Welcome to The UNIVERSITY of PORTSMOUTH

1. Welcome toThe UNIVERSITY of PORTSMOUTH

2. External Examiner Induction2012 Andy Rees Academic Registrar September 2012

3. Outline of the morning Quiz Answers The role of the External Examiner at Portsmouth Case Studies and Discussions

4. Quiz Answers

5. Changes From September 2012… Internal New academic year structure New assessment regulations • Undergraduate courses typically made up of year long 20 credit units • Postgraduate courses typically made up of year long 30 credit units National QAA Quality Code (Part B, Chapter B7 External Examining)

6. 2012/13 Academic Calendar 17 September – Academic year starts, Induction Week 24 September – 1st teaching block (autumn) 17 December – Christmas break 7 January – 2nd teaching block (spring) 29 March – Easter break 22 April – 31 May – Consolidation and assessment period 15 -26 July – Graduation weeks 8 July- 2 August – 2nd attempt assessment period

7. Two Tier System Course levelBoard of Examiner (BoE) (Award External Examiner) Unit levelUnit Assessment Board (UAB) (Subject External Examiner)

8. The External Examiner Role at the University of Portsmouth • Quality Assurance Role … using your expert judgement to report on: • whether standards are appropriate • the comparability of student standards of achievement to similar courses elsewhere in the UK • the extent to which processes for assessment, examination, and determination of awards are sound and have been fairly conducted

9. Subject External Examiners • Appointment is for a group of units for a period of 4 years • Normally, a unit is the responsibility of only one subject external examiner … however, a subject external examiner is responsible for a number of units

10. Award External Examiner • Each named qualification has an award external examiner • Annually the award external examiner is drawn from the pool of subject external examiners for the units contributing to the named qualification • An award external examiner may be responsible for more than one named qualification

11. Unit Assessment Boards (UAB) • UABs will normally meet once a year - typically 3rd week in June • UABs confirm marks and assign credit at unit level • The group of units for which a UAB is responsible may be larger than the group of units for which the subject external examiner is responsible… therefore, there may be more than one subject external examiner associated with a UAB

12. The Subject External Examiner • At the beginning of the academic session, the Subject EE will receive: • Unit Description (inc. Learning Outcomes (LOs) and Assessment Strategy) • Statement of how the assessment artefacts will meet the strategy and allow students to demonstrate they have met the LOs • Before the UAB, the Subject EE will receive: • The assessment artefact used • Marking schemes • A sample of students work

13. Sample size guidelines: • Not less than 20% • To include: all failed work, all work over 70%, cross selection other grades • Comments on coversheet • The Subject External Examiner cannot require any individual mark to be changed • The explicit agreement of the Subject External Examiner is required before a UAB may…. • Apply moderation to the range of marks within a unit • Set pass or other criteria at levels other than those specified in the unit description

14. The Subject External Examiner’s signature on the mark sheet signifies: • General satisfaction with the effectiveness and adequacy of relationship between the assessment strategy and the Los …. but • It doesn’t imply the Subject External Examiner agrees with every individual mark • What should you do if you don’t want to sign it…?

15. We encourage Subject External Examiners to attend the UAB. If they cannot attend they must submit comments and make their views known based on the sample of assessments they have been sent • We encourage Subject External Examiners to meet students • Viva voce examinations are not possible • The Subject External Examiner must submit a report, using the University pro-forma, within 4 weeks of the UAB

16. Board of Examiners (BoE) • BoE meets once a year – typically 1st week of July • Recommends progression to next level • Recommends individual students’ award of qualification and classification • BoEs cannot alter confirmed marks • BoEs may consider compensation • The Award external examiner must attend the BoE when awarding students

17. The Award External Examiner • The Award External Examiner will receive for each named qualification: • Programme Specification • Programme level assessment matrix • Any programme specific assessment regulations

18. Before the BoE meets, the Award External Examiner shall have the opportunity, in any of the units for the course, to examine: • The sample of assessed work sent to the Subject EE • The cover sheet completed by the Subject EE or any other comments/ issues raised • Any further assessed work deemed appropriate by the Award External Examiner

19. The Award External Examiner’s signature on the Conferment List (UP6) relates to satisfaction with: • The equitable and fair consideration of each individual student profile against the assessment regulations • The adequacy of the assessment process in allowing the course level Los to be demonstrated • The standard of the qualification in comparison to that of similar named qualifications elsewhere in the UK • It doesn’t imply that the Award External Examiner agrees with every individual mark or classification

20. Award External Examiners are encouraged to meet students • Viva voce examinations are not possible • The Award External Examiner must submit a report, using the University pro-forma, within 4 weeks of the Board of Examiners

21. The External Examiner’s Report • Reports to be submit within 4 weeks of the UAB or BoE • The Head of Dept will respond to the report • The report form allows the external to record if they are satisfied or not with the previous year’s response • Who sees your report? • What happens if you don’t submit a report?

22. Useful Contacts External Examiner appointments and reports Cat Palmer (cathryn.palmer@port.ac.uk) Assessment Regulations George Allison (george.allison@port.ac.uk)

23. Any questions? Case Studies