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Resources

• Resources from Carrick Projects
• Resources for Assessment Design and Development
• Supportive Resources from Other Australian Universities
• Other Resources

Resources from Carrick Projects

There are a range of Carrick projects that have as their focus either assessment or leadership.

Anderson, D. and Johnson, R. (2006). Ideas of leadership underpinning proposals to the Carrick Institute: A review of proposals from the ‘Leadership for excellence in teaching and learning program’. Strawberry Hills: The Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. http://admin.carrickinstitute.edu.au/dspace/handle/10096/224 (PDF, 63KB)

This paper reviews 39 proposals and synthesises the conceptualisations of leadership in higher education evident in the proposals. It also explores:

• Can leadership be taught?
• Where should leadership be taught?
• What do leaders know and need to know?
• Distributed leadership.

Jackson, M., Watty, K., Yu, L., Lowe, L. (2006). Inclusive assessment. Improving learning for all. A manual for improving assessment in accounting education. Strawberry Hills: The Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. http://www.carrickinstitute.edu.au/carrick/webdav/users/siteadmin/public/grants_2005project_accounting_manual.pdf (PDF 338KB)

This manual is an outcome of a Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education project.

While it had an original focus on one discipline, the content is easily applicable and transferable to other contexts. The assessment matrix is particularly useful as a resource that can stimulate discussion within and across departments when reviewing assessment.

If you want further details the final report can be accessed below.

Jackson, M., Watty, K., Yu, L., Lowe, L. (2006). Assessing Students Unfamiliar with Assessment Practices in Australian Universities. Strawberry Hills: The Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. http://www.carrickinstitute.edu.au/carrick/webdav/site/carricksite/users/siteadmin/public/grants_2005project_accounting_finalreport_2006.pdf (PDF 570KB)

Marshall, S.J. (2006). Issues in the development of leadership for learning and teaching in higher education. Occasional Paper 2.06 DRAFT. Strawberry Hills: The Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. http://admin.carrickinstitute.edu.au/dspace/handle/10096/221 (PDF 65KB)

Publications with a focus on leadership for teaching and learning are rare and this paper is a start to filling the gap in the literature.

This occasional paper available through the Carrick Institute’s document repository discusses:

• Differing conceptions of leadership
• Developing leadership capability in learning and teaching: the current situation
• Developing leadership capability in learning and teaching: a proposal for the future

The Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (2006). Leadership colloquium 29 November 2006 Canberra report. Strawberry Hills: The Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. http://www.carrickinstitute.edu.au/carrick/webdav/users/siteadmin/public/grants_leadership_colloquium_report_nov06.pdf (PDF 60KB)

Krause, K., Harris, K., Garnett, R., Gleeson, D., Peat, M., Taylor, C. (2007) Enhancing the assessment of learning in Australian higher education: Biological sciences. Strawberry Hills: The Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. http://www.carrickinstitute.edu.au/carrick/webdav/users/siteadmin/public/grants_2005project_biology_finalreport.pdf (PDF 281KB)

Resources for Assessment Design and Development

Many excellent and scholarly resources are available to support your development and design of assessment.

Methods of Assessment

Oxford Brookes University http://www.brookes.ac.uk/services/ocsd/2_learntch/methods.html

Selecting methods of assessment

This page uses the structure developed by Nightingale, P., Te Wiata, I.T., Toohey, S., Ryan, G., Hughes, C., Magin, D. (1996) to guide decision making in terms of assessment tasks, namely:

1. Thinking critically and making judgements
2. Solving problems and developing plans
3. Performing procedures and demonstrating techniques
4. Managing and developing oneself
5. Accessing and managing information
6. Demonstrating knowledge and understanding
7. Designing, creating, performing
8. Communicating

James, R; McInnes, C. & Devlin, M. (2002). Assessing Learning in Australian Universities. Centre for the Study of Higher Education Web : The University of Melbourne and The Australian Universities Teaching Committee. http://www.cshe.unimelb.edu.au/assessinglearning/docs/AssessingLearning.pdf

An excellent resource that is easy to read and very user friendly. Issues covered include

• Assessing Group Work
• Quality and Standards
• Academic Honesty
• Online Assessment
• Assessing Large Classes
• Assisting International Students

 

Developing a Personal Grading Plan

University of Iowa http://depts.washington.edu/grading/plan/frisbie.html

Frisbie, D.A. and Waltman, K.K. (1992). Developing a Personal Grading Plan. University of Iowa. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice, Fall 1992.

A seminal paper to support academics in developing their grading/ assessment practices. Issues discussed include:

• Developing a Grading Philosophy
• Establishing a Grading Plan
• Some Relative Grading Methods
• Some Absolute Grading Methods
• Personal Grading Practices Evolve

Assessment for Learning

University of Queensland http://www.tedi.uq.edu.au/downloads/Assessment_for_Learning.pdf (PDF 140KB)

Isaacs, G. (2001). Assessment for learning. Teaching and learning in higher education series. Brisbane: Teaching and Educational Development Institute, The University of Queensland.

A succinct and excellent, user-friendly resource that covers:

• What is assessment?
• How do we describe learning?
• What kinds of assessment tasks are likely to promote learning?
• Describing curricula
• Assessment and learning goals
• Assessment and learning
• Constructive alignment and course planning

Assessing Group Tasks

University of Queensland (PDF 209KB) http://www.tedi.uq.edu.au/downloads/T&L_Assess_group_tasks.pdf

Isaacs, G. (2002). Assessing group tasks. Brisbane: Teaching and Educational Development Institute, The University of Queensland.

Another excellent and user-friendly resource from TEDI that covers:

• When should group tasks be assessed?
• When should group tasks not be assessed?
• Best practice in the assessment of group tasks
• Should all group members share the same mark?
• Self and peer assessment
• and more.

Types of assessment

The University of Technology, Sydney http://www.iml.uts.edu.au/assessment/types/index.html

This website provides a quick introduction and overview to types of assessment. Assessment types introduced include:

• Examinations
• Assignments
• Negotiated assessment
• Essays
• Selected response
• Performance assessment
• Personal communication

Guide for Reviewing Assessment. Prompts and guidelines for monitoring and enhancing assessment practices.

The University of Melbourne (PDF 103KB) http://www.unimelb.edu.au/abp/policies/pdf/reviewassess05.pdf

Harris, K. (2005). Guide for reviewing assessment. Prompts and guidelines for monitoring and enhancing assessment practices. University of Melbourne, Centre for the Study of Higher Education.

A practical guide that takes you step-by-step through a review process. Steps include:

• Matching assessment, learning exercises and objectives
• Variety and complexity in assessment
• The timing of assessment
• Informing students
• Equity and fairness
• Feedback to students
• Feedback to staff

Assessment Portfolio Template

The University of Queensland http://www.tedi.uq.edu.au/teaching/assessment/designing.html

The University of Queensland (2006). Assessment Portfolio Template. The University of Queensland, Teaching and Educational Development Institute:

This template may act as a useful tool to support an assessment portfolio. It is downloaded as a word document and then works best is used on screen (rather than a hard copy).

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Supportive Resources from Other Australian Universities

Universities across Australia and the world have developed a wide range of supportive resources on assessment. Links to these sites found below. We encourage you to explore these sites.

University of Canberra

Other Resources

Grading Technique

PDF (27KB) A bit of fun.... Grading Techniques for each discipline

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