Transcript Slide 1

2013 Briefing for External Examiners:
Institutional context
York St John University | www.yorksj.ac.uk
Programme
11:00
Presentation and Q&A on the
University context
12:00
Informal lunch and Faculty
briefing/discussion on subject
specific arrangements
York St John University | www.yorksj.ac.uk
Presentation outline
• York St John University: the wider context
• The role of external examiners
• Academic structures, regulations and
procedures relating to assessment
• Assessment projects
• Where to find further information
The wider context
York St John University
• Taught Degree Awarding Powers (TDAP)
September 2005
• University title October 2006
• Previously, most programmes validated by University of Leeds
Last significant cohorts finished 2010
• Research degrees currently awarded by the University of
Leeds but application for RDAP 2013
• Some programmes in partnership with external providers,
including a small number overseas (Malaysia, Vietnam,
Singapore)
• First Institutional Audit April 2011 (report September 2011)
• Positive outcome from follow-up to Audit December 2012
Commitment to quality
• Students at the heart of what we do, reflected in
NSS and other survey scores
• Positive outcomes in Ofsted for ITT
• Positive outcome in QAA Audit follow-up, December
2012
• Strong engagement with external reference points
on quality and standards
• Commitment to enhancement
• Importance of external examiners: formal and
informal feedback very welcome at any point
UK Quality Code Chapter B7
• Common UK understanding of the role
• Criteria for appointment
• External examiner details provided to
students
• Common reporting requirements and
confirmation of evidence available to
support role
The role of external
examiners
Appointment
• Appointments are made by York St John
University
• Appointments are approved by a scrutiny
panel of Quality and Standards Committee
• For YSJU collaborative provision, partner
institutions recommend external examiners
but examiners are appointed by, and report
to, York St John University
York St John University | www.yorksj.ac.uk
Responsibilities of external examiners
• Verification that standards are appropriate, with
reference to national benchmarks
• Ensuring that assessment procedures are rigorous and
fair in measuring achievement against learning
outcomes and are conducted in line with regulations and
policies
• Comparability of standards and the achievements of
students
• Assist in the identification of good practice and
enhancement opportunities
York St John University | www.yorksj.ac.uk
Involvement in assessment
processes
• Comment on form, content and mark scheme of
assessments
• Moderation through sampling of assessment outcomes
(scripts; examination papers; project reports)
• Review of fail marks
• Participation in Subject-area Assessment Panels (SAPs)
• Consideration of relevant data (fairness and internal
comparability)
Reporting
• Report form meets UK Quality Code expectations
• Standard template across taught programmes with areas
for comment and confirmation of evidence available
• Reports by 1 August or 1 December
• Informs the Annual Evaluative process
• You should expect a written response
• Full reports shared with students, along with external
examiner details
• Welcome to make confidential report to Vice Chancellor
if necessary
Other interactions
• We ask faculties to keep you fully informed of
proposed curriculum developments and internal
review
• Please ask if you would like to visit students on
placements/meet or interview students
• Importance of externality regarding changes to
programmes – may be asked to provide
comments
Academic structures,
regulations and procedures
relating to assessment
Academic structures
• Responsibilities for quality and
standards shared between central
University and Faculties/Business
School
• Structures in place since 2011 have
further clarified responsibilities
York St John University | www.yorksj.ac.uk
Main committees
relating to quality and
standards
Academic Board
Chair - Vice Chancellor
Board of Examiners for
Progress and Awards
Quality and Standards
Committee
Enhancement and Student
Experience Committee
Chair - Deputy Vice
Chancellor
Chair - Deputy Vice
Chancellor
Chair - Pro Vice Chancellor
Research Committee
Chair - Deputy Vice
Chancellor
Research
Degrees SubCommittee
Scrutiny Panels
Subject-area
Assessment
Panels
Faculty Quality
and Standards
Committees
Faculty
Enhancement
and Student
Experience
Committees
Faculty
Research
Committees
Faculty/Business School structures
• Faculties/Business School embrace one or more
departments (subject areas)
• Within faculties/BS, Heads of Department
provide oversight of academic provision
• Locus of responsibility for assessment within
Faculties/BS is the Subject area Assessment
Panel
• Heads of Department usually chair the SAP
• Heads of Programme
Joint Honours
• Fully integrated within faculties
• Subject specialisms for Joint Honours are
looked after within their respective
Faculty/BS and fall within the remit of the
relevant subject external examiner
• A pre-meeting in advance of the Board of
Examiners provides an additional
opportunity to identify any anomalies
York St John University | www.yorksj.ac.uk
Two tier arrangements for
assessment: University
• Degree classification and application of
award rules is a matter for the University
Board of Examiners for Progress and
Award
• External Examiner for Progress and
Award presides over classification and
award process at the Board
York St John University | www.yorksj.ac.uk
Two tier arrangements for
assessment: Faculty/BS
• The SAP is responsible for module marks and
also scrutinising profiles to make
recommendations to the Board of Examiners
• Subject External Examiners are members of
SAPs and are expected to attend once per year
(can operate remotely at other times). They can
attend the Board of Examiners for Progress and
Award if they wish
Assessment in Partner
Institutions
• Nature of partnership: validation, franchise or off site
delivery?
