UWE Bristol External Examiners day 27 th January

UWE Bristol External Examiners day 27 th January 2016 Jenny Dye, Director of Quality, Learning and Teaching, Health & Applied Sciences Judith Ritchie, Director of Quality and Enhancement, Environment & Technology

External Examiners • Field EE appointed with responsibility for a module or specified group of modules within a named field. • Chief EE appointed to each named modular scheme. A Chief EE shall not have responsibility for any field in that modular scheme or in any other modular scheme. • Linear EE: Single tier exam boards. Programme EE pilot 2014 -15 update

Roles and Responsibilities of the Field External Examiner • Ensure assessments are properly conducted • Ensure standards/levels are appropriate • Participate in Field Board decision-making e. g. consideration of any adverse cohort circumstances • Report on the effectiveness of assessments and the conduct of the examining board • Report any matters of serious concern arising from the assessments which put at risk the module standard

Activities may include: • Reviewing assessment tasks • Sampling the marking of student work – Expected documentation • • Placement visits for professional practice modules Hearing the student voice Attending Examination Boards Acting as a critical friend to the module / programme team • Writing an Annual Report for the University

The Assessment Cycle Policy All quality processes related to assessment setting and marking will be found in the ‘Assessment Cycle’ • Full cycle – Internal marking options – Moderation requirements • Guidance on sample selected – Aggregate mark guidance – Links to annual monitoring

Assessment Cycle Policy External moderation summary; • EE sample moderation; 10% of cohort scripts; min 6 max 12 • Where EE has oversight of collaborative provision they should also receive a sample as above, clearly identified as collaborative provision. • EE provided with related documentation e. g. module handbook, evidence of moderation, assessment, marking criteria.

Field EEs are not permitted to; • Attend Award Boards (unless a PSRB requirement/appointed as Programme EE also) • Be involved in Award Board decisions such as consideration of EC’s, conferment of awards, condonement • to change a mark for an individual student.

Roles and responsibilities of the Chief (Programme) EE • To ensure that assessment processes are fair and rigorous across a group of programmes (modular scheme) • To attend award boards and ensure that recommendations for progression and awards have been reached in accordance with Academic Regulations

Programme external examiner pilot. . • Linear external examiners: single tier exam boards • Programme External examiner pilot: – Improve programme level statistical data at award boards – Enable more detailed comparative reflection of student performance at programme level particularly with collaborative provision. • Result: – Continue to improve on statistical data to enhance quality discussion at award board level – Facilitate deeper levels of discussion with extending chief examiner role increase numbers of chiefs.

Regulations • Three types of modules; – Standard/project/professional practice 1. Late Work 2. Extensions reasonable adjustments. 3. Extenuating Circumstances 4. Adverse Group Circumstances 5. Assessment Offences 6. Other policies.

Field/Award workshop • More specific details, e. g. when and how Field EEs have access to student work, can be provided in afternoon workshop Any questions?

Case 1 MCQ paper – 50% weighting of a module assessment; post exam it appears that one seminar group (one sixth of the cohort) were shown a previous MCQ paper in their pre exam revision session. When this paper was compared to the paper actually sat, ¾ of the questions were identical. What advice might you give the module team?

Case 2 You are EE for a module that is delivered at UWE and at 2 FE colleges (collaborative provision). During external moderation you note the following statistics; HE/FE Average mark Pass rate UWE 58. 4% 88% FE (A) 65. 5% 90% FE (B) 47. 9% 100% What are your questions/considerations?

Case 3 Module Y assessment = essay (100% weighting); At the Field Board the module leader states that potentially all students have been disadvantaged as a key member of staff was absent through sickness for most of the module run, the module leader proposes that all students should either have their mark raised by 5% or 5 marks to compensate. What would you expect the chair to do and how might you contribute?

Case 4 The majority of the students on a programme work for a government agency. A letter is received from their manager, explaining that many of the students had an excessive workload because of a crisis situation during the exam period. An extension is suggested for all affected assessments. 4 assessments are potentially affected: 2 exams: sat just before request received 1 assessment: deadline just passed 1 assessment: deadline a week after request received. The programme leader contacts you as EE of the modules affected, what is your role?

Considerations • Analysis of student performance – current and comparable cohorts • Root cause analysis • %age versus mark uplift • Impact of changing marks – fail ↔ pass – Rigour; have LO’s, professional standards been met • Other solutions; – No action, resit uncapped etc