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Course Outline

EDU766 Assessing Learning

Course Coordinator:Renee Morrison (rmorrison@usc.edu.au) School:School of Education and Tertiary Access

2024Session 5

UniSC Sunshine Coast

 Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Online

 Online You can do this course without coming onto campus.

Please go to usc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

This course focuses on the dynamic nature of curriculum, pedagogy and assessment for learning principles in the context of secondary schooling. The theory and practice of assessment is interrogated through projects, including how to design intellectually challenging, authentic, credible, safe and engaging processes of assessment of, for and as learning for students. You will then apply specialised knowledge and skills to design, create and justify assessment artefacts including assessment criteria and participate in processes of assessment moderation.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – Asynchronous online learning materials 4hrs Week 1 5 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – A blended learning approach is used to deliver the intensive component of this course. The intensive component is synchronous using technology-enabled learning and teaching experience that involves compulsory on-campus engagement and application of learning materials for a period of 2 days. 8hrs Week 3 Once Only
Tutorial/Workshop 2 – A zoom session each week post the intensive. 1hr Week 4 5 times
Online
Learning materials – Asynchronous learning materials. You are required to engage (in your own time) with required/recommended course reading materials and activities accessed through Canvas and using the required text. 4hrs Week 1 5 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – There will be a scheduled Zoom tutorial for students to attend on both days over two days as an intensive in week 3. 8hrs Week 3 Once Only
Tutorial/Workshop 2 – A zoom session each week post the intensive. 1hr Week 5 5 times

Course Topics

  • The nature of assessment, moderation and feedback in the 7-10 secondary years -assessment for learning, assessment of learning, assessment as learning
  • The  various contexts for assessing student learning from national and state contexts
  • Designing assessment in secondary contexts: criteria and, standards, grading tools, backward mapping; aligning curriculum, pedagogy and assessment
  • Criteria sheets, rubrics, Guides to Making Judgments
  • Standardised testing
  • Modifying assessment to cater for diversity, inclusion and student safety
  • Strategies to assess student learning including informal, formal, diagnostic, formative and summative

What level is this course?

700 Level (Specialised)

Demonstrating a specialised body of knowledge and set of skills for professional practice or further learning. Advanced application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... Professional Standard Mapping * Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership
1 Research, evaluate and critically reflect on assessment principles and concepts related to Assessment for Learning, Assessment of Learning, Assessment as Learning. Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
Ethical 
2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 5, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.5
2 Research and evaluate past and present assessment policy and practices in relevant secondary learning contexts and demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning and keeping accurate and reliable records of student achievement. Creative and critical thinker
Ethical 
2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 5, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.5
3 Apply deep knowledge and understanding of assessment processes and principles to design rigorous and authentic assessment products and associated teaching and learning sequences that promote learning, engage learners and provide credible assessment of standards. Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
Ethical 
2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 5, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.5
4 Demonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning, and involve parents/carers in the educative process Knowledgeable
Ethical 
2.2, 2.3, 3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 5, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5

* Competencies by Professional Body

CODE COMPETENCY
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership
2.2 Content selection and organisation: Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.
2.3 Curriculum, assessment and reporting: Use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.
3 PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE: Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning
3.1 Establish challenging learning goals: Set learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics.
3.2 Plan, structure and sequence learning programs: Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.
3.3 Use teaching strategies: Include a range of teaching strategies.
3.4 Select and use resources: Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.
5 PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE: Assess, provide feedback and report on student learning
5.1 Assess student learning: Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.
5.2 Provide feedback to students on their learning: Demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning
5.3 Make consistent and comparable judgements: Demonstrate understanding of assessment moderation and its application to support consistent and comparable judgements of student learning.
5.4 Interpret student data: Demonstrate the capacity to interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice.
5.5 Report on student achievement: Demonstrate understanding of a range of strategies for reporting to students and parents/ carers and the purpose of keeping accurate and reliable records of student achievement

