criteria. Assessors may, at their discretion, allow a third submission if the written work to be assessed requires only minor changes.
  5. Results of written assessments shall be available within fourteen days from the time of assessment, except when this involves extra time in relating to a third party (e.g. external assessors).
  6. Students are entitled to immediate feedback and results from oral and practical assessments.
  7. Students have a right to be informed of the reasons for assessments resulting in a failing grade.