Summary of work to enhance the electronic management of assessment at Manchester Metropolitan University

1. Online Assessment | assessment lifecycle
Framework developed and
shared with wider community
via Jisc to encourage
stakeholder dialogue along the
assessment journey
Helped us tackle improvement
in bite-size chunks without
losing sight of whole

2. Online Assessment | product virtual organisation
Electronic Management of
Assessment (EMA) Project
established a virtual ‘product’
organisation across
Professional Services covering
key dimensions of
assessment:
• Policy
• Admin
• Technology
• Support
with
• links into Comms
• PVC Education sponsorship
& steering group leadership
• routes to committees to
make change stick

3. Online Assessment | steering group
EMA project established a
steering group and delivery
vehicle for multi-year
improvement of assessment
lifecycle – driving innovation in
policy, process & technology
and supporting revised
assessment practice
PVC
Education
Assistant
Registrar
Faculty
Head of Ed
Director of
Assessment
Management
TEL Systems
Business
Analyst
Project
Manager
Head of Uni
Teaching
Academy
Ass. Director
of IT &
TEL
VP Education
Student Union
Comms &
TEL support

4. Online Assessment | new organisation structure
New Assessment Management
department created through
restructure
Each Faculty (School) has
named contact(s) for
• Assessment Delivery
• Assessment Boards
Assessment Service Desk runs
a single-point-of-contact email
address into other teams
Assessment Delivery Team plan
& host exams, set up VLE
submissions, ensure PLPs are
acted on & liaise with Externals
Director of
Assessment Mgmt
Head of Assessment
Operations
Head of Assessment
Governance
Assessment
Service
Desk
Assessment
Delivery
Assessment
Systems
Academic
Integrity
&
Exceptional
Factors
Assessment
Boards
&
Progression
Mgmt
Assessment
Standards

5. Online Assessment | integrated VLE platform
MyMMU
MyTasks
2
MyIT Zones
MyMoodle
MyTimetable
MyExams
MyEmail MyLibrary
MyReading
MyPassword
MyCoursework MyFinance
MyFiles
MyAssignments
QLS
SSLIVE
PrestoCore
Integrated, institutional VLE
with areas for every module
provided our foundations
VLE partner develops, hosts &
supports + understands HE –
enabling us to commission
customisation of VLE
assessment tool with
confidence, knowing pain
points will be anticipated
Common identifiers used
across all systems for
modules, assessments, etc to
facilitate data sharing

6. Online Assessment | principles
Minimum burden
Consistent identifiers
Academic decisions by academics

7. Online Assessment | covid timeline
Month Focus
START University-wide VLE with personalised assessment & timetables + responsive IT partners
Mature IDAM & Helpline capabilities
Mature, well-embedded TEL function with good intelligence on staff & student experiences
Effective education leadership & centralised assessment support structures
JAN-20 Gold Incident Team formed (Wuhan ‘heads-up’)
FEB-20 Scenario planning: scale VLE, increase online assessment resilience & support remote working
MAR-20 Plan activated: ‘keep it simple’ async recommendation but some sync tool panic buying; rapid triage &
position communication – student access, alternative assessment, software licenses, TEL support &
training scaled up & new ways to engage with the team introduced
APR-20 Moodle VLE migrated to the cloud; Campus IT reallocated to boost digital education support; planning
started for coming year
MAY-20 Peaks in online assessment handled; block teaching and blended delivery scenarios explored & approach
approved; new timetable project deliverables reprioritised & hybrid timetable prototyped; formal Digital
Education Project mobilised

8. Online Assessment | covid adjustments
Steps Normal Covid
Module assessment specification
(elements/weightings)
Module Approval / Mods
‘Block’ rules
consistency + avoid over-assessment
Module assessment schedule
(submissions/types)
Annual Data Collection
‘Block’ assessment weeks
steer towards ‘alternative assessment’
to avoid high stakes/high risk
VLE preparation Standard
VLE boosted based on assessment week
scenario modelling
VLE assessment setup Central Assessment Team Central Assessment Team
Marking guidance Standard Contextualised marking
VLE assessment briefing & marking Module Teams Module Teams
VLE assessment incident handling
Standard monitoring
Helpline plus extension protocol
Extra assessment week monitoring
Helpline plus extension protocol
VLE marks & feedback release 4-week turnaround expected 4-week turnaround expected
Student records marks entry Semi-Automated – Central Team Semi-automated – Central Team