C/5.1 Assessment

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5.1.1 Policy principles
5.1.2 Policy outcomes
5.1.3 Designing assessment for learning
5.1.4 Assessment patterns
5.1.5 Criteria and standards
5.1.6 Communication and feedback to students
5.1.7 Review and moderation of assessment
5.1.8 Protocols for assessment
Related Documents
Modification History

5.1.1 Policy principles

Assessment practices at QUT are designed to contribute to high quality learning by students and underpin the development, delivery and quality assurance of courses, and are based on the following principles:

1. Assessment is valued as a strategy to support student learning
2. Assessment cohesively links the learning outcomes, content, and learning and teaching approaches at the unit and course levels
3. Assessment is an integral part of the whole of course design and gives particular attention to the needs of first year students
4. Assessment provides valid evidence of learning outcomes at the unit level and may contribute to assessment of student learning at the course level including graduate capabilities
5. Assessment approaches are consistent with QUT's approach to real world learning and teaching and include a variety of assessment items
6. Assessment reflects rigorous academic standards associated with the discipline and is based on pre-determined and clearly articulated criteria, associated standards and weightings
7. Assessment is fair, equitable and inclusive and clearly communicated to students
8. Assessment patterns provide progressive, timely and meaningful feedback to students and staff through both formative and summative elements
9. Assessment approaches ensure that reliable and consistent judgments are made about a student's performance and that academic integrity is promoted
10. Assessment is reviewed as part of course quality assurance processes to facilitate effective learning and maximise efficiency for students and staff.

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5.1.2 Policy outcomes

The policy for assessment is designed to

• clearly and succinctly articulate QUT’s assessment principles and practices to students, staff and external stakeholders
• provide a robust framework to develop, implement and evaluate assessment practices, procedures, protocols, resources and tasks
• state minimum quality standards for assessment practices
• encourage innovation and experimentation in assessment of student learning
• address issues of equity and fairness.

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5.1.3 Designing assessment for learning

Assessment is an integral part of the curriculum design for any course or unit (C/4.2). Both unit and course coordinators have a responsibility to ensure that the choice of learning activities and associated assessment items are clearly informed by the desired learning outcomes and are consistent with whole of course design.

At the course level, course coordinators are responsible for ensuring that assessment design and practice is

• consistent with the course design in that it assists students to achieve the desired learning outcomes of the course
• comprehensive in that it addresses the learning outcomes of the course, challenges students to deeper learning, and provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their full capabilities
• sequenced to allow students to progressively and realistically build their capabilities.

At the unit level, unit coordinators are responsible for ensuring that assessment design and practice

• is relevant to life and professional contexts consistent with QUT's real-world approach to learning and teaching (C/4.2)
• is efficient in terms of both student and staff workload in relation to the value of the task
• is effective to provide clear, relevant, valid and reliable evidence of the learning outcomes desired from the unit
• provides a reasonable spread of assessment items throughout the teaching period so that timely feedback can be provided to assist students to achieve the unit learning outcomes
• is inclusive to promote equal opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds to excel.

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5.1.4 Assessment patterns

QUT has established typical assessment patterns (number, types and weights of assessment items) to support good practice principles (C/5.1.1) and ensure that assessment within a unit meets the design specifications outlined in C/5.1.2. These assessment patterns apply to all courses and units unless an exception has been approved as part of the curriculum development and approval process (C/4.1). Exceptions to the typical assessment patterns must be accompanied by a clear academic rationale. Exceptions may be approved to satisfy prescribed professional accreditation requirements or support substantive discipline requirements. Exceptions must be consistent with the principles of the assessment policy (C/5.1.1) and curriculum design policy (C/4.2), and must be clearly communicated to students (C/5.1.6).

A 12 credit point unit includes either two or three summative assessment items. Weightings for each item of assessment must be a whole percent in increments of 5% (eg 45%) and the weighting must not be expressed as a range (eg between 30% and 40%).

Weightings for assessment items meet the following patterns

• the maximum weighting of an assessment item is 60% of the total summative assessment for the unit
• the minimum weighting of an assessment item is 10% of the total summative assessment for the unit
• the maximum weighting for examinations is 60% of the total summative assessment for the unit
• the maximum weighting for the collective component of team work is 50% of the grade for the unit.

Note: Theses (C/3.1.3 (d)) are outside the scope of this policy.

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5.1.5 Criteria and standards

QUT has adopted a criterion-referenced approach to assessment where assessment is based on pre-determined and clearly articulated criteria and associated standards of knowledge, skills, competencies and/or capabilities.

