External Examiner Induction 2011/12

1. External Examiner Induction 2011/12

2. OVERVIEW • The University • Recent Developments and Tiered Assessment Boards • What Module & Award Externals are asked to do • What Module Externals are asked to do • What Award Externals are asked to do • What Module & Award Externals are asked NOT to do • The Modular Structure • Undergraduate Regulations • Classification Algorithm • Postgraduate Regulations

3. University – 8 Schools • School of Applied Sciences • School of Art & Design • School of Education Futures • School of Technology • School of Health and Wellbeing • School of Law Social Sciences and Communications • School of Sport, Performing Arts and Leisure • University of Wolverhampton Business School

4. Research (Institutes and Centres) • Institute for Learning Enhancement • Brain Tumour UK Neuro-oncology Research Centre • Central Institute for the Study of Public Protection • Centre for Transnational & Transcultural Research • Management Research Centre • Centre for Developmental and Applied Research in Education • Centre for Discourse and Cultural Studies • Centre for Historical Research • Centre for Research in Law • Research Centre in Applied Sciences • Research Centre for Sport, Exercise and Performance • Centre for Health and Social Care Improvement • Centre for Art, Design, Research and Experimentation • Research Institute in Healthcare Science • Research Institute in Information and Language Processing

5. Student numbers for 2009-10* * Draft 2010 HESA Return

6. Student Profile - Age

7. Ethnicity / Disability

9. Assessment Boards • Reviewed in 2007 • Changes introduced 2008/9 to: • Achieve greater consistency across University • Address concerns about tight marking deadlines • Make better use of everyone's time • Define statistics required by Boards • Earlier engagement with External Examiners throughout the year

10. Outcomes of Review • MRB External Examiners encouraged to spend more time in University on meaningful discussion • Award/Progression External Examiners confirm due process and academic standards based on consistent application and appropriateness of regulations

11. Curriculum Changes • University undertook a curriculum development project called ‘Learning Works’ in 2009/10 and a Postgraduate Taught Review in 2010/11 • Introduced a 20 credit framework for undergraduate and postgraduate courses • Transitional arrangements currently in place for most UG/PG courses

12. Undergraduate Framework

13. Postgraduate Framework

14. Tiered Boards Two Types: • Module Results Boards • Consider the statistics for individual modules in congruent subject areas plus module performance and comparison • Award/Progression Boards • Consider the profiles of individual students and determines if they meet the requirements for progression and/or award.

15. Module Results Board • Stage One – Internal checking, External Examiners not required to attend • Stage Two - Meetings with External Examiners and module staff. • Stage Three – Confirmation. External Examiners and School staff required to attend

16. Stage One • Consider all module results belonging to Board • Compare module performance • Agree accuracy of records • Agree issues to be raised with external • Chair’s report to be presented to External Board

18. Stage Two • Samples presented for external moderation • All results for modules available • Module summaries available • Statistics • Stage One Board Chair’s report • Schedule of meetings with academic team • Meeting with students

19. Stage Three • Short and focused • Reduced membership • Report and record stage one activity • Formally ratify recommendations • Receive a verbal overview from the External Examiner • Formal Report submitted 4 weeks after the final board

20. Extenuating Circumstances • Extenuating Circumstances Policy • Unexpected circumstances • Student can apply on or before submission date online • Supporting evidence required • Retrospective claims not usually considered • Fairness and consistency in decision making

21. Award/Progression Boards • Stage One – internal, External Examiners not required to attend • Stage Two - Meeting with External Examiners and Programme Teams • Stage Three – Board meetings to ratify result. External present.

22. Comments from external examiners:-

23. “The new format and process of the board was professional and demonstrated a much appreciated improvement of time management in the length of the process from the External Examiners perspective. While the board was shorter in duration than previously I still had sufficient opportunity to contribute to the process, as did my fellow External Examiners.”

24. “This year saw the introduction of a new selective sampling process which worked remarkably well given the time frame and the novelty of the system. Where required, External Examiners had full input and the whole process was open, transparent and effective.”

25. “The assessment board was organised very differently and was much more effective because of this. The external examining role was previously under-used in the process of reading names to record progress and achievement. The new format allowed for a much fuller discussion and there was a sense of contributing to QA in action. I should like to commend both the process and the way in which the discussion was chaired.”

