External Examiners Induction Edge Hill University Tuesday 15th January 2019 Room B003, Business School Ormskirk Campus

0845-0930 Registration and refreshments 0930-1015 Welcome and housekeeping; The role of the external examiner (Tony Turjansky, Director of Quality Assurance) 1015-1100 Introduction to Assessment and Standards followed by Group activity (1) – The external examiner’s report (Professor Mark Schofield, Dean of Teaching and Learning Development) 1100-1115 Refreshments 1115-1215 Group activity (2) – Moderation: Practical Scenarios (Dr Chris Lawton, Academic Quality Officer, Monitoring and Development) 1215-1245 Questions and discussion (panel session): Tony Turjansky, Director of Quality Assurance; Professor Mark Schofield, Dean of Teaching and Learning Development; Helen Smallbone, Academic Registrar; Dr Chris Lawton, Academic Quality Officer, Monitoring and Development 1245-1300 External examiner administration (Leoni Stanton, External Examiners Administrator) followed by LUNCH 1345-1630 Department meetings

Director of Quality Assurance The Role of the External Examiner Tony Turjansky, Director of Quality Assurance

HE providers appoint external examiners who are: Qualified Experienced and familiar with the assessment process and national degree reference points (QAA) Esteemed (by their peers) Independent Objective

HE providers use external examiners to verify that: Academic standards set during programme validation are and remain appropriate in relation to national degree reference points: Framework for Higher Education Qualifications degree level descriptors Subject Benchmark Statements (where available) Professional body standards and competencies (where applicable)

HE providers use external examiners to verify that: The academic standards set by HE providers meet or exceed national minimum threshold standards (Pass) and are broadly comparable with other providers above the threshold (3rd, 2.2, 2.1, 1st) Students are achieving the standards set for them through the relevant assessment of Intended Learning Outcomes that are appropriate to the subject and level of study

HE providers use external examiners to verify that: Assessment is conducted in relation to defined marking criteria and the provider’s own regulations Internal moderation and standardisation secure the fairness and consistency of assessment decisions across markers Summative written feedback is of high quality and aligned with marking criteria and the grades awarded to students

External examiners do: Comment on good practice and innovation they have observed in relation to the provider’s learning, teaching and assessment Comment on opportunities to enhance the quality of learning opportunities for the provider’s students

External examiners don’t: Impose their own thoughts, values and practices on others Seek to change a provider’s regulations (although they may comment on them critically and constructively)

Question 1 How do you think that staff whose courses are examined perceive an external examiner? Please rank the following in order of importance, where 1 represents the highest level of importance An authority in the subject An authority in quality assurance A peer A critical friend A nuisance Other

The national view External examiners believed they were perceived as (in rank order) Critical Friend Authority on the subject Peer Authority in quality assurance HE Academy (2017)

Our survey said… How do you think that staff whose courses are examined perceive an external examiner? An authority in the subject X An authority in quality assurance A peer A critical friend A nuisance X Other EHU, 2019

Question 2 Considering your current view of the role of the external examiner, please state to what extent you agree with the following statement: “A critical aspect of the external examiner's role should be to act as  a ‘process-checker’  to ensure assessment procedures and practices have been carried out fairly and according to regulations".

National picture: Role and process checking 45% of external examiners thought the role has been reduced to ‘process checking’ HE Academy, 2017

Our survey said… xx% of you thought the role has been reduced to ‘process checking’ EHU, 2019

Question 3 Considering your current view of the role of the External Examiner, please state to what extent you agree with the following statement: “The most important aspect of the external examiner's role should be to ensure comparability of assessment standards between universities"

Our survey said… xx% of you agreed that the most important aspect of the external examiner's role should be to ensure comparability of assessment standards xx% of you disagreed EHU, 2019

Question 4 Considering your current view of the role of the external examiner, please state to what extent you agree with the following statement: "The external examiner has made a positive contribution to the quality of the programmes I teach"

Our survey said… xx% of you agreed that external examiners make a positive contribution to teaching within programmes xx% of you disagreed EHU, 2019

Question 5 Considering your current view of the role of the external examiner, to whom do you consider they are primarily responsible? Academic staff contributing to the programme Head of department (or equivalent) Senior management of the institution Students Employers Professional body Office for Students/ the Quality Assurance Agency The University Other (please define below)

National Picture: external examiners’ perception of their primary responsibility to:

Our survey said… Academic staff contributing to the programme xx% Head of department (or equivalent) Senior management of the institution Students Employers Professional body Office for Students/ the Quality Assurance Agency The University Other EHU, 2019