Academic board
June 2005
by Peter Cardwell
Improving assessment practices
Academic Board approved a detailed proposal for both short and long-term strategies for improving approaches to assessment across the University. They are designed to improve teaching and learning, and in particular the Course Evaluation Instrument (CEI) and Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) scores related to assessment.
The short-term strategies are designed to revise the University’s practice by the beginning of study period 2, 2006. The vehicle for the implementation and communication of these changes to students will be the Course Information Booklet, and they will also involve amendments to the Code of Good Practice: Principles of Student Assessment.
The changes will involve specifying general assessment requirements for undergraduate courses and programs, mapping assessment tasks across programs, use of standard assessment feedback proformas and improving turnaround times for assignments.
Long-term strategies are designed to support the short-term strategies and will involve the use of e-submission to significantly improve turnaround times and therefore improve the usefulness of feedback provided to students. For example, from study period 2, 2007, all schools will require students to submit all text-based assignments electronically using AssignIT.
External moderation of assessment
Academic Board noted that Divisional Pro Vice Chancellors believed that there needed to be some assurance that the quality of assessment was comparable with other universities. The existing approach has worked well in some instances and not in others, with difficulties including costs, availability of moderators and the time taken for moderated assessment to be returned.
In relation to ensuring that the University’s assessment standards are comparable with other institutions, this is something which necessarily involves some form of external moderation, but not necessarily at every level. Traditionally, external assessment or moderation has focused at honours level work, both because this sets a standard for all undergraduate levels, and because comparability of standards between universities is necessary to ensure fairness in the allocation of higher degree scholarships between graduates of different universities.
Academic Board agreed that amendments to University policy should require that the external point of reference be honours theses (both honours and with honours) which should have an external marker, and that all other processes will in future be undertaken internally.
International double degrees and jointly badges doctoral programs
Academic Board approved the principle of joint badging of coursework degree programs undertaken collaboratively with other providers. Current policies and procedures will be amended to allow for double degree proposals involving other universities.
The Board agreed that from the University’s perspective, there is a need to ensure that our academic policies and procedures can accommodate a range of new models and scenarios. The marketing and positioning issues need to be taken into account as the University must ensure consistency in what is required to complete a UniSA degree. This will guarantee our academic standards and reputation in the long term.
It was noted that recent changes to the University of South Australia Act will specifically allow for joint awards with overseas universities and other providers. It was further noted that the Australian National University and the University of Western Australia are two examples of universities that offer joint programs with other providers that are jointly badged.
Following a lengthy discussion, the Board also gave in principle support to the University’s participation in jointly badged PhD programs. Research Degrees Committee (RDC) will now develop a policy for these jointly badged awards.
Indigneous content in undergaduate degree programs
An Indigenous Content in Undergraduate Programs Development Plan 2005 was approved. Under the plan Indigenous content will be a compulsory and assessable component of all the University’s undergraduate programs by January 1 2010.
There will be a preference for individual programs to develop their own specific content. However, in the event that programs do not develop their own specific content, programs must collaborate with the Unaipon School to develop a compulsory course using Broadening Undergraduate Education curriculum space, which combines general Indigenous studies with profession or discipline specific references.
The Dean of the College of Indigenous Education and Research will ensure the development of an online exemplar covering what might be considered core knowledge of Indigenous issues relevant to all undergraduates. The Indigenous College will also provide leadership and guidance to the schools in planning and implementation of the proposal, while implementation will be monitored by Academic Policy and Program Review Committee (APPRC) and Division Boards as part of the program development and review process.