Reflections on the external examiner role John Freeman

Reflections on the external examiner role. John Freeman Principal Lecturer/ Learning Enhancement lead/ Senior Academic Adviser/ Service user lead. J. P. Freeman@shu. ac. uk

Why I love the role? • Extremely satisfying role professionally and academically; • Enables me to build my confidence and expertise across the sector; • Regarded as an expert and challenged to provide incisive, constructive feedback and suggestions; • Professional networks/ a wider community; • Confidence in public protection; • Able to contribute to wider debates, e. g. about academic integrity, the role of EE's, reimbursement (. . . talking of which); • Very modest financial benefit; • Travel.

How I became an EE. . . • EXTERNAL-EXAMINERS@JISCMAIL. AC. UK; • Council of Deans website: • https: //councilofdeans. org. uk/jobs/ • Universities' Council for the Education of Teachers: • https: //www. ucet. ac. uk/about-ucet/

This what I do as an EE. . . • Verify assessments; • External moderation of coursework; • appropriateness of the task to the module; • feedback; • consistency/ fairness; • marking; • check internal moderation; • comment on individual scripts; • Check the resources on the VLE; • see mark sheets; • attend exams, eg. OSCE's; • attend exam board(s); • meet students; • attend placements; • focus on particular concerns if needed; • Provide constructive suggestions.

Top tips. . . • Get to know the course team and key contacts, e. g. in IT; • Get access to the VLE straight away and check you can log in; • Understand the course as a whole- it helps if you've approved the course; • Try to be organised- their assessment periods are likely to be the same as ours; • Establish good relationships; • Try to get to the most important boards- ask which ones if needs be; • Attend induction; • Get a good feel for the LTA strategy; • Do try to help with specific areas of concern; • Insist on meeting students and/or visiting placement; • Say if you think you're being sent too much work; • Be constructively helpful. . . they are trying their best • Enjoy the role.