Assessment

Assessment is an integral component of the student learning experience at the University of Western Sydney.

The Teaching Development Unit works in partnership with academic staff to provide advice and practical support in curriculum redesign, with a particular focus on assessment.

Current areas of focus and initiatives include working with Schools to:

• implement criteria and standards-based assessment
  
• improve aspects of assessment practice such as giving feedback, designing assessment, assessing online, and assessing group work.

The Teaching Development Unit provides a range of resources to support academic staff in implementing the new criteria and standards-based assessment policy (opens in a new window).

UWS Assessment Guide: Implementing criteria and standards-based assessment

The Assessment Guide (opens in a new window) [PDF, 3.01MB] articulates a staged process of clarifying learning outcomes, writing criteria and standards, developing marking schemes, and engaging students and markers with standards. Examples provided in the Guide include case studies and marking schemes from a range of disciplines and year levels.

Implementation of Learning Guides and Assessment Policies

Learning guides and criteria and standards-based assessment were implemented at UWS in 2009 - 2010. A Research Study (opens in a new window) [PDF, 100KB] investigated implementation of both policies in level 1 units in 2009. A summary of analysis of early stage implementation (opens in a new window) [PDF, 172KB] was presented at the UWS Quality Forum in November 2010.

Resources on assessment:

• Resources
  For further ideas and strategies on assessment.