Electronic Precinct - February 1996

Curriculum Design, Content and Organisation; Teaching, Learning and Assessment; Student Progression and Achievement; Student Support and Guidance; Learning Resources and Quality Assurance and Enhancement.The grading scale is 1-4 with 4 representing full attainment of the objectives set for that aspect of the profile by the department concerned. One or more grade 1 marks in the profile automatically trigger a re-assessment, as major shortcomings have been identified in meeting the relevant objectives.

There is now a forward programme to December 2001 for the assessment of all remaining subject areas and details were sent to all heads of departments last year. It is probable that from some point in 1997 there will be further national changes affecting both the systems for assessing teaching within individual departments and the systems for auditing university-wide methods of quality assurance.

A national working party has begun work this month on the creation of one system combining both assessment and audit. Present information indicates that the changes could be in the form of a review of each university every five or six years to audit its quality assurance systems and to evaluate all the teaching reviews the university has conducted during the period since the last review. Universities would be required to use external assessors to conduct the teaching reviews and the timing of the reviews of a particular subject might remain a matter for national decision.

So assessment of teaching has changed and will continue to change but will not go away!

For further information please contact the Quality Assurance Unit in Senate House (Extension 2059).