ASSESSMENT POLICY OBJECTIVES
The College has adopted a policy of criterion referenced assessment and assessment practices will be guided by a set of principles so that:
academic and professional standards will be safeguarded and so allow the College to meet its responsibilities to the community at large;
students will have confidence in the learning in which they are engaged and the standing of their courses;
there will be consistency in assessment policies and procedures throughout the College; and
staff and students can discuss assessment issues at an informed level from a known basis.
FUNCTIONS OF ASSESSMENT
The assessment strategy used within any unit of study should serve the following functions:
It should be an aid to learning by -
• prescribing tasks which may require students to apply knowledge acquired in a course, read widely, report upon practical situations, demonstrate certain skills, analyse a problem or present an intellectually sound argument;
• giving a sense of direction and motivation to students' work programs;
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• providing regular feedback to students on their performances relative to pre- specified criteria so that specific weaknesses, errors and misunderstandings may be noted and overcome through remediation;
• creating constructive dialogue between lecturers and students;
• contributing to students' self-knowledge;
• giving information on assessed work to encourage students to identify strengths, and to acknowledge effort and originality of thought.
It should provide information to students which assists them in the selection of further studies and/or career paths.
It should determine the level of achievement for students enrolled in each unit.
It should provide information to assist in the continuing and periodic evaluation of course objectives, content, teaching methods and procedures.
PRINCIPLES GUIDING ASSESSMENT PRACTICE
The College offers education at levels ranging from Master degree to Associate Diploma and within any course a diversity of units is available for study. For this reason there is no single assessment strategy that would be appropriate for every unit. However, the College believes that all assessment strategies should be compatible with the policy of criterion referenced assessment and the following principles:
The Principle of Communication of Information:
that assessment strategies should be designed so that maximum information about performance is communicated to students.
The Principle of Equity and Opportunity:
that assessment strategies should be characterised by equity.
The Principle of Achievability:
that assessment strategies should imply workloads which are feasible for both staff and students.
The Principle of Maximal Learning:
that assessment strategies should be designed to encourage learning.
The Principle of Identifying Desirable Outcomes:
that assessment strategies should be designed so that decisions about achievement can be based on desirable learning outcomes.
The Principle of Continuity of Learning:
that all assessment strategies used in units of study should encourage the continuity of learning within the administrative constraints of the College.
ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES
Within the context of these principles, assessment strategies are devised so that assessment is based on the achievement of objectives in the unit. This policy should result in assessment strategies characterised by the following features:
Variety of Procedures
Within the assessment strategy used in a particular unit, a range of procedures will be used in order to determine achievement in an objective. The nature of the unit and administrative constraints may impose limits on the variety of procedures used.
If alternative assessment items are negotiated, then students should demonstrate achievement of the same objectives at the same standards.
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Amount of Assessment
Given the principle of Achievability, the demands of any assessment strategy should reflect the number of credit points for the unit (i.e. a ten credit point unit would normally involve 3 to 4 hours of contact and 6 to 7 hourss of other study per week including preparation for assessment items).
Progressive Assessment
Given the principle of Continuity of Learning, assessment and feedback on learning should normally occur throughout the semester. Students should expect advice regarding each piece of assessed work in terms of the achievement of each objective tested and not just a simple global mark.
One of the problems that may arise with progressive assessment when students are studying a range of units concerns possible bunching of due dates for assessment items.
Course Coordinators should assist in the monitoring of this.
Communication with Students
The principles underpinning assessment strategies imply that clear and unambiguous information should be available to students and this information should be formalised, in a contractual sense, through printed unit outlines. In general terms, these outlines should indicate the kinds of understandings and skills to be acquired and demonstrated, and give details of assigned tasks and processes by which grades will be determined.
Specifically, in week one of the semester, each student should receive a unit outline which contains at least the following information:
unit objectives;
statements of all assessment items, including due dates (written work, demonstrations, field work, specific attendance requirements, etc.);
procedures to be used in determining the final grade.
Given the contractual nature of this outline, no subsequent changes should be made except by mutual agreement between the lecturer responsible for the unit and the students taking the unit, and then only if approved by the relevant Head of Department.
Normally, such changes should be finalised by the end of the second week of the semester and provided in writing to students. Such changes are then regarded as part of the unit outline.
