Following intensive consultation with both staff and students during 2020 and 2021, a revised Assessment Policy suite was approved on 25 August 2021 by Academic Board.
Assessment is an integral part of La Trobe’s academic activity and an essential component of the learning process. Changes to the policy aim to support students through:
- more flexible and culturally sensitive provisions for Special Consideration
- improved alignment with the rest of the university sector in assessment practices
- a formal application for a re-mark allowing for recording of grounds and outcomes
- a university-wide submission time for all assessments
- changes to the design of significant group assessment tasks
- changes to maximum weightings of assessment items.
The revised Policy will be effective for all subjects commencing on or after 1 November 2021.
For all subjects that commence before that time, the previous policies apply (the previous policies are accessible via the ‘Historic Versions’ tab in the Policy Library).
The revised policy suite includes:
- Assessment Policy
- Assessment Procedure – Adjustments to Assessment
- Assessment Procedure – Examinations
- Assessment Schedule – Examination Rules for Students
- Assessment Procedure – Validation and Moderation
- Assessment Schedule – Grades and Administrative Codes
- Assessment Standards
Key changes from November 1 include:
- More flexible provisions for Special Consideration – you can apply any time in advance, and up to 5 days after the due date for any unforeseen circumstances that will disrupt your ability to complete an assessment task.
- Some changes to conditions for extension requests – you can request an extension of up to 5 days using the Request for Extension Form. If you need more than 5 days, you should consider whether you are eligible for Special Consideration.
- Tighter eligibility criteria for the award of Conceded Passes (CP) – from November 1, a Conceded Pass may only be awarded in the final 60 points of your course (already enrolled students may still be eligible even if they have already received one or more CPs).
- Changes to process and outcomes for requests for a re-mark – an application form for a formal remark (which may be requested if needed following an informal review with the original marker) is being developed. From 1 November a lower mark is a possible outcome of a formal remark so you need to carefully check the grounds for any application.
- Changes to assessment submission time – a University-wide submission time of 11.59pm (or 12.00am where systems do not allow 11.59pm) for all assessments, unless they are practice-based, will apply from 1 November.
Longer-term changes:
Between now and the end of 2022 subjects will be progressively updated to reflect the following changes:
- A tighter definition of what constitutes an exam – only invigilated assessment tasks held in the formal examination period will be known as exams. Exams will be held in accordance with the new Examination Procedure.
- Changes to the design of significant group assessment tasks – group tasks worth more than 50% must enable individual students to demonstrate their achievement of the learning outcomes.
- Changes to maximum weightings of assessment items – by the end of 2022, no assessment task (unless it is a major portfolio) can be worth more than 60% of the total marks available, and ‘simple’ multiple-choice tasks may not make up more than 40% of the total marks (see the Assessment Standards).
Subject guides and websites will be updated to reflect key changes prior to the effective dates.