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

Enrolled in Program ED706

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

Task 1 online quiz added prior to census to provide early feedback to students

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Quiz/zes Individual 10% 
20 mins duration
 Week 2 Online Test (Quiz)
All 2 Artefact - Professional, and Written Piece Individual 50% 
2500
 Week 5 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 3 Essay Individual 40% 
2500 words
 Week 8 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1:Online quiz
Goal: 
The goal of this task is to assess your knowledge and understanding of the Australian F-10 Curriculum and of assessment processes and principles (both past and present).
Product: Quiz/zes
Format: 
Answer a series of online questions, part multiple choice, part true-false. More details will be provided on CANVAS in Week 1. This quiz must be done prior to census date.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Knowledge and understanding of the curriculum (Australian Curriculum F-10 or relevant ECE curriculum)
 4
2 
Knowledge and understanding of past and present assessment policy and practices
 1
All - Assessment Task 2:Critical evaluation of existing unit
Goal: 
The goal of this task is to apply your understanding of curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and reporting to evaluate an existing unit of work and to devise some assessment and reporting opportunities.
Product: Artefact - Professional, and Written Piece
Format: 
This task includes three sections. First, critically evaluate an existing unit of work (found online) for its constructive alignment. Next, describe and justify three different assessment tasks (1 diagnostic, 1 formative, & 1 summative) that could be used to assess student learning in this unit. Finally, describe and justify at least one informal and one formal way a teacher could report the learning that has occurred in this unit, as evidenced by the three tasks proposed. All sections should be supported by research literature.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Critically evaluates the extent to which the chosen unit’s assessment, teaching and learning, and intended learning outcomes are constructively aligned.
 1 4
2 
Describes and justifies a diagnostic, formative and summative assessment opportunity relevant to the chosen unit of work.
 3
3 
Describes and justifies a formal and informal reporting process relevant to the chosen unit of work.
 1 2
4 
Communicates reasoned viewpoints with the support of research literature.
 4
All - Assessment Task 3:Moderation: participation and evaluation
Goal: 
The goal of this task is to apply your skills in making judgements about student learning by participating in, and then reflecting on, an assessment moderation process.
Product: Essay
Format: 
Students will participate in a group assessment moderation process during the second half of the course. This means you will engage in professional conversations to make consistent judgements about student learning. Next, you will individually write an essay that critically reflects on the moderation process and on the assessment item, using research literature to support your reflection.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Reflect on participation in an assessment moderation process
 3
2 
Synthesise research literature to critically reflect upon assessment processes
 2
3 
Communicate clearly including appropriate use of spelling, grammar, syntax, referencing etc
 2
4 
Professionally and ethically discuss judgements about student learning with colleagues
 4

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

Please note that you need to have regular access to the resource(s) listed below. Resources may be required or recommended.

Required? Author Year Title Edition Publisher
Required Linda Cranley,Genevieve Johnson,Wendy Harmon 2021 Assessment, Feedback and Reporting, 1st Edition n/a Cengage AU

Specific requirements

Not applicable

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation.  It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline.  This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person.  You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin.  This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:

The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%
The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale
You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submission of assessment tasks may be penalised at the following maximum rate: 
- 5% (of the assessment task's identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. 
- 10% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the third day - 20% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. 
- A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted after seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. To request an extension you must contact your course coordinator to negotiate an outcome.

SafeUniSC

UniSC is committed to a culture of respect and providing a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community. For immediate assistance on campus contact SafeUniSC by phone: 07 5430 1168 or using the SafeZone app. For general enquires contact the SafeUniSC team by phone 07 5456 3864 or email safe@usc.edu.au.

The SafeUniSC Specialist Service is a Student Wellbeing service that provides free and confidential support to students who may have experienced or observed behaviour that could cause fear, offence or trauma. To contact the service call 07 5430 1226 or email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au.

Study help

For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.

If you require additional assistance, the Learning Advisers are trained professionals who are ready to help you develop a wide range of academic skills. Visit the Learning Advisers web page for more information, or contact Student Central for further assistance: +61 7 5430 2890 or studentcentral@usc.edu.au.

Wellbeing Services

Student Wellbeing provide free and confidential counselling on a wide range of personal, academic, social and psychological matters, to foster positive mental health and wellbeing for your academic success.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 1226.

AccessAbility Services

Ability Advisers ensure equal access to all aspects of university life. If your studies are affected by a disability, learning disorder mental health issue, injury or illness, or you are a primary carer for someone with a disability or who is considered frail and aged, AccessAbility Services can provide access to appropriate reasonable adjustments and practical advice about the support and facilities available to you throughout the University.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email AccessAbility@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 2890.

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

  • In person:
    • UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
    • UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
    • UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
    • UniSC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie
    • UniSC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Student Central, Building A, 161 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay
    • UniSC Caboolture - Student Central, Level 1 Building J, Cnr Manley and Tallon Street, Caboolture
  • Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
  • Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au
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