Unit coordinators should meet with the teaching team and formulate consistent policy statements on rules for the resubmission of assessment items. Such rules should be formulated in the context of Departmental and School parameters and communicated clearly to students.
Similar policies on the submission of assignments and the methods of providing feedback to students on achievement should be developed and communicated to students.
With respect to the submission of assignments, School policies concerning late assignments should be developed and communicated to students.
Extensions of time beyond the due date for receipt of an assignment should normally be given only when a lecturer has received from a student a prior request which, in the opinion of the lecturer, warrants special consideration. A record of such requests and subsequent actions should be kept by the lecturer. Care should be taken to ensure that students are not advantaged above their fellow students by being granted extensions.
Arrangements for receipt of assignments are also to be made known to students. These arrangements should aim to provide security and confidentiality for each assignment.
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With respect to providing feedback on assessed items, students should expect that where more than one objective is assessed in a piece of assigned work, feedback should be provided on each objective.
Grading of Students' Work
Based on the achievement in the unit objectives, each student is to be assigned a grade for the unit. Normally the seven point grading scale should be used; however, the alternative two point grading scale can be used in exceptional cases which are approved by Boards of Studies.
Students are entitled to be informed, by means of the unit outline, of the procedures for grading. Final grades are assigned by reference to achievement of objectives rather than by reference to the sum total of marks awarded to assessment items.
GRADING SCALES
The agreed assessment strategy should contain the specific details by which grades are determined. Some of these details will be the specific meanings that are given to the different grade levels in terms of the particular demands of the unit.
However, given that the College has endorsed the principle of Equity, it is important that there be compatibility of such details across the range of units. General descriptors are provided for this purpose.
When interpreting grades that are assigned to students in a unit, it is important to realise that such grades are summary statements of achievement of objectives. Specific information on achievement can only be obtained by interpreting the grade within the context of the unit requirements.
General Descriptors for the 1-7 scale
The general meanings associated with this scale should be understood in the context of the decision-making process by which grades are awarded. Grades are based on achievement of unit objectives; grades of 4, 5, 6 or 7 are awarded to students who have demonstrated at least a satisfactory level of achievement in all those objectives for which such a level of achievement is required. When a student has not demonstrated achievement at a satisfactory level in all such objectives, the student is awarded a grade of 3, 2 or 1.
Grades of 4, 5, 6, 7
These grades are awarded as a result of the student demonstrating m least a satisfactory level of achievement in designated objectives. When a satisfactory level is demonstrated in such objectives, the student is awarded a grade of 4.
In addition to this satisfactory performance, some students may have demonstrated higher levels of achievement in these objectives or achievement of other objectives reflecting higher level performance. Such students are awarded grades of 5, 6, or 7 and the extent to which this achievement is demonstrated determines which of these grades is awarded.
The following general guidelines are used:
Grade of 4 - Pass
Students assigned a grade of 4 will have demonstrated satisfactory levels of achievement in objectives designated as essential for passing the unit.
Satisfactory levels of performance may, for example, be exhibited as adequate levels of knowledge, competence in relevant skills, adequate levels of intellectual initiative and interpretative ability or adequate artistic responses.
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Grade of 5 - Credit
Students assigned a grade of 5 will, in addition to the requirements for a grade of 4, have demonstrated achievement of some objectives reflecting a high level of performance.
High levels of performance may, for example, be exhibited as high levels of knowledge, mastery of relevant skills, high levels of intellectual initiative and interpretative ability or extremely competent artistic responses.
Grade of 6 - Distinction
Students assigned a grade of 6 will, in addition to the requirements for a grade of 4, have demonstrated either achievement of some objectives reflecting an extremely high level of performance or achievement of a large number of objectives reflecting a high level of performance.
Extremely high levels of performance may, for example, be exhibited as extremely high levels of knowledge, mastery of most relevant skills, extremely high levels of intellectual initiative and interpretative ability or original artistic responses.
Grade of 7 - High Distinction
Students assigned a grade of 7 will, in addition to the requirements for a grade of 4, have demonstrated either achievement of all objectives reflecting an extremely high level of performance or achievement of most objectives reflecting an outstanding level of performance.
