BOARDS OF EXAMINERS’ REVIEW Prof Chris LANGLEY Chair – RSC Dominic STONE Secretary – RSC 16 th November 2015 Slide 1

Programme for the session – Update and Key Topics, G – Discussion in Small Groups. Please discuss: Restarts – how, when and why. Placements – marks, examinations and condonement. AMAs. Waivers of Regulations. Exam Board Spreadsheets – Working Lunch, G – Plenary Feedback Session. Slide 2 BOARDS OF EXAMINERS’ REVIEW PROGRAMME FOR THE SESSION

Update on progress with recent changes Changes following the ROBED consultation. Areas of the General Regulations affected: Classification borderlines. Condonement. Exceptional circumstances. ROBED Implementation Group (RIG). Two RIG Working Groups established. Slide 3 BOARDS OF EXAMINERS’ REVIEW GENERAL UPDATE

Classification borderlines Changes for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught programmes. Undergraduate Taught Programmes: Based on contributing “units”. Transition arrangements in place until Award data monitored by RIG – reported to RSC. Postgraduate Programmes: Introduction of borderline for postgraduate taught programmes. Transition arrangements not necessary. Slide 4 BOARDS OF EXAMINERS’ REVIEW GENERAL UPDATE

Condonement Changes for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught programmes. Minimum thresholds (UG and PGT): Increasing the minimum thresholds for condonement to 35% for undergraduate modules (levels 4, 5 and 6) and to 45% for integrated Master’s and postgraduate modules (level 7). Undergraduate Programmes: 60 credits in total across all stages of a Batchelor’s programme. 80 credits in total across all stages of an integrated Master’s programme. Transition arrangements in place – rolling through for entrants. Slide 5 BOARDS OF EXAMINERS’ REVIEW GENERAL UPDATE

Exceptional circumstances Claims of ECs which are judged to meet University Regulations should be addressed at the level of the module/assessment concerned whenever possible. “Unspent” ECs: If there are ‘unspent’ ECs and there is evidence of reasonable performance elsewhere the Board may decide to increase the borderline band for degree classification/grading, taking account the learning outcomes of the programme. If there are ‘unspent’ ECs Boards may wish to allow a failed assessment to be attempted as if for the first time, or, to accept a scaled module mark based on completed components based on a mapping of the module learning outcomes against the assessments. ECs that meet University Regulations should not be addressed using condonement. It is in the student interest to ensure module learning outcomes are achieved. Slide 6 BOARDS OF EXAMINERS’ REVIEW GENERAL UPDATE

ROBED Implementation Group (RIG) Sub-Group of RSC with cross-School input Establishment and function: Set-up by RSC after Senate’s approval of ROBED recommendations. Role: to oversee and monitor the implementation of the changes to the Regulations. Establishment of two Working Groups: RIG Exceptional Circumstances Review of Student Guide and submission form. Support for Boards of Examiners. New Programme Board Spreadsheets. Slide 7 BOARDS OF EXAMINERS’ REVIEW GENERAL UPDATE

Highlighted by the implementation of the ROBED project. Restarts – how, when and why How do Schools use a Restart within the Regulations: GR – UG/IM – Regulation #1.16 Restart Assessments. Restarting a Stage normally requires full attendance and all modules must be retaken. Existing credits from previous attempts at this Stage will be set aside. Restart assessments are not allowed in the case of final Stage modules. Implication on farness with regard to other students. Implication on attempt number. Slide 8 BOARDS OF EXAMINERS’ REVIEW TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

Condonement – Currently condonement of the placement year is not permitted – what are the implications on components a, b and c? Marks, examinations and condonement. Placements (1) Marks, examinations and condonement. Examinations – How do Schools handle failed/referred placement examinations? Marks – How do Schools handle marks from different institutions? Slide 9 BOARDS OF EXAMINERS’ REVIEW TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

Component c - independent feedback on students’ performance while on placement. This should incorporate views from employers (normally for work placements), tutors (normally for study placements) and reports of visits by University staff. Pass/Fail or grading structure (pass/merit/distinction). Placements (2) Assessment covered by the General Regulations. Slide 10 Component a - a continuous reflective account by the student of the placement experience. Pass/Fail or grading structure (pass/merit/distinction). Component b - an analytical account of the placement experience by the student, which allow summative academic assessment of students’ achievement of the expected placement learning outcome(s) e.g. essay, completion of academic modules at another institution, oral presentation, poster presentation. Pass/Fail, grading structure (pass/merit/distinction) or numerical mark. BOARDS OF EXAMINERS’ REVIEW TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

Referral and condonement – What do Schools do with regard to failure in AMAs? Do we need more definitive Regulations for AMAs? How do Schools use AMAs and what issues arise. AMAs Recommendation of awards – How do Schools process the marks and make awards of AMAs? Use – How do AMAs articulate with any core programmes? Slide 11 BOARDS OF EXAMINERS’ REVIEW TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

Review and monitoring – RSC reviews requests for Waivers of Regulations and suggests changes to the General Regulations if a particular Regulation is causing a problem. Use of the Waiver system. Waivers of Regulations How to apply – Do Schools know what information is required to apply for a Waiver, who can do it and where it goes? Advice – Do Schools know how to get advice on applying for Waivers? Slide 12 BOARDS OF EXAMINERS’ REVIEW TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

Review of implementation – RSC is interested in feedback on the new Examination Board Spreadsheets. New Examination Board Spreadsheets following ROBED. Examination Board Spreadsheets External Examiners – Some feedback to date from the External Examiners – main points centre around “missing” information which is actually found elsewhere. Aim – To provide Boards of Examiners the necessary information in order to be able to make decisions on progression and recommendations of awards. Slide 13 BOARDS OF EXAMINERS’ REVIEW TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

Future work for RSC RSC will or has already set up a number of working groups. The Future of the Ordinary Degree – RSC will be interested in hearing views. Chair – Professor Chris LANGLEY (Chair, RSC). Regulations on the placement year – Working group to look at the regulations for the placement year. Informed by parts of today’s discussion. Chair – Dr Carol MARLEY (Vice-Chair RSC). Aston Medical School – Working group to look at the impact on the Regulations of Aston Medical School and specifically the MBChB programme. Chair – Dr Gary SIMPSON. Slide 14 BOARDS OF EXAMINERS’ REVIEW General Regulations for Flexible Programmes – Set up following a number of requests for Exemptions from the Regulations. Chair – Professor Chris LANGLEY (Chair, RSC). GENERAL UPDATE

BOARDS OF EXAMINERS’ REVIEW Prof Chris LANGLEY Chair – RSC Dominic STONE Secretary – RSC 16 th November 2015 Slide 15