![Page 1: June 2008 SACWG Self-help and Institutional Research The Student Assessment and Classification Working Group Marie Stowell and Harvey Woolf](https://reader031.vdocuments.us/reader031/viewer/2022013101/5697bfe71a28abf838cb5ec4/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
June 2008 SACWG
Self-help and Institutional Research
The Student Assessment and Classification Working Group
Marie Stowell and Harvey Woolf
![Page 2: June 2008 SACWG Self-help and Institutional Research The Student Assessment and Classification Working Group Marie Stowell and Harvey Woolf](https://reader031.vdocuments.us/reader031/viewer/2022013101/5697bfe71a28abf838cb5ec4/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
June 2008 SACWG
Self-help and Institutional Research
Context
What we’ve done –
SACWG’s research
SACWG’s sustainability
![Page 3: June 2008 SACWG Self-help and Institutional Research The Student Assessment and Classification Working Group Marie Stowell and Harvey Woolf](https://reader031.vdocuments.us/reader031/viewer/2022013101/5697bfe71a28abf838cb5ec4/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
June 2008 SACWG
Self-help and Institutional Research
Context
• Who we areAcademics and administrators with professional and personal interest in assessment
• Chance beginning1994 prompted by a conference paper on comparative student performance across subjects
• Targeted ‘membership’ Involvement in modular schemes with access to data
![Page 4: June 2008 SACWG Self-help and Institutional Research The Student Assessment and Classification Working Group Marie Stowell and Harvey Woolf](https://reader031.vdocuments.us/reader031/viewer/2022013101/5697bfe71a28abf838cb5ec4/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
June 2008 SACWG
Self-help and Institutional Research
SACWG’s Research
• Subject and institutional marking practices
• Undergraduate degree classification
• Undergraduate and postgraduate regulatory frameworks
![Page 5: June 2008 SACWG Self-help and Institutional Research The Student Assessment and Classification Working Group Marie Stowell and Harvey Woolf](https://reader031.vdocuments.us/reader031/viewer/2022013101/5697bfe71a28abf838cb5ec4/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
June 2008 SACWG
Self-help and Institutional Research
Subject and institutional marking practices
• Subject variations in mark distributions
• Use of percentage versus grading marking scales
• Grade inflation and assessment strategies
• Learning outcomes and assessment criteria
• Summative assessment methods
![Page 6: June 2008 SACWG Self-help and Institutional Research The Student Assessment and Classification Working Group Marie Stowell and Harvey Woolf](https://reader031.vdocuments.us/reader031/viewer/2022013101/5697bfe71a28abf838cb5ec4/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
June 2008 SACWG
Self-help and Institutional Research
Undergraduate degree classification
• Inter-institutional variations in award algorithms and impact on degree class
• Subject and institutional variations in degree class awarded
• Impact of discounting some module marks in calculating degree class
![Page 7: June 2008 SACWG Self-help and Institutional Research The Student Assessment and Classification Working Group Marie Stowell and Harvey Woolf](https://reader031.vdocuments.us/reader031/viewer/2022013101/5697bfe71a28abf838cb5ec4/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
June 2008 SACWG
Self-help and Institutional Research
Undergraduate and postgraduate regulatory frameworks
• Complexity, variety and inconsistency of classification assessment regulations
• Rules for dealing with ‘weak’ and ‘failed’ student performance
• Structure and differentiation in postgraduate awards
![Page 8: June 2008 SACWG Self-help and Institutional Research The Student Assessment and Classification Working Group Marie Stowell and Harvey Woolf](https://reader031.vdocuments.us/reader031/viewer/2022013101/5697bfe71a28abf838cb5ec4/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
June 2008 SACWG
Self-help and Institutional Research
SACWG’s research themes
• Benchmarking assessment practices• Mining datasets• Problematising academic standards and
‘graduateness’• Variability versus equitability
Our current work on assessment of Work-based Learning reflects these themes
![Page 9: June 2008 SACWG Self-help and Institutional Research The Student Assessment and Classification Working Group Marie Stowell and Harvey Woolf](https://reader031.vdocuments.us/reader031/viewer/2022013101/5697bfe71a28abf838cb5ec4/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
June 2008 SACWG
Self-help and Institutional Research
SACWG’s research methodologies
• Comparative statistical analysis of institutional
data-sets• Analysis of institutional
regulatory frameworks and assessment documents
• Small-scale surveys
![Page 10: June 2008 SACWG Self-help and Institutional Research The Student Assessment and Classification Working Group Marie Stowell and Harvey Woolf](https://reader031.vdocuments.us/reader031/viewer/2022013101/5697bfe71a28abf838cb5ec4/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
June 2008 SACWG
Self-help and Institutional Research
SACWG is sustainable because we have…
• Continuity of membership BUT frequent renewal
• Members who can access institutional data
• A mix of skills, expertise, experience: administrators, academic managers,
researchers, writers
![Page 11: June 2008 SACWG Self-help and Institutional Research The Student Assessment and Classification Working Group Marie Stowell and Harvey Woolf](https://reader031.vdocuments.us/reader031/viewer/2022013101/5697bfe71a28abf838cb5ec4/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
June 2008 SACWG
Self-help and Institutional Research
SACWG is sustainable because we have…
• Remained informal – e.g., no constitution, standing orders, committee, decisions by consensus
• Low cost administration – sharing of tasks, e.g., note taking; accommodating personal assistants
• Some external income is available
![Page 12: June 2008 SACWG Self-help and Institutional Research The Student Assessment and Classification Working Group Marie Stowell and Harvey Woolf](https://reader031.vdocuments.us/reader031/viewer/2022013101/5697bfe71a28abf838cb5ec4/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
June 2008 SACWG
Self-help and Institutional Research
SACWG is sustainable because we…
• Work across institutions• Focus on issues
- of continuing practical and academic interest for members and their institutions - of current concern
• Explore largely uncharted areas• Have specific outcomes
- publications - annual national workshops
![Page 13: June 2008 SACWG Self-help and Institutional Research The Student Assessment and Classification Working Group Marie Stowell and Harvey Woolf](https://reader031.vdocuments.us/reader031/viewer/2022013101/5697bfe71a28abf838cb5ec4/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
June 2008 SACWG
Self-help and Institutional Research
SACWG is sustainable because…
National workshops• have confirmed that the
work is of value to the sector
• have provided an external and public forum for SACWG’s work
• generate a small surplus
![Page 14: June 2008 SACWG Self-help and Institutional Research The Student Assessment and Classification Working Group Marie Stowell and Harvey Woolf](https://reader031.vdocuments.us/reader031/viewer/2022013101/5697bfe71a28abf838cb5ec4/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
June 2008 SACWG
Self-help and Institutional Research
SACWG is sustainable because…
Projects are- Circumscribed- Feasible- SMART- Of significance for institutions and the
sector
![Page 15: June 2008 SACWG Self-help and Institutional Research The Student Assessment and Classification Working Group Marie Stowell and Harvey Woolf](https://reader031.vdocuments.us/reader031/viewer/2022013101/5697bfe71a28abf838cb5ec4/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
June 2008 SACWG
Self-help and Institutional Research
David Turner’s summary
Shared leadership
Active participation
Communality of interest
Welcoming atmosphere
Group working