External Examiners’ Briefing Thursday 5th January 2017
Outline of the session Role and Responsibilities Annual Report Support and information Regulatory Frameworks Examination Boards Failure & reassessment Mitigating Circumstances, Cheating and Appeals
Role of the External Examiner 1 Key role in QA&E mechanisms: independence and objectivity Maintenance of threshold standards Ensuring rigour and fairness of assessment Comparability of standards and student achievements Identification of good practice and innovations Opportunities to enhance student experience
Role of the External Examiner 2 Moderation of assessments and marks Attendance at Examination Board Endorsement of outcomes Providing annual report and advice on proposed changes
Role of the External Examiner 3 Review samples of student work (and practice) Review module grade profiles Review assessment tasks Comment on course and /or module amendments Meet with course team, and students Right to provide confidential report to VC and to access QAA concerns scheme
Moderation of marked work UW Assessment Policy Internal moderation processes: transparency External moderation through the year/in advance of exam board meetings 15% of each element of assessment across all grade bands at least 6 pieces of work; not normally more than 25 module outline, examination papers and/or assessment briefs and assessment and grade criteria provisional statistical profile of marks for the modules/sites of delivery moderation and endorsement not arbitration
External Examiner Report Template provided Due 3 weeks after final exam board Initial response within 8 weeks from course leader to issues raised Feeds into annual evaluation process and action plan Shared with students University Executive considers any resource issues; ASQEC institutional issues raised Formal response to institutional issues raised Jan/Feb Overview report to Academic Board
Support and information UW Handboook http://www.worc.ac.uk/aqu/documents/EE_handbook_final.pdf QAA Quality Code The Higher Education Academy, Guidance on External Examining AQU: (Margaret Chaffey and Jennifer Marsh ) for practical arrangements Course Leader: Exam Board dates and moderation schedule Annual Evaluation Report/response