Outstanding levels of performance may, for example, be exhibited as outstanding levels of knowledge, mastery of all relevant skills, outstanding levels of intellectual initiative and interpretative ability or outstanding and original artistic responses.
Grades of 3, 2, 1
If achievement at a satisfactory level of performance is not demonstrated in all objectives for which a grade of 4 is required, then a grade of 3, 2 or 1 is assigned. In general, a grade of 3 is awarded when such achievement is not demonstrated in a small number of objectives.
The following guidelines are used for awarding these grades:
Grade of 3 - Pass Conceded
Students assigned a grade of 3 will have failed to demonstrate satisfactory levels of achievement in a small number of objectives designated as essential for passing the unit. For example, such students may not have demonstrated adequate levels of knowledge of subject matter, competence in relevant skills, adequate levels of intellectual initiative and interpretative ability or adequate artistic responses.
Grade of 2 - Failure
Students assigned a grade of 2 will have failed to demonstrate satisfactory levels of achievement in many of the objectives designated as essential for passing the unit.
Grade of 1 - Gross Failure
Students assigned a grade of 1 will have failed to demonstrate satisfactory levels of achievement in most of the objectives designated as essential for passing the unit.
General Descriptors for the S-U scale
Where approval has been given by the appropriate Board of Studies, students may be assigned grades in a unit using this alternative scale.
S - Satisfactory
Students assigned a grade of satisfactory will have demonstrated achievement of objectives which reflects adequate performance. Such students may, for example, have
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demonstrated adequate knowledge of subject matter, developed relevant skills, demonstrated adequate interpretative and analytical ability or adequate artistic responses.
U - Unsatisfactory
Students assigned a grade of unsatisfactory will have failed to demonstrate achievement of some objectives which reflects adequate performance.
Ungraded Failure
The following grade of failure may be used where use of the grades 1, 2 and U is not appropriate.
K - Ungraded Failure
Awarded where insufficient work has been completed to merit a grade on either the 1-7 or U-S scales.
SCHEDULING OF EXAMINATIONS
Responsibility for the coordination of examinations generally and the scheduling of end- of-semester examinations in particular, rests with the Student Administration Office on each campus working in cooperation with Heads of Schools.
In order to compile the information necessary to discharge these functions, Student Administration Officers will undertake a survey in the fourth week of each semester, asking academic staff to indicate -
• which units will include in their assessment program one or more examinations to be formally timetabled by Student Administration, and any special requirements (particular facilities or equipment, printing, stationery etc.)
• the time, date and place of any other examinations to be conducted by staff or their Department during the semester.
Using the information provided, Student Administration Officers will prepare a draft end- of-semester examination timetable in accordance, as far as possible, with the following guidelines -
• Examinations should be held between the hours of 8.00 a.m. and 9.00 p.m. on week days, and 8.00 a.m. and 12.00 noon on Saturdays. Examinations must not be held on Sundays or public holidays.
• On any day -
(i) students should not be required to undertake more than two examinations;
(ii) the total working time should not exceed six hours;
(iii) there should be a minimum break of two hours between examinations.
• Students should not normally be required to undertake examinations on more than three days in succession.
• Examinations should be held on the campus where teaching in the unit concerned is normally conducted. Where a unit is offered on two or more campuses, a combined examination may be held at a single location.
• In the case of units which are available in more than one mode (full-time, part- time, external) and the same paper is set, the examinations should normally take place simultaneously.
Student Administration Officers will arrange for the draft timetable (clearly marked as such) to be displayed on noticeboards not less than one month before the first examination. Students will have five working days in which to submit objections to Student Administration in respect of the timetable. Objections will be dealt with by Student Administration Officers in consultation, where necessary, with the Head of School concerned.
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At the conclusion of the period allowed for objections, and no later than two weeks before the first examination, Student Administration Officers will compile and display the final timetable in the same locations used for the draft timetable.
CONFIDENTIALITY OF STUDENT RECORDS
The College is required to have on record a variety of factual information about students both for internal use in connection with its academic program and for the compilation of statistical reports to meet the requirements of such external bodies as the Board of Advanced Education or Federal authorities.
The Academic Registrar is the official custodian of such records and is responsible to the Director for their proper maintenance and control.
