Can a systematic assessment moderation process assure the quality and integrity of assessment practice while supporting the professional development of casual academics?

Crimmins, Gail; Nash, G; Oprescu, Florin; Alla, Kristel; Brock, Ginna; Hickson-Jamieson, Bree; Noakes, Caitlin

doi:10.1080/02602938.2015.1017754

Cited by 31 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Similarly, it is through the interaction between members of the marking team that not only supports colleagues in consistently assessing requirements and outcomes but also provides a more holistic perspective of the assessment process (Beutel et al , 2017). In addition, meetings and communication between markers facilitate the development of relationships (Grainger et al , 2015) and allow the exchange of expectations between the assessment setter and those marking (Crimmins et al , 2016). It is this development of an assessment community that Bloxham et al (2016) felt can lead to greater reliability of marking, more than merely focusing on assessment criteria.…”

Section: Discussion Of the Professional Association Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

What universities might learn from professional associations in marking large undergraduate modules

Evans

Gardener

2018

QAE

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to highlight to universities the approach of professional associations in marking large volumes of assessments. Design/methodology/approach The issues arising in marking large undergraduate modules in universities are discussed, before describing the approach typically adopted by professional associations. The benefit for universities of adopting such an approach is then examined. Findings The key to marking large volumes for professional associations lies in the initial standardisation meeting, on-going discussions between markers and an ability to check and if necessary stop the marking process at several points in the marking cycle, until agreement and consistency between markers are achieved. Research limitations/implications This viewpoint paper is based on the experiences of the two authors in assessing professional business management associations, and not empirical research. Practical implications The approach described here to marking large volumes of undergraduate assessments offers a practical solution to the prevailing issues concerning consistency across teaching teams. Originality/value The application of the approach of professional associations to the issues surrounding marking large undergraduate modules offers a unique proposition for university staff to consider.

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Section: Discussion Of the Professional Association Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

What universities might learn from professional associations in marking large undergraduate modules

Evans

Gardener

2018

QAE

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“…The dramatic increase in the number of candidates undertaking these degrees (both the traditional PhD and the Professional Doctorate are referred to in this article as HDR) has been estimated by the OECD (2014) at thirty-eight per cent since 2000. It is important to note that the increased enrolments in HDR study has occurred within this university sector that has become increasingly dependent on casual labour (Kimber, 2003;Ryan, Burgess, Connell, & Groen, 2013) and has not increased the numbers of tenured research-active academic staff qualified to supervise HDRs in response to these increased candidate numbers (Crimmins et al, 2016;Forsyth, 2014;Hamilton, Thomas, Carson, & Ellison, 2014).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Researching, Implementing, and Evaluating Industry Focused and Cross-Disciplinary Doctoral Training

Owens

Brien

McAllister

et al. 2019

IJDS

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Aim/Purpose: This article reports on university-funded research conducted to inform, design and implement applied industry-integrated training that could support higher degree by research (HDR) candidates in the disciplines of nursing and creative arts. Background: Doctoral candidates contribute in steadily increasing numbers to the intellectual and economic capital of universities globally, however, the quality of candidate progression and outputs has also been widely criticised. How to best support doctoral candidates for success is therefore a critical focus for universities and an ongoing area of research. Methodology: The study was framed as an action research project as it was driven by the identification of a problem embedded in professional practice that invited action and reflection as well as participation from other practitioners in the field. Contribution: This article presents a multidimensional, industry-focused model for HDR training that effectively engages HDR candidates with key threshold concepts for research. Findings: Doctoral training needs to be more holistic, integrative and career-focused to meet the needs of increasing numbers of candidates with diverse backgrounds and post-doctoral career pathways. Recommendations for Practitioners: This article provides a doctoral training model that can be adapted to other disciplines and industry contexts. Recommendation for Researchers: This article provides a doctoral training model that can, and should, be adapted to other disciplines and industry contexts in order to build more substantive and reliable evaluative data. Impact on Society: As secure career pathways in academia are diminishing, while the number of doctoral candidates are increasing, the integration of industry partners and applied contexts into holistic doctoral training is critical for the working futures of doctoral graduates. Future Research: Further implementations and evaluations of the training workshop provided in this article would advance understandings of training design and implementation options and issues.

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“…While more research is needed to balance workload challenges, overall, this article highlights the importance of a shared understanding of marking criteria for quality assurance. This is particularly important in an Australian context where the majority of teaching academics are casually employed, with less opportunity for professional development (Crimmins et al, 2016). Future research should focus on the implementation of audio feedback for community building, as well as enhancing shared understanding.…”

Section: On-going Development Of Marker Expertisementioning

confidence: 99%

Large class teaching: How does one go about the task of moderating large volumes of assessment?

Broadbent

2017

Active Learning in Higher Education

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There is limited research on the quality of assessment moderation in large classes. Effective moderation practices can improve reliability, as well as reduce marker bias, attenuate prevalence of 'hard' or 'soft' markers, increase student and staff confidence in marking, and enhance the development of staff. This article shares a marking moderation practice used in large class teaching (>1500 students). The article highlights the importance of (1) including resources/communication that are provided to markers in order to facilitate a shared understanding and interpretation of the marking criteria; (2) incorporating multiple points of double marking to detect differences in marker performance over time that may have been brought on by fatigue, tight timelines or inexperience; and (3) developing markers' skills early through formative feedback to acquire self-sufficiency, accuracy and expertise in the grading process. The practice of moderation utilised in this article overcomes some of the challenges of moderating large volumes of assessments. Particularly, the use of audio feedback and video resources was deemed the most novel and useful.

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Can a systematic assessment moderation process assure the quality and integrity of assessment practice while supporting the professional development of casual academics?

Cited by 31 publications

References 18 publications

What universities might learn from professional associations in marking large undergraduate modules

What universities might learn from professional associations in marking large undergraduate modules

Researching, Implementing, and Evaluating Industry Focused and Cross-Disciplinary Doctoral Training

Large class teaching: How does one go about the task of moderating large volumes of assessment?

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