Overview
Assessment and Reporting builds students' knowledge and understanding of the purposes of assessment and processes for using assessment techniques and tools for monitoring, informing, improving and enhancing student learning. Students develop formats for recording assessment data and information to meet reporting and accountability standards in contemporary educational contexts. Students understand curriculum, pedagogy and assessment as inter-related components that need to be considered together in the creation of effective learning programs and use principles of effective design to create formative, diagnostic and summative assessment that is responsive to the needs of different students and educational contexts.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2023
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Student Evaluation
Review wording of assessment task descriptions to ensure consistency.
Ensure each area of the moodle site presents a consistent message about task requirements.
Feedback from Student Evaluation
Task 2 is very demanding and time consuming
Review and adjust template to avoid any repetition of requirements.
Feedback from Student Evaluation
Useful and informative unit.
Maintain authentic and practical nature of assessment tasks
Feedback from Student Evaluation
Excellent scaffolding and thorough break-down of content and expectations to support learning.
Continue to use examples and scaffold the steps of the tasks.
- Apply knowledge of the principles of effective assessment to critique, recommend or select practices, tools and techniques that support learning
- Interpret data from various sources to inform the development of assessment
- Construct and use a range of assessment tools for formative and summative assessment of elements of the curriculum
- Engage in feedback and moderation processes to make consistent and comparable judgments against task criteria
- Adapt assessment strategies to cater for diverse learning needs and provide opportunities for inclusive participation in assessment and the demonstration of learning
- Develop recording mechanisms for reporting learner progress and communicating information about the quality of learning to students, parents and carers.
Successful completion of this unit provides opportunities for students to engage with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Career Stage) focus areas of:
1.1 Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students
1.2 Understand how students learn
2.3 Curriculum, assessment and reporting
4.1 Support student participation
5.1 Assess student learning
5.2 Provide feedback to students on their learning
5.3 Make consistent and comparable judgements
5.4 Interpret student data
5.5 Report on student achievement
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Group Work - 50% | ||||||
| 2 - Practical and Written Assessment - 50% | ||||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Group Work - 50% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Practical and Written Assessment - 50% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Assessment and reporting - Celebrating Student Achievement
Edition: 5th (2019)
Authors: Laurie Brady and Kerry Kennedy
Pearson
Melbourne Melbourne , VIC , Australia
ISBN: 9781488615863
Binding: Paperback
Additional Textbook Information
Textbooks can be accessed online at the CQUniversity Library website. If you prefer your own copy, you can purchase either paper or eBook versions at the CQUni Bookshop here: http://bookshop.cqu.edu.au (search on the Unit code)
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
j.sprenger@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Topic 1
Assessment in the context of the learning cycle.
The purposes of assessment, for, of and as learning.
Chapter
Chapter 1: Contexts for Assessment & Reporting
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 2: Principles of assessment, equity, authentic assessment
Chapter
Chapter 2: Assessment and Learning
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 3: Alignment and differentiation
Chapter
Chapter 3: Assessment Concepts and Values
Tomlinson, C. A. (2012). How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classrooms. ASCD.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 4:
Data, accountability and impact - the use of data for learning
Chapter
Chapter 8: The Australian Curriculum & NAPLAN
Chapter 9: Benchmarking and monitoring - National Assessment
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 5
Assessment for learning and formative assessment - Part 1
Chapter
Chapter 5: Strategies for self and peer assessment
Events and Submissions/Topic
Task 1 Presentations
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 5 (contd):
Assessment for learning Part 2: self and peer assessment
Chapter
Chapter 7: Davis, S. & Dargusch, J. (2010). Learning Management and Assessment in Lynch, D. & Knight, B.A., (Eds), The theory and practice of learning management. Frenches Forest: Pearson Education
Events and Submissions/Topic
Task 1 Presentations
Written Assessment: Case Study Report and Analysis Due
Group Work - Case Study - Using Assessment Data to support Student Learning Due: Week 6 Friday (21 Apr 2023) 11:50 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Topic 6:
Designing quality assessment items and tasks
Chapter
Chapter 4: Strategies for Assessing Student Achievement
Chapter 10: Cases of Assessment and Reporting Practice
Davis, S. & Dargusch, J. (2010). Learning Management and Assessment in Lynch, D. & Knight, B.A., (Eds), The theory and practice of learning management. Frenches Forest: Pearson Education, pp. 117-135.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 7:
Designing an aligned, balanced assessment program – from intent to criteria, rubrics and reports
Chapter
Chapter 7 and 8: Davis, S. & Dargusch, J. (2010). Learning Management and Assessment in Lynch, D. & Knight, B.A., (Eds), The theory and practice of learning management. Frenches Forest: Pearson Education pp. 117-135.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 8:
Marking, making judgements and effective feedback.