Information required by outside bodies is normally of a statistical nature and does not identify individual students - e.g. admission and enrolment statistics, T.E. score distributions, age distributions, patterns of origin by school or residential district, full- time/part-time ratios, attrition rates etc. However, information held on individual students may include details of a personal nature which students may quite reasonably expect the College to maintain as confidential except for legitimate internal purposes - e.g.
age, address, telephone number, marital status, medical information, references etc.
The College has no need for and will not maintain records relating to the religious or political affiliations and activities of students except insofar as such information may be voluntarily included in correspondence from the student or in references supplied by persons at the student's request.
The College accepts that general principles of confidentiality and privacy should apply to the use or availability of its records on individual students. These imply that the College will not normally make available externally particular information on a student without specific authorisation by that student, unless it is legally required to do so. Exceptions to this policy will be restricted to situations in which the release of information is judged to be in the clear interest of the student - e.g. provision of a telephone number or address to a hospital when a relative has been involved in an accident.
The College will ensure that computer-based records will not be accessible or transferable to outside information systems.
Situations sometimes occur in which immigration authorities, creditors, insurance salesmen, drug control agencies etc. may seek to contact students through the College.
It is not the business of the College to act as an intermediary to assist in establishing such contacts.
Information from records will be available internally to departments and individual staff members on the basis of a demonstrated need in connection with the academic program.
Its release from the Student Administration Office must be authorised by the Academic Registrar acting within the spirit and intent of this policy, on the understanding that staff members using the information will also adhere to its intent.
In addition to being provided at regular intervals with information on academic performance, students shall be entitled to have access to their personal files which will contain forms, correspondence, results statements and any other items relating to each student. Access will be available only at Student Administration Offices and the student will be under supervision while perusing the file. The file may not be removed from the Office. No student may have access to another student's personal file.
Under this policy, confidentiality of records is to be interpreted as extending to the grades and overall academic record of a student. Such information may be provided to individuals, employers or agencies outside the College only upon the written authorisation or request of the student, addressed to the Academic Registrar. Moreover, the College
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will follow a procedure whereby any grades posted in general view will identify students by their student number and not by name.
It is the responsibility of the Academic Registrar to provide a student with copies of his or her official College transcript on request for use at the student's discretion - e.g.
in connection with job applications or applications for admission to another educational institution, or to forward such transcripts when authorised in writing by the student to do so. Should the Registrar of another institution to which a student is seeking admission formally request a copy of the student's academic record, its transmission will be assumed to be authorised by the student.
Staff members who are asked to provide references for students should refer to the fact that official transcripts are available only through Student Administration Offices, but inasmuch as they have been asked by the students to comment on general academic performance and other attributes they are clearly free to do so.
REPLACEMENT AND SUBSTITUTE AWARD CERTIFICATES Definitions
A 'replacement' certificate is a replacement for a certificate originally by Brisbane College of Advanced Education.
A 'substitute' certificate is a substitute for a certificate issued originally by antecedents of Brisbance College of Advanced Education (including Brisbane Kindergarten Teachers' College, Kedron Park Teachers' College, Kelvin Grove Teachers' College, Kelvin Grove College of Teacher Education, Kelvin Grove College of Advanced Education, Mount Gravatt Teachers' College, Mount Gravatt College of Advanced Education, North Brisbane College of Advanced Education, (Queensland) Teachers' College and the (Queensland) Teachers' Training College.
Fees
Replacement certificates will be issued free of any charge where the original certificate was lost or damaged in transmission or was defective. A fee of $30 will be charged in all other cases.
A fee of $30 will be charged in respect of substitute certificates.
Conditions
Both replacement and substitute certificates will be issued subject to the following:
(i) where the original certificate has been lost either in transmission or subsequently, a Statutory Declaration to that effect;
(ii) where the original certificate was defective, or has been damaged, return of the certificate;
(iii) payment of the fee stipulated above, where applicable.
Endorsements
Replacement certificates will carry no endorsement where the original certificate can be replicated in every respect. The College cannot guarantee to provide replicas in every instance.
However, where there has been any change in the proforma itself, the Common Seal, or the signatories, and no stock of the original is available, a replacement certificate will be endorsed as follows:
"This certificate is a replacement for certificate number ( ) issued under the Common Seal of Brisbane College of Advanced Education on (date, month, year appearing on original certificate)."
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