Area of activity: Assessment strategies Context: A new School Assessment Strategy was drafted in 2016/17 but had not been approved by all course committees until 2017/18. Following completion of the approval processes, a SASQC project was established to review assessment at course level to ensure implementation of the School Assessment Strategy. As the full portfolio of UG courses was to be revalidated as part of the Curriculum Refresh project, it was decided that it would be appropriate to start with a review of assessment strategies for these courses. Overall objective Specific actions Who is leading How achievement Intended completion will be judged date Ensure that course assessment Review course Quality Manager Report on findings of March 2017 strategies are informed by the assessment practices the review (to SASQC) priorities principles of assessment in the for UG courses against and make new School Assessment the School Strategy. recommendations. Strategy. Review and report on Quality Manager Production of course July 2017 the implementation of assessment strategies. identified the School Assessment Strategy at course level to SASQC. School Progress: B: SQM presented a report on the alignment of current course strategies to SASQC in March 2017. Here it was established that several courses did not have an articulated strategy and it was requested that these were developed in advance of the start of the 2017/18 year Part to be published in Student Handbooks. The remaining course strategies generally aligned well to the School’s expectations, although SASQC agreed that it would be useful to articulate more clearly at course level where formative assessment points take place. Final course strategies were review by the QM on behalf of SASQC in July. A key focus of the School Assessment Strategy is to ensure that students are provided with formative assessment and feedback in time for this to be used effectively in subsequent summative assessments. We anticipate that this is going to make the most difference for 1st year students who lack confidence in assessment in the first term, and would hope to see fewer students fail modules in the first year as a consequence of this change (which will be evidenced in the September 2017 failure data).
Part B: School identified priorities Area of activity: Assessment strategies Context: A new School Assessment Strategy was drafted in 2016/17 but had not been approved by all course committees until 2017/18. Following completion of the approval processes, a SASQC project was established to review assessment at course level to ensure implementation of the School Assessment Strategy. As the full portfolio of UG courses was to be revalidated as part of the Curriculum Refresh project, it was decided that it would be appropriate to start with a review of assessment strategies for these courses. Overall objective Specific actions Who is leading How achievement will be judged Intended completion date Ensure that course assessment strategies are informed by the principles of assessment in the new School Assessment Strategy. Review course assessment practices for UG courses against the School Strategy. Quality Manager Report on findings of the review (to SASQC) and make recommendations. March 2017 Review and report on the implementation of the School Assessment Strategy at course level to SASQC. Quality Manager Production of course assessment strategies. July 2017 Progress: SQM presented a report on the alignment of current course strategies to SASQC in March 2017. Here it was established that several courses did not have an articulated strategy and it was requested that these were developed in advance of the start of the 2017/18 year to be published in Student Handbooks. The remaining course strategies generally aligned well to the School’s expectations, although SASQC agreed that it would be useful to articulate more clearly at course level where formative assessment points take place. Final course strategies were review by the QM on behalf of SASQC in July. A key focus of the School Assessment Strategy is to ensure that students are provided with formative assessment and feedback in time for this to be used effectively in subsequent summative assessments. We anticipate that this is going to make the most difference for 1st year students who lack confidence in assessment in the first term, and would hope to see fewer students fail modules in the first year as a consequence of this change (which will be evidenced in the September 2017 failure data).
QHS6FSchoolQualityandEnhancementPlanguidanceandtemplate-Sept17.docx