Evidence-based evaluation of student and marker performances in assessment and examination.

Abstract

Students are assessed by coursework and/or exams, all of which are marked by assessors (markers). Student and marker performances are then subject to end-of-session board of examiner handling and analysis. This occurs annually and is the basis for evaluating students but also the wider learning and teaching efficiency of an academic institution. However, this scrutiny may not be standardized and may differ between institutions and between different study programs and boards of examiners inside the same institution, as well as between sessions. This article aims to suggest a framework for this scrutiny, with provided examples, recommendations, and suggested practices to establish an approach that quantitatively and with statistical methods analyzes performance of both students and markers in a standardized, unified, and transparent manner and that may be employed across subjects and disciplines. The basis for this is accepted and rigorous suitable statistical methods that enable a comparison whereby performance of the student and the associated marking of the student's coursework and examinations in any given course are compared to the same student's performance in comparator courses, which thus establishes whether student or marking performance is comparable to the norm established by and for that student. This measures accuracy, reliability, and consistency of the marking process. The benefit of this is that it identifies strengths and weaknesses in assessment and examination practice, provides evidence to inform decision-making, tracks progress over time, and establishes institutional standards that thereby provide accountability. This establishes good practice in the process of assessment and examination.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Core to their education mission is that colleges and universities scrutinize assessment and examination via boards of examiners, but this scrutiny has no set standard or protocol. This article gives principles and practical recommendations, with examples, for how this scrutiny could or should be carried out, in a manner that establishes accountability and good practice that study programs and boards of examiners in education may utilize, to improve educational practice.