Reading guide Assessment framework 2023-2028 for lecturers and examiners

Introduction

The new TU Delft Assessment Framework 2023-2028 has been approved and established by the Executive Board (EB, College van Bestuur, CVB). This Assessment Framework describes the quality requirements that assessment within TU Delft must meet. The roles and tasks of those involved in assessment are also described. It is important for lecturers and examiners to know exactly which roles and tasks they have in the entire assessment process. This reading guide provides a clear and concise summary of the Assessment Framework and highlights these roles and tasks. Where necessary, the text will refer to relevant chapters of the Assessment Framework or relevant documents.

1. Definitions

a. In the assessment framework “Assessment” is defined as follows:
“An assessment is an educational activity during which individual students demonstrate how well they master the learning objectives of a course, and during which their performance is measured. This information is shared with students to steer and/or evaluate their learning” (page 5)

A number of important aspects emerge from this definition (chapters 1.1 and 1.2):
- Assessment is an educational activity: This means that an assessment is not a standalone activity 
  and must be embedded in education. Constructive alignment between learning objectives, 
  assessment and learning activities is the starting point.
- The student demonstrates how well they master the learning objectives. This means that during an 
  assessment it must be determined whether the students have achieved the learning objectives. The 
  assessment should be based on the learning objectives and not on the content of the education 
  provided.
- The assessment steers and/or evaluates the learning of the students: This means that the 
  assessment also has a feedback function. The student learns from the assessment (assessment for 
  learning), which also controls the learning process. In addition, the lecturer also learns from the 
  assessment results, e.g. why is it that students answer certain assessment questions poorly? The 
  lecturer can adjust the content of the classroom activities or the method of instruction based on  
  this.

b. Assessment types/methods
The definition of assessment includes all assessment types/methods: written assessments, digital assessments, oral assessments, assignments, projects, skills assessments, thesis, presentations, essays, papers, assignments (table 2, page 34, and table 3, page 34).

c. Formative and summative assessments
The assessment framework distinguishes between formative and summative assessments (pages 15 and 16). Formative assessments do not influence the grade of a course and is meant to give students feedback on how well they currently master the learning objectives and what steps they still need to take to improve before the summative assessment at end of the course. Formative assessment counts as such 
1) if the assessment is at the level of the learning objectives, 
2) if the performance of students during the activity does not count for the course grade or passing the course and if the activity is voluntary, 
3) if students receive structured feedback on the assessment criteria or learning objectives; 
4) if students are able and stimulated to use the feedback in consecutive learning activities and summative assessments.
An assessment for which the score Pass/No Pass or GO/NO GO is given is therefore a summative assessment. Interim assignments that a student must submit and for which bonus points are awarded are also summative assessments. Providing feedback on an intermediate product or a draft of a thesis are examples of formative assessments.
 

2. Quality requirements of assessments

The framework describes 28 “conditions” that assessments within TU Delft must meet (pages 9 to 12). The intention is that both each individual assessment and the entire programme assessment plan meet these quality criteria (chapters 1.1 and 1.2). This means that everyone involved in designing assessments must take these criteria into account.
The most important aspects of these criteria are:
a. Fair: 
This means that every assessment must be valid, reliable and transparent.
Valid: you assess whether the students have achieved the learning objectives. A tool for this is an assessment matrix or consistency check table;
Reliable: your assessment is constructed in such a way that it provides a reliable picture of the level of knowledge/skills of the students. The result of the assessment should not depend on the lecturer who assesses. You can achieve this through a good construction of assessment questions and assignments and clear answer models and rubrics. When using rubrics, it is important that the assessors are informed about their use, for example in a calibration session. It is important that the 4-eye principle is applied when designing and grading assessments;
Transparent: students have been informed from the start of the course about the way in which they will be assessed. Sample questions or sample assignments are available or there is a practice exercise. Interim feedback is given for assignments. The assessment should not be a surprise to the students.
b. Meaningful
For learning: the assessment must give the student and the lecturer insight into the student's learning process. Did the student achieve the learning objectives or not? What do the student and lecturer learn from this assessment?
For life: The assessment methods, and/or cases/topics are relevant and authentic, i.e. represent real or realistic cases from the graduates’ professional careers, have explicit relevance for future courses, and reflect the diversity of the (global) work field, its employees and society at large.
c. Feasible:
Can the students prepare and complete the assessment in the allotted time?
Have the diverse (cultural) backgrounds of the students been taken into account?
Have students with special needs been taken into account?
Do the lecturers/examiners/assessors have enough time, tools and support to review and design the assessment?

Further information/tools to further shape the above criteria into an assessment can be found on the teacher support website: https://www.tudelft.nl/teaching-support/didactics/assess 

3. Role of lecturers/examiners in quality assurance of assessments

Examiners are responsible for the quality of the assessment, the assessment instructions, the grading of the assessment, registering the students' results in Osiris and the evaluation of assessments. They follow an assessment cycle (figure 6, pages 24, 25, 26). An examiner must meet certain requirements and is appointed by the board of examiners. If you have been appointed as an examiner, you will have received an email from the board of examiners about this.
It is important for lecturers/examiners to know at which levels they are involved in ensuring the quality of assessments. The framework contains a number of so-called “building blocks”. Each “block” indicates at which level in the organization the quality of assessments is monitored. Lecturers and examiners are involved in the “blocks”: “Course assessment plan” and “Assessment” (figure 1, page 5, chapter 1.3, and chapters 4.3 and 4.4).
 

4. Relationship with stakeholders involved

The framework details all roles/tasks of those involved in assessments (Introduction and summary and table 1, page 8 and figure 10, page 57, chapter 5).
As a lecturer/examiner you have to deal with:
a.  Programme directors: They are responsible for a coherent education and testing programme. This can provide guidelines/advice to lecturers/examiners regarding the type/method and content of an assessment;
b.  The board of examiners: They guarantee the quality of the assessments of a course and the assessment programme. This board can provide advice regarding improving an assessment and/or a programme assessment plan;
c. The faculty student council. This can also provide advice regarding  assessments;
d. The faculty educational adviser/assessment adviser, who can provide advice regarding the design and improvement of assessments and assessment programmes.
 

5. Relevant documents

The following documents are particularly relevant for lecturers and examiners (chapter 2.1 and figure 8, page 25 and appendix B)
a. The faculty assessment policy. This can be found on the faculty website.
b. The Teaching and Examination Regulations (TER). The TER regulates all possible matters relating to education, and examinations. This sets out in detail all rights and obligations of both parties (students and faculty/lecturers). Agreements regarding the opportunity to review assessed work, marking periods and resits can also be found here. Each faculty has its own TER. This can be found on the faculty website.
c. The Rules and Guidelines of the board of examiners. These describe the tasks and (legal) powers of the board of examiners, applying for exemptions, submitting requests, objections and complaints, dealing with fraud and the role a lecturer/examiner plays in this.
d. The Rules of procedures for examinations (reglement van orde bij tentamens, RvO):
e. The student chapter
f. The study guide and course information on Brightspace

6. Help and further information

a. For help and explanation regarding this framework, please contact:
    - The educational advisor/ assessment adviser of your faculty;
    - The board of examiners of your faculty;
   -  The assessment adviser of Teaching & Learning Services; 
b. Further information about designing education and assessments can be found on the teaching support website: https://www.tudelft.nl/teaching-support/didactics/assess