Course coordinators are responsible for ensuring a whole of course approach to assessment (C/5.1.3) including alignment of criteria and standards to unit and course learning outcomes.

Unit coordinators are responsible for

• establishing valid criteria that are consistent with the assessment item and aligned to the relevant unit learning outcomes
• establishing clear standards that are high but attainable and designed to motivate students and impact positively on their learning
• communicating criteria and performance standards to students in a timely manner, well before they commence the assessment item.

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5.1.6 Communication and feedback to students

(a) Notification of assessment requirements

The unit outline provides students with broad details of assessment items (the number, type, weight, indicative due date, and the unit learning outcomes to be achieved). Changes made to assessment requirements once the teaching period has commenced require agreement of all students taking the unit, endorsement from the course coordinator and head of school, and approval of the change to the unit outline through the usual faculty approval process (C/4.5 and C/4.1).

In the first week of the teaching period, unit coordinators provide students with additional assessment details which include specific due dates for all assessment items, guidance on the type and nature of the assessment items, further explication of the learning outcomes to be achieved in each assessment item, and the criteria that will be used to judge the assessment (C/4.5).

(b) Feedback to students

Unit coordinators are required to provide feedback to students during the teaching period as an integral component of the learning process. Unit assessment items should be designed to facilitate the provision of feedback to students from an early stage in the unit to allow students to monitor their progress and determine where improvements can be made to enhance their learning. Strategies to provide formative and summative feedback to students must be clearly indicated.

(c) Faculty policies

Faculties may choose to develop faculty-level policy on assessment to further define expectations relevant to professional accreditation or disciplinary practices or clarify normal operational parameters. Faculty polices are consistent with the principles for assessment (C/5.1.1) and are subordinate to University policy which states minimum quality standards for assessment practices (C/5.1.2). Faculty policies must be clearly communicated to students.

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5.1.7 Review and moderation of assessment

(a) Review of courses and units

Unit coordinators are required to ensure the continuous improvement of the quality of the teaching and learning in their units (C/4.7), and course coordinators are responsible at the whole of course level for reviewing assessment and implementing improvements. Unit and course coordinators are expected to consider the following strategies for review

• consideration of student results to provide feedback on whether the learning activities in the unit have allowed students to achieve the required learning outcomes, and to identify common misunderstandings or gaps in student learning
• moderation of criteria and standards;
• consideration of the assessment practices to ensure fit with whole of course design
• student feedback from the Learning Experience Survey or other feedback mechanisms (C/4.7)
• professional accreditation of the course
• independent external consideration of assessment
• benchmarking of criteria, standards and grades with comparable institutions.

(b) Moderation

While the development of well-designed criteria and standards will invest the assessment process with greater objectivity, of necessity the process must also rely on the professional judgement of the assessors. For this reason, internal and external moderation are critical to assure validity and reliability of assessment practices including the awarding of grades.

Unit coordinators are required to internally moderate all units (B/3.5.6) to ensure that marks awarded between tutorial groups and by different teaching staff are internally consistent, comply with the QUT Grading Scale (C/5.2) and meet appropriate academic standards. Course coordinators are responsible for external moderation of assessment to assure academic standards of the course are appropriate.

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5.1.8 Protocols for assessment

The University prescribes protocols for assessment consistent with the principles outlined in this policy. The purpose of these protocols is to clarify policy requirements and identify associated responsibilities and accountabilities. Assessment protocols are approved by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) and are available on the Learning and Teaching Unit website.

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Related Documents

MOPP B/8.1 Code of conduct

MOPP C/4.1 Curriculum development and approval

MOPP C/4.2 Curriculum design

MOPP C/4.5 Units

MOPP C/4.6 Course quality assurance

MOPP C/4.7 Evaluation of courses, units, teaching and student experience

MOPP C/5.2 QUT Grading System

MOPP C/5.3 Procedures for academic dishonesty

MOPP E/2.2 QUT Student Charter

MOPP E/6.1 Administration and timetabling of examinations

MOPP E/6.2 Conduct during examinations

MOPP E/6.3 Alternative arrangements for assessment

MOPP E/6.4 Supplementary assessment

MOPP E/6.5 Allocation and release of results

MOPP E/6.6 Access to assessment results

MOPP E/6.7 Unsatisfactory academic performance and exclusion

MOPP E/6.8 Late assessment and extensions

MOPP E/9.1 Review of grades and academic rulings

Protocols for Assessment

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Modification History

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