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External Examiner Induction (Nov 2014)
1. Welcome and Induction event
for
new External Examiners
Academic Quality and Development
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2. Introducing ourselves to one another
• One phrase per post it
• Fast and furious
• Three starter phrases
• Please stick your post
its on flip chart paper
around the room
• 5 minutes
2
3. Starter phrases…
Please write off-the-cuff thoughts and jottings to
complete these starters:
• Being an external examiner will involve….
• I am unsure about …
• The special ‘edge’ I bring to the role is…
3
4. Post-it and poster cruising….
• Spend five minutes
reading each other’s
post its
• Chat about what
resonates, strikes you or
you find surprising.
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5. Aims of the presentation
Having introduced ourselves to one another we shall cover:
• The Winchester Academic Quality and Development
infrastructure
• Distinctive features of the Learning and Teaching culture at
Winchester
• Your role as a Winchester external examiner
• The Annual Report: how to complete it and what happens to it.
5
6. The Winchester Academic Quality and
Development infrastructure
– Academic Quality and Development issues reside with
Senate Academic Development Committee (SADC) on
behalf of Senate
– Academic Quality and Development, combining
Quality Office and Learning and Teaching
Development, supports SADC and works across the
University
– Policy and procedures for quality assurance are set
out in the Quality and Standards online Handbook
– The role of the L&T Strategy
– Faculty Academic Development Committees
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7. Academic Quality and Development infrastructure
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SENATE
Senate Academic Development
Committee
(receives EE summary)
Research Degrees
Quality Committee
(Annual Research
Report)
Faculty Academic
Development
Committee (Faculty
Annual Report)
Programmes:
•APEs
•Module Feedback &
Evaluation
•PCMs
8. Distinctive features of the Learning and
Teaching culture at Winchester
1) Decisions based on the kind of place we are
2) TESTA Effects from ‘Transforming the
Experience of students through Assessment’
3) Systematic steers
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9. The kind of place we are…
• Personal
• Lots of assessment which is public facing
• Emphasis on students’ development
• Being known
• Professionalism
Non-anonymous marking
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11. TESTA Effects
• Emphasis on formative tasks
• Growth in authentic, public domain assessment
tasks (blogs, posters, conference presentations,
films etc.)
• Linked cycles of formative to summative
• Streamlining and scaling back varieties
• Scaling down summative tasks
• Movement towards programmatic assessment
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12. Systematic Steers
1. Away from examinations (academic calendar)
2. Typed feedback
3. Increasing use of audio and screencast
feedback
4. Moving towards a single mode of e-
submission 2015/16 but no plans to
introduce online marking as the standard
5. Challenging traditional educational
paradigms – the ‘facts first’ approach
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13. Your role as a Winchester external
examiner
Your role will include:
• Monitoring academic standards and assessment processes
• Reporting on the standards of awards, levels of student performance and the
soundness and fairness of assessment processes
• Commenting on the standards of awards and student performance in comparison
with equivalent HEIs
• Commenting on responses to action points raised in previous reports
• Contributing to any Interim Validation process.
achieved through:
monitoring the moderation process (Moderation of Assessed Work Policy)
consideration of assessment tasks
receiving samples of assessed work throughout the year (possibly electronically)
attending the Exam Board
working with the Quality Office
Any additional support, e.g. mentor system
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14. Your role as a Winchester external examiner
Another key role is to contribute to the academic
development of the programme (and the University)
within the context of our L&T culture.
Your role as a critical friend is achieved through:
Commendations and Recommendations in your
Annual Report
Pre-Exam Board meetings on the day
Building up a relationship with the programme team
over the term of your office (4 years)
Attendance of Induction Event
Any additional support, e.g. mentor system
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15. Your role as a Winchester external
examiner
Sources of information:
http://www.winchester.ac.uk/aboutus/academicquality/Pages/academ
icquality.aspx
• Introduction to Quality Office
• Academic Infrastructure
• Collaborative Provision Information
• External Examiners
• External Review/Audit Outcomes
• Programme Specifications
• PSRB Register
http://www.winchester.ac.uk/Freedomofinformation/Publicdocuments
/Pages/Publicdocuments.aspx
• Regulations and Policies underpinning our teaching
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16. Collaborative Programmes
• External Examiners for Collaborative Programmes
may attend Exam Boards at Winchester or at the
partner.
• Will liaise with a Programme Leader from the
Partner and an Academic Liaison Officer, based at
Winchester.
• Will be sent a copy of the Memorandum of
Agreement with the appointment letter.
• See section 8 of the Policy for additional
requirements.
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Editor's Notes
Introductions
Refer to Policy and Procedures for External Examiners of Taught Programmes
Refer to Winchester’s regulations
ASC has devolved responsibilities from Senate. Detail representatives, including student reps
QMO responsibilities and who we are
QAH handbook currently on Intranet.
4 faculties – name them.
Programme Amendment – you will be advised of changes (such as new modules). Externals of Collaborative Programmes will have the chance to comment on amendments
Larger amendments form Interim Validation – external involved in this process
Revalidation – every 6 years. EE not member of panel, but revalidation will have taken account of advice and reports from EE.
EE summary (good practice and areas of concern) received by ASC. Updated as Masters come on board.
ASC has action plan – sent to all EEs.
Programme Committee considers EE report (student reps)
Moderation of Assessed Work
Report asks you to comment whether methods and balance of assessment is appropriate in measuring student achievement in relation to the learning outcomes
Samples: not normally first year work (Level 4) in 3 year programme
Should include work which has been double marked and work which has not
Should include supporting materials such as module handbook (which includes aims, learning outcomes and assessments etc)
If you are unhappy with the extent/nature of the sample, please say so asap and don’t wait until your annual report (but can be mentioned)
Samples of work to be sent throughout the year.
More detail on page 5 of EE Policy (4.3)
Location of Exam board to be confirmed in the Roles and Responsibilities form, sent out with the initial appointment letter.