Marking Guidance Flexible Formats

Note: This guide is adapted from work done by Latrobe University and Federation University. It is not official University of Melbourne policy but is provided as a guide to assessment design and re-design and a baseline for discussion on student workload aligned to assessment weighting and marking time.

UDL Rationale: Provide Flexible Assessment Task Formats

• Action: Offer multiple assessment methods for individual assessment tasks to cater to diverse strengths.
• Example: Allow students to choose between a written report, an oral presentation, or a video submission in a single assignment submission.
• When: Handbook Change
• How:
  • Provide different submission options but a clear holistic rubric that focuses on the demonstration of the required skills and knowledge and not skills particular to the format (presentation skills, spelling etc.)
  • Use aligned assessment weightings to align the student effort required for different formats and standardise marking
• Reference: Bunbury, S. (2020) https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2018.1503347

Practical Guidance for Managing Marking Load with Diverse Submission Formats

1. Standardise Rubrics Across Formats

• Create a Unified Rubric: Develop a single rubric that can be applied to all formats (essay, video, presentation). Ensure that the criteria focus on core learning outcomes rather than the medium of submission.
  • Example Criteria: Content accuracy, depth of analysis, clarity of communication, originality, and adherence to guidelines.
  • Benefit: This ensures consistency in marking and reduces the cognitive load of switching between different rubrics.

2. Set course-wide assessment word limits

• Example: The total amount of assessment that students complete in a course should not exceed 5000 words (where 500 words = 10% weighting)
• Benefit:

3. Standardise weighting across a course

• Example: All assessment weightings should be in increments of 10 (eg 10, 20, 40 not 5, 14, 35 etc)
• Example: No single assessment will be valued at more than 50% weighting of a total subject grade
• Benefit: Simplifies marking and rubric calculations, consistent expectations across students and markers

4. Implement Peer and Self-Assessment

• Incorporate Peer Review: Allow students to review each other’s work based on a simplified version of the rubric.
  • Guidelines: Provide clear instructions and training on how to give constructive feedback.
  • Benefit: Encourages deeper learning and reduces academic marking load.
• Self-Assessment: Have students submit a self-assessment using the rubric before final submission.
  • Benefit: Helps students critically evaluate their own work, which can lead to higher quality submissions and reduce grading time.

5. Schedule Staggered Deadlines

• Stagger Submission Dates: Assign different due dates for different formats.
  • Example: Essays due in Week 8, videos due in Week 9, presentations due in Week 10.
  • Benefit: Distributes the marking load over a longer period, making it more manageable.

6. Use a Team-Based Approach

• Divide the Marking Load: If possible, divide the marking load among multiple markers (e.g., teaching assistants, co-instructors).
  • Training and Calibration: Ensure all markers are trained and calibrated to use the rubric consistently.
  • Benefit: Reduces the burden on any single academic and increases consistency in grading.

7. Provide Clear Guidelines for Each Format

• Set Clear Expectations: Provide detailed guidelines and examples for each format to ensure students understand the requirements.
  • Example Documents: Provide sample essays, videos, and presentations.
  • Benefit: Reduces the number of queries and clarifications needed during the marking process.

8. Allocate Time Effectively

• Block Out Marking Time: Schedule dedicated time blocks for marking each type of submission.
  • Example Schedule: Block out mornings for essays, afternoons for videos, etc.
  • Benefit: Helps maintain focus and efficiency.

9. Offer Formative Feedback Early

• Early Feedback Sessions: Provide opportunities for formative feedback before the final submission.
  • Example: Draft submissions or progress presentations with brief feedback.
  • Benefit: Improves the quality of final submissions, potentially reducing marking time.

10. Utilise Rubric-Based Feedback

• Rubric-Based Comments: Use the rubric to provide structured feedback.
  • Example: Pre-write common feedback phrases that align with rubric criteria.
  • Benefit: Speeds up the feedback process and ensures consistency.

11. Consider Alternative Assessment Methods

• Alternative Assessments: Implement alternative assessment methods such as portfolio assessments that compile multiple smaller tasks.
  • Example: A portfolio submission that includes written reflections, project plans, and a final product.
  • Benefit: Provides a holistic view of student learning and can reduce the number of separate assessments to mark

Weighting for Student Workload

Considerations for student workload

When designing assessment tasks within courses and the program overall, it is important to consider the overall workload for students including:

(1) How long will it take students to complete and submit each assessment task?

(2) How much time per week will most students have available for assessment?

(3) How many assessment tasks do students have in other subjects?

(4) When are all the assessments due (in all the student’s courses)?

Calculation of workload should also include all aspects of learning such as:

• Class contact time (including lectures, tutorials, seminars, workshops, laboratories etc)
• Reading (with consideration of both the amount of reading and the degree of difficulty)
• Note taking
• Field work
• Practicum Learning
• Online work (online discussion forums)
• Discussion of topics and issues with peers and faculty
• Engaging in collaborative group work
• Skills practice
• Project work
• Assessments (written, oral, online)
• Preparation for and sitting tests and examinations
• Time for reflection and/or journal writing