Reviewing Assessment Quality

Higher-education institutions are more and more often being asked to demonstrate the quality of their educational provision. In response, we've redoubled our efforts to improve teaching and learning, and to assure assessment standards. We review the quality of our assessment processes as a fundamental part of our ongoing cycle of quality assurance and improvement. 

We carry out formalised assessment-review processes, such as reviewing and analysing student results. We conduct less-formal ones, such as "tweaking" particular assessment tasks.

We review at different levels. For example, course convenors and tutors may reflect on how assessment designs affect particular groups of students differently, or how effective the assessment innovations introduced during the past semester have been. Academic leaders may reflect on the overall quality of assessment procedures at program or faculty level, or on how well we've achieved and maintained discipline standards nationally.

Always check that the evidence underpinning your reflection and review is drawn from multiple types and sources. It might include:

• analysis of assessment results
• moderation processes
• student evaluation feedback on teaching and assessment
• staff peer reviews of assessment designs and tasks
• audits of local practices
• benchmarking processes
• employer perceptions of graduate quality
• scholarly research and resources on assessment practice.