External Examiners Induction
Susan Fitzgerald
Acting Academic Registrar
Ian Pearson
Head of Quality Assurance and Enhancement
External Examiners Induction
Our Academic Framework
• Major changes made for 2014 academic year to
UG framework
• Some small differences between UG (Levels 46) and PG (Level 7) regulations
• There are also some transitional arrangements
in place for UG students, initially for two years
from September 2014
• A few PG and collaborative programmes have a
February intake
External Examiners Induction
• Changes were made to the framework to
enable:
• More sense of the ‘programme’
• A better institutional sense of progression
• Students to have more time to assimilate their
learning, and have more opportunities for formative
assessment
Module Structure
• UG modules (levels 3,4,5 and 6)
• Most are 30 credits over 1 year (15, 45 and 60 credits allowed)
• There are some15 credit modules, which take place over half a
year
• Full time students should take 120 credits over an academic
year
• PG modules (level 7 & level 8)
• 30 credits over 1 term (60 credits allowed)
• Full time students should take 60 credits per term, with a 60
credit dissertation/advanced research module taken over the
summer
• Each credit is equivalent to a (notional) 10 student study hours
Advanced Independent Research
Module - Level 7
• Sometimes called the PG dissertation
module in library based disciplines
• May be 2 x 30 credits
• May be supervised over summer period
– if agreed as such at programme approval
• Marks considered at an October
assessment board
Modules – Structure (2)
• Each 30 credit module comprises up to 4
assessed components (pro rata double
modules)
• Components have weights (adding up to
100%)
– (Component weights are recorded on DELTA)
• Components have marks (0-100%)
– (Component marks are recorded on DELTA)
Transition modules for UG students
• Where students have uneven credit profiles, programme
teams have developed a number of transitional modules
to help students retrieve missing credit at particular
levels
• Schools have taken a number of different approaches to
this – eg running out old modules, DL, rebadging new
modules
• There are some overarching transitional regulations,
which will initially be in place for two years
• You might be asked to look at some of these modules as
part of your contract
Modules - Assessment
• Either
– Pass/Fail (e.g. placement modules)
or
– 0% – 100%
• Levels 3-6 Pass ≥ 40 (component threshold ≥ 30)
• level 7 Pass ≥ 50 (component threshold ≥ 40)
• Sequence
• Both UG and PG students are summatively assessed
during and towards the end of the module; resits are in
the summer;
Compensation
• Non-discretionary and earliest opportunity
• Postgraduate
– compensate one 30 credit module
• any module, provided allowable by PSRB
• 90 credits already achieved
• ≥45% and component thresholds met
• Undergraduate
– compensate one 15 or 30 credit module per level
• Any module, provided allowable by PSRB
• At least 90 credits already achieved at the level or
higher
• ≥35% and component thresholds met
Reassessment and Repeat - UG
• Reassessment if not passed (or pass compensated) on
assessment
•
•
•
•
•
all components <40 reassessed
all components ≥40 marks carried through
reassessment in summer
repeated component mark capped
achieved mark shown on Diploma Supplement as well
• If not passed on reassessment, then relevant
assessment board will make the decision based on the
student profile. Most common decisions will be:
• Student progresses but makes up the missing components
(missing components are capped)
• Student repeats the whole year again, including any passed
components and modules – not capped
• Student is not allowed to repeat
Reassessment and Repeat – PG
• Reassessment if not passed (or pass compensated)on
assessment
•
•
•
•
•
all components <40 reassessed
all components ≥40 marks carried through
reassessment in summer
repeated component mark capped
achieved mark shown on Diploma Supplement as well
• If not passed on reassessment
• repeat module (‘with attendance’)
– capped at 40%
– no prior marks carried through
• do alternative module (option modules only)
– rules for first time study apply
• No further assessment or reassessment is allowed on a
repeated module after reassessment
Reassessment – a note
• Coursework/exams
• should be a new piece of work
• should be of the same standard and address the
same learning outcomes
• should enable students to demonstrate ability across
the range (not just pass/fail)
• Projects/dissertations
• reassessment – the same title improved
• repeat – a new project dissertation
Classification
• Postgraduate Masters
– Pass 50-50%, Merit 60%-69%, Distinction 70%+
• Undergraduate
Arithmetic mean of the
best 90 credits at level 6
x
0.8
+ Arithmetic mean of the next
best 90 credits at level 5 and /or 6
70% - 100%
First Class Honours
60% - 69%
Second Class Honours, First Division
50% - 59%
Second Class Honours, Second Division
40% - 49%
Third Class Honours
0% - 39%
Not Passed
x
0.2
Boards – these may be
combined
• Subject Area Progression Board (one per Subject Area)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
approves standards for all Subject Area modules
awards compensation (and credit)
confirms module marks and progression decisions for students
formally implements Extenuation decisions
note investigation of assessment options
awards credit
awards APL credit
• Subject Area Award Boards
•
•
•
•
awards compensation (and credit)
confers award and classification
formally implements Extenuation decisions
notes exit awards for withdrawn students without a full credit profile
PG Boards – transition modules
– next couple of years
• Some external examiners may attend boards where
there is a variety of business happening in addition to
PG results, such as:
• Decisions being made on UG transition modules
(transition arrangements are in place for two years
initially, with the scope to extend them for a further year)
• Results from modules and programmes run with
collaborative partners
• These will typically be the Boards in January and early
February
Role of the External Examiner
• Consider the appropriateness of the assessment tasks
(exams/coursework)
• View and consider samples of student work in order to
confirm (or otherwise) standards
• Be a member of the Assessment Board
– Focus on standards (not individual marks)
– Focus on consistency of marking
– Focus on fairness of the Board activity, looking at
progression decisions
– Do not be a third marker, arbitrator, or alter individual
marks
Role of the Lead External Examiner
• Has the Award Board followed fairly and
consistently the agreed procedures and
regulations of the University of East
London?
Collaborative partners and assessment
boards
• UEL has a number of collaborative partners across the
UK and overseas
• For those with UG programmes, a roll-out plan has been
agreed for them to move across onto the new framework
over the next few academic years
• Until such time as they move across, partners will be
running on the old framework (with multiples of 20 and
40 credit modules)
Types of Collaborative Partnerships
• Franchise
•
•
•
•
License for whole or part programmes
Same core modules (variation in options)
Modular regs apply
Should be coming across onto the new framework
from September 2015
• Validation (and joint awards)
• Partner programme
• UEL approve, externally examine and quality assure
• Some negotiated variation with modular regs possible