Maximising the teaching and assessment opportunities for higher education students - data driven decision making for quality assurance purposes

Authors

Keywords:

Data visualisations, Learning and assessment design, Pedagogical intent & practice

Abstract

Background: It has become increasingly important to collect institutional data to measure and evaluate teaching and assessment improvements and to evidence quality assurance for both internal policy obligations and external review (TEQSA). However, how this data is presented, reported and targeted to individuals at various levels is of equal importance in ensuring that the correct decisions are made to maximise the student learning experience. Aims: The primary aim of this work was to see how best to provide analytic data on subjects and courses at the University of Wollongong to staff and committees for monitoring and quality assurance improvement. This presentation aims to explain how effective this has been and what lessons others can learn from this experience. Design and methods: The group have targeted the review and presentation of data for quality assurance purposes across the institution, for processes including: 1) Faculty and School assessment committee meetings 2) Subject monitoring reporting 3) Comparative student outcomes 4) Annual and 5 yearly course review processes 5) Annual collaborative partner (third party provider) reviews Specifically, the group has been looking at the types of data captured, data display formats for different audiences, its timing and method of delivery and how data reports can be targeted to particular end users. The group will also review the process for closing the loop and following-up on outcomes, improvement actions and recommendations. Results: The group has so far looked at the data needs of 1) assessment committees, and 2) subject monitoring, for internal quality assurance purposes and in relation to the revised Higher Education Standards Framework. In particular the group has focused on what changes are required to ensure all relevant data is captured, the method of delivery of this data (hard vs soft reports), the timing of the data collection and making it available at key points within the academic cycle. These data contain valuable teaching and assessment information for academics, part-time teaching staff and professional staff on students’ engagement, motivation and progression in courses of study. The premise behind this work is that the higher the quality of the data provided the more informed will be the quality enhancements. Conclusions: Consensus is slowly being obtained for the type and form of data for each of the five processes. This consensus may be challenged as consultation is widened to include more stakeholders. University managers will need to be convinced of the worthiness of this work so as to allocate sufficient resources to make this happen. However, the concepts explained in this presentation have so far been received enthusiastically by all participants and demand for such data reporting is strong. Proceedings of the Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education, The University of Queensland, Sept 28th to 30th, 2016, page X, ISBN Number 978-0-9871834-4-6.

Author Biography

Simon B. Bedford, University of Wollongong

Simon Bedford’s interest in curriculum stems, in large part, from his interest in enabling students to find pathways and directional cues through the often large and amorphous knowledge that students need to learn in order to master their chosen discipline area. The desire to tackle this issue and the advent of a ‘whole of course’ approach to student learning led Simon to engage in collaborative curriculum development work during his time at The University of Bath (UK) as a Director of Teaching. Here he was able to lead a curriculum integrated approach to personal and professional development for students needed to become the professionals of the future. This is also where his interest in assessment and feedback quality assurance was sown during his work on the new framework for assessment policy. This work has continued at the University of Wollongong (AUS) where he has led on key teaching and assessment policy review, its successful deployment into teaching practice, and evidencing that impact on the student learning experience (learning analytics). He has driven several national projects including Institutional External Referencing of Assessment Standards, OLT Inter-institutional collaboration through delivering formative assessment in large STEM classes, and OLT Assessing Assessments against threshold learning outcomes.

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Published

2017-08-21