• Validation - partner-organised assessment panel with
external examiner and ULR present
• Franchise - faculty decision whether one joint panel for
the University and the partner organisation. This affects
how external examiner is involved
• Offsite delivery - YSJU organises the SAP and partner
organisations send representatives
• All results submitted to YSJU Board of Examiners in
relation to progress and award decisions
• Care taken to ensure comparability of standards
Undergraduate Classification
(1)
• Common method across the University
• Based on penultimate and final year
• 2 calculations to the benefit of the student
a. 1:1 Upper Level Average Calculation
The PLA and FLA are weighted equally
b. 1:2 Upper Level Average Calculation
The FLA is weighted at double the PLA
Undergraduate Classification (2)
Postgraduate awards
Taught postgraduate awards
Distinction
69.5
100
Borderline band
69.0
69.49
Merit
59.5
68.99
Borderline band
59.0
59.49
Pass
49.5
58.99
• Borderline cases reviewed by the Board of Examiners
Involvement at level 1
• Importance of involvement of external examiners for all provision
leading to a higher education award
• For a standard 3-year UG degree, external examiners not involved
in routine sampling of level 1 assessment
• An external examiner should nevertheless take a watching brief of
the whole of a programme including level 1
• Particular role in relation to new programmes
• An external examiner for a foundation degree will take responsibility
for level 1 as well as level 2
• Free-standing level 1 awards will have their own external examiner
• Importance of involvement in exit awards
Marking scale
• 0-100 judgemental scale (pass mark of 40 for UG modules and 50
for PG modules)
• Encourage full use of the scale and rely on external examiners to
guide us particularly at the higher (and lower) ends
• Subject areas produce criteria for the marking in each band
• SAPs need to make a decision as to whether a student gets a mark
less than 20 - consequences for progression
• In YSJ system, a mark will have to be greater than 20 in order to be
condoned for progression
• SAPs also concentrate on whether marks at class borderlines are
correct
Internal Marking
completed and
remote
Consultation ExEx
Mark lists and
classification lists
produced by
Faculties for SAPs
Class recommendations
and any other special
cases prepared
Unconfirmed
component marks input
to SITS by 13 June 2014
All SAPs held by 20
June 2014–ExEx in
attendance
Marks remain
provisional
pending ex ex
review at SAP
Module marks
calculated
Finalised marks
committed to SITS
end June 2014 and
cases to Concessions
Committee
Concessions
Committee
Joint Hons preBoard
2 July 2014
Faculty pre-boards to
consider profiles and
make
recommendations
Board of Examiners
3 July 2014
York St John University | www.yorksj.ac.uk
Other meetings and re-sits
• Semester 1 results finalised at SAPs by 19
February 2014
• Board of Examiners 27 February 2014
• First semester re-sits in Easter vacation and
results to July Board 2014
• Second semester re-sits in August and
Exam Board on Friday 5 September 2014
York St John University | www.yorksj.ac.uk
Assessment project(s)
• Driver for change in assessment policy and
practice
• Academic Board ‘in principle’ approval for move
to a 15-point mark scale from 2014/15 and
development of University grade descriptors
• Development of ‘Principles of Feedback’
• BME progression and attainment
• Significant improvements in student satisfaction
with assessment and feedback
• Views and experiences from elsewhere in the
sector always welcome
6b. 2011/2 Degree class by variable
70%
% Firsts and Upper second classifications, 2011-12
60%
50%
40%
30%
62.3%
61.5%
57.5%
60.4%
53.8%
20%
30.4%
10%
0%
YSJU Mature
students
(30+ at end of
degree)
YSJU average
(1174 students)
YSJU Disabled
students (160)
YSJU Male students
(355)
YSJU BME students
(56)
Sector average
(2010-11)
Other matters
• Mitigating circumstances handled through
University Concessions Committee for
consistency
• University policy on emarking and efeedback. Moodle widely used in
conjunction with external examining