Education at Flinders

A guide to the principles and policy framework
for education and teaching and learning.

EDUCATION PRINCIPLES:
ASSESSMENT

Assessment of student work at Flinders University, at all levels from first year to higher degree, will be fair, rigorous and transparent.

Assessment standards will ensure that the University's awards:

• are recognised throughout the world as meeting the highest academic standards; and
• meet appropriate professional requirements.

Assessment will be an integral part of the learning process, encouraging the development of critical and creative abilities. The University recognises the importance of both the evaluative (summative) and developmental (formative) functions of its assessment processes and the need to make a clear distinction between them. Accordingly, care will be taken to ensure that the need to grade students operates alongside the important educative role that assessment can perform in both indicating to students the kinds of intellectual engagement desired, and in providing feedback on their performance. The role to be performed by individual assessment tasks will be made clear to students from the outset.

Assessment at Flinders University will treat students equitably and consistently, but will also make reasonable provision for students from non-English speaking backgrounds and for students with a disability, impairment or medical condition. Special attention will be given when professional experience placements are incorporated into assessment processes.

Key Principles

1. It is expected that staff responsible for course and topic development will devise modes of assessment that:
   - accurately reflect in scope and depth the relevant aims and learning outcomes;
   - suit the particular assessment function; and
   - align with the style of presentation adopted for the subject matter.
2. In each topic, students will be given in a timely manner clear indications in writing as to what their assessment tasks will be, what will be expected of them in carrying out those assessment tasks, how their performance will be judged and other relevant details of assessment procedures, such as submission dates, word limits, and other requirements. Where a topic requires professional experience placements, specific information and advice about the requirements and conditions relevant to the placement, including aims, intended outcomes, duties and supervision arrangements, will similarly be given.
3. In certain circumstances, adjustments to the assessment arrangements may be sought and implemented, following approved procedures. These include the seeking of variations to the original assessment arrangements proposed, as well as adjustments from the final approved arrangements to deal with the exigencies affecting particular students or classes of student, such as those from a non-English speaking background or students with a disability, impairment or medical condition. Adjustments in relation to professional placements may also be negotiated where appropriate for students who have a medical condition or other condition, in accordance with the University's Student Fitness for Placement Policy.
4. Feedback to students will be timely, constructive and focused on assisting them to understand how they can improve the quality of their work. Timeliness in particular assumes that where feedback will benefit students in preparing for the next assessment task, the feedback should, where practicable, be given in time to permit that benefit to be realised.
5. The University will support and encourage discussions within and between faculties to ensure that as far as possible topics of equal value in their contribution to a degree or other award make comparable summative assessment demands on students. The University will encourage cooperation between topic coordinators to promote effective administration of teaching demands.
6. The total effort required of students in assessable activities in any particular topic will be commensurate with the unit weighting of the topic. Where practicable, students should be permitted some capacity to choose from optional forms of assessment. Students enrolled in any particular topic will be treated consistently and equitably in assessment processes.
7. Where practicable, assessment procedures in a topic should be designed to allow for the participation of more than one assessor for each student. In the case of research higher degrees students, their theses must have at least two examiners, both of whom must be external to the University.
8. The University will have and will communicate clear standards on grading outcomes. While ultimately the University will adhere to rigorous standards, processes will be provided to enable students in appropriate cases to have the opportunity to attempt to overcome a failure and acquit themselves satisfactorily in assessment (including professional experience placement) requirements of a topic. The University will have a clearly outlined system for review of the marking of assessment tasks, as well as clearly outlined appeal mechanisms, to provide students with opportunities to further their understandings of the relevant topic content and to question formally their results.
9. The University expects honest work at all levels from its students in their assessment tasks. Cheating, plagiarism, and fabrication or falsification of data will not be acceptable.

Flinders University Policies and Plans

• Assessment Policy
• Academic Integrity Policy
• Honours Policy
• Disability Action Plan
• Research Components of Postgraduate Coursework Awards: Policy and Procedures
• Research Higher Degrees Policies and Procedures
• Policy on Student Placement

Other Key Documents

Flinders University documents

• Rules for the Conduct of Examinations
• Rules for Higher Degree Theses

Nov 07