26. What Module & Award/Progression Externals Are Asked To Do • Attend Stage 2 & 3 MRB and Award / Progression Boards • Submit an Annual Report within four weeks of the last scheduled Assessment Board • Make a statement about the standards demonstrated by the students with reference to attainment elsewhere and to external “benchmarks”

27. What MRB & Award/Progression Externals Are Asked To Do • Confirm that there is fair and consistent treatment of all students • Be associated with attainment at Levels 4 and 3 (where applicable) • Be consulted about minor modifications, and about changes to assessment regulations and programmes under review and re-validation

28. What MRB & Award/Progression Externals Are Asked To Do If possible meet with students to: • Fulfil the requirements of a Professional, Regulatory or Statutory Body • To permit the external examiner to confirm that standards are appropriate in subjects that require a performance or similar activity • Confirm the standards on programmes delivered in overseas and UK partner organisations • Become familiar with the students’ experience of the programme

29. What MRB Externals Are Asked To Do • To determine the accuracy and consistency of internal marking of assessment tasks at level 5 and above by moderating a sample of students’ work. • For HNDs and Foundation Degrees carry out the above in respect of Level 4 • To confirm that assessment is carried out in accordance with the module regulations • To confirm the continuing currency of the range of modules • To approve assessment tasks for the following year

30. What Award/Progression Externals Are Asked To Do • To confirm final awards (degree classifications of honours students and merits/distinctions where appropriate) • To confirm progression decisions

31. What MRB & Award/Progression Externals Are Asked Not To Do • Subject • Second mark assignments or exam scripts • Arbitrate on internal markers’ grading disagreements • Change grades of individual students • Viva students to obtain additional academic information • Award • Change grades of individuals or groups • Viva students to obtain additional information to determine a grade or classification, except where required by professional body

32. Types And Grading Of Modules • GRADING • Undergraduate • Grade Point Scale • For Levels 3 & 4 • A - F • For Levels 5 & 6 • A16-FO • Postgraduate • 6 Grades • A-D, E, F • TYPES • Core • Options/Core options

33. REGULATIONS Undergraduate • Compensation at Levels 4, 5 and 6 (PSRB requirements may not allow this) • Must have passed 100 credits • 20 credits can be compensated at each level but no more than 40 credits in a programme of 360 credits can be compensated. • Progression from one level to the next – must have passed 100 credits or more

34. UNDERGRADUATE REGULATIONS CLASSIFICATION ALGORITHM Normally the requirements for Honours Degree are: • Must have gained 360 credits – normally 120 at each of levels 4,5 and 6. Requirements for Classification • Classification based on best 180 level 5 and 6 credits • Must include an independent study / project module • Scaled for Direct Entrants

35. Profile method of calculating classifications • The classification of Honours Degrees will be calculated using a grade point average method, shown in the table in Section H.8.2. • In addition to the grade point average method, in order to identify borderline zone students, a second profile method will be used. A student with more than 50% of grades achieved in the credits used for classification which are in a higher class than that indicated by the grade point average will be considered to be a border candidate.

36. UNDERGRADUATE REGULATIONS CLASSIFICATION ALGORITHM 1st Grade Point Average =/> A14 2nd Grade Point Average =/> B11 2ii Grade Point Average =/> C8 3rd Grade Point Average =/> D5

37. CLASSIFICATION ALGORITHM - BORDER ZONES

38. Postgraduate Classification Algorithm

39. POSTGRADUATE REGULATIONS • No compensation between modules at PG level • Re-sits permitted • Awards PG Cert 60 Credits at Level 7 PG Dip 120 Credits at Level 7 Masters 180 Credits at Level 7

40. Useful Contacts • Web www.wlv.ac.uk/qmd • Catherine Shaw– Head of Academic Standards and Quality c.b.shaw@wlv.ac.ukTel: 01902 323182 • Belinda Cross Senior Quality Officer (for contractual queries, including final reports)– b.cross@wlv.ac.uk Tel: 01902 323141 • Claire Dunn Student Office Manager (for SHaW and SAD board arrangement queries) – c.dunn2@wlv.ac.uk Tel: 01902 321188 • Jayne Hines Student Office Manager (for LSSC and SAS board arrangement queries) – j.hines@wlv.ac.uk Tel: 01902 322629 • Phil Whittingham Student Office Manager (for UWBS and STech board arrangement queries) – p.whittingham@wlv.ac.uk Tel: 01902 321631 • Scott Dean Student Office Manager (for SEF and SSPAL board arrangement queries) – s.dean@wlv.ac.uk Tel: 01922 323259