Chapter
Chapter 6: Keeping Track of Student Learning: making judgments and recording results
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 9:
Moderation, Reporting and conferencing
Chapter
Chapter 7: Principles & Strategies for Reporting Student Achievement in the Classroom
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Evaluation and review processes – professional, collegial & systemic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Assessment Task 2
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Group Work
Case Study report and presentation.
A successful case study analyses a real-life situation where existing problems need to be solved - it asks you to apply ideas and knowledge discussed in the coursework to a practical situation at hand.
1. Work together in small groups (maximum of 4) to research and create a case study report and presentation addressing a specific learning need scenario (for an individual or group of students) in relation to an assessment task or issues emerging from assessment data. The case may relate to a year level, a class, group of students with a particular learning need or disability or an individual.( Refer to the template on moodle).
2. The group must collect authentic primary data or source materials from a specific school to illustrate and contextualise the case. (Original data/ research)
3. Summarise the data collected and what it indicates about the identified issue in order to present an overview of the concern. (Findings)
4. Do some scholarly research about the issue as a context for your case study. Consider how the data collected reflects a 'bigger picture'. Research should be informed by an academic exploration of the issues and make use of policy documents and contemporary literature in the field of assessment and reporting. (Discussion)
5. Propose an approach to teaching and assessment which will address the issue and have an impact on student learning. The strategies should be justified with reference to the data as well as your scholarly research, and should evaluate the ways in which assessment and other relevant practices may be adapted to improve student success or learning. (Recommendations)
6. The group needs to present their case study (for approximately 10-15 minutes) in a format as appropriate for a professional development session for peers, it should be informative and engaging and include the stimulus for collegial discussion. Refer to format suggestions on the moodle site. (Distance students will be presenting using the zoom platform and times negotiated with your lecturer/tutor. Each group will also need to be present for the group presentation that they will provide feedback to.)
Documentation: The case study must be written up as a report (approx. 2500 words) with the following suggested sections:
- Introduction
- Findings
- Discussion
- Recommendations
- Conclusion
- References
- Appendix: original data (with identities of individuals and schools removed)
The report should be accompanied by a set of questions that could be used with the case study to promote peer professional learning. An overview of the presentation must also be included with your submission.
While one person per group may upload the main documentation, all students must upload a word document including their group members names and who in their group is uploading the main documentation, as well as their own peer review sheets.
Part B Peer feedback and moderation (Individual and group)
Each group member will peer assess another presentation using the criteria for this task.
The group members will then engage in a group moderation process to determine a group rating and written feedback to be shared with the presenting group.
Each group member should complete their individual response and contribute to the final group feedback (templates provided on moodle).
Each group member will also engage in a group and self-evaluation process before submitting a self assessment profile for the task (templates provided on moodle).
NB: Presentations will be shared during week 5-6, with documentation submitted in week 6
This task addresses aspects of the following Australian Professional Standards for Teachers:
1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 3.5, 3.6, 4.5, 5.1, 5.4.
Week 6 Friday (21 Apr 2023) 11:50 pm AEST
Presentations during week 5-6, documentation submitted week 6
Feedback on this assessment response will be provided in sufficient time to allow for academic support and advice as necessary to inform students' responses to the next assessment task.
CRITERIA:
Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of a learning and assessment issue that impacts upon student success and identified within a case study. (APST 1.1, 1.2)
Demonstrated understanding of relevant current policy and initiatives in education and use of contemporary theory and research. (5.1)
Demonstrated skills in data gathering, analysis, interpretation and development of appropriate learning and assessment strategies. (1.2, 5.1, 5.4)
Communicating effectively with presentation utilising appropriate technology/strategies to help engage & inform the audience. Effective written communication skills utilised in case study report using appropriate referencing.(3.5, 4.5)
Effective engagement in reflection, moderation and feedback processes. (5.2, 5.3)
WORD COUNT for written assignments:
The word count is considered from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion. It excludes the cover page, abstract, contents page, reference page and appendices. It includes in-text references and direct quotations.
- Apply knowledge of the principles of effective assessment to critique, recommend or select practices, tools and techniques that support learning
- Interpret data from various sources to inform the development of assessment
- Engage in feedback and moderation processes to make consistent and comparable judgments against task criteria
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
2 Practical and Written Assessment
Create an assessment and reporting package for a unit of work or learning sequence.
The package must include evidence of assessment for, of and as learning and incorporate the development of formative and summative assessment tools that show clear alignment with the curriculum intent.
The package should also incorporate specific modifications to enable the participation of a diverse range of students in the assessment and demonstration of learning.
A reporting framework and sample reporting comments will also be created.
Assessment design choices must be justified in terms of the principles of effective assessment.
In preparing the task response you must:
- Refer to the planning template on moodle as a guide.
- You can design this assessment package for an existing unit of work. This might be a unit that was designed and taught by you, or designed by your mentor teacher. Any existing work drawn upon MUST be acknowledged (eg. if you prepared this unit of work for another course, or the unit was designed by your mentor teacher). **Ensure that you understand the full range of requirements of Assessment Task 2 before choosing your unit**
- Begin your written assessment with a discussion of the purposes of assessment and your understanding of the roles of teachers and students in assessment in classrooms. Discuss how you would align curriculum, pedagogy and assessment with a focus on learning in the delivery of this unit of work. Discuss the process of front-ending assessment. Draw on key theories and use examples from the unit of work to illustrate your point.
- Develop the task sheet for the final or culminating (summative) task for the unit to be distributed to students. If this is based on an existing task sheet (i.e. you got it from a school site), you must ensure to adapt the task so that it meets all of the requirements outlined in the unit materials on the Moodle site (assessment section). This means you will need to ‘improve’ the task and the task sheet sheet so that it meets requirements. You MUST acknowledge if this is a task sheet created by the school and modified by you.
- Design an accompanying marking criteria and standards rubric for this task (based on the ACARA standards elaborations). If you base your criteria and standards rubric on an existing tool used by the school, you MUST acknowledge this and make appropriate revisions to ensure it is task specific.
- Critically reflect on the validity of these assessment decisions, including the design of the final or culminating task that you have developed or modified, the design of formative tasks and the accompanying marking criteria and standards rubric. Draw on key theories and provide examples from the unit, the task sheet and marking criteria and standards rubric in your justification.
- Describe key pedagogical strategies you will use to teach the knowledge and skills assessed in the culminating task.
- Prepare a sample of selected formative assessment tools that you would use in this unit to engage students with understandings about quality and improvement and to gather evidence about student learning
- Explain how you would support diverse learners in the unit - identifying 3 students/ groups of students with contrasting needs.
- Demonstrate how this final or culminating task, the feedback and the grade would inform reporting to parents
Documentation that is required includes (as per the template):
- Introductory statement — this should show your understanding of the purposes of assessment and incorporate references to relevant reading and policy documents. Links should then be made to the unit being focussed on, learning focus and the way assessment will be incorporated through using knowledge meaningfully. (500-1000 words).
- An overview of curriculum focus, relevant checks for learning, and learning experiences/pedagogy that scaffold the assessment with clear alignment across all demonstrated.
- A culminating authentic assessment task for the unit. This should include a justification which details how the approach to assessment addresses the principles of effective assessment and will impact student learning. (500 word justification).
- Assessment for and as learning/formative assessment strategies (minimum of three) which link specifically to the unit with an explanation of what data can be drawn from these and how it will be used to feed into the learning journey.
- Rubric/criteria sheet/guide for making teacher judgements for that culminating task or the unit.
- Details about the modifications or considerations that may be required to meet the specific learning needs of 3 learners (if not possible, you must identify the range of diversity which is present in most school contexts).
- A sample report comment bank including an explanation of what data would be generated and drawn upon for the teacher to be able to complete the report. Please write sample teacher comments for the unit of work that would draw on data gathered from the assessment tools.
This task addresses aspects of the following Australian Professional Standards for Teachers:
1.1, 1.2, 2.3, 3.5, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 5.5
Review/Exam Week Monday (5 June 2023) 11:50 pm AEST
Feedback on the final assessment task will be provided following moderation and prior to the date of certification of grades for the term.
CRITERIA:
Demonstrated knowledge and understandings about assessment and reporting with links made to own work (APST 5.1, 5.5)
Appropriate selection of assessment strategies and creation of effective assessment tools and tasks (2.3, 5.1, 5.2)
A range of appropriate modifications made to cater for specific learner needs (1.1, 1.2, 4.1)
Reporting framework and comments (2.3, 5.2, 5.5)
Effective written communication skills (3.5)
WORD COUNT for written assignments:
The word count is considered from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion. It excludes the cover page, abstract, contents page, reference page and appendices. It includes in-text references and direct quotations.
- Apply knowledge of the principles of effective assessment to critique, recommend or select practices, tools and techniques that support learning
- Interpret data from various sources to inform the development of assessment
- Construct and use a range of assessment tools for formative and summative assessment of elements of the curriculum
- Adapt assessment strategies to cater for diverse learning needs and provide opportunities for inclusive participation in assessment and the demonstration of learning
- Develop recording mechanisms for reporting learner progress and communicating information about the quality of learning to students, parents and carers.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
