Language Testing and Assessment PG (11385.1)

Required texts

Required textbook:

Brown, H. D., & Abeywickrama, P. (2019). Language assessment: Principles and classroom practices (3rd ed.). Pearson Education. (Available as Ebook at the UC Library)

Also recommended:

Hughes, A. (2020). Testing for language teachers (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press.

The textbooks are available for borrowing at the UC library. Additional resources will be made available via the Reading List on the unit Canvas site. Participants are advised to begin reading the required texts before the start of the teaching block.

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

All assessment items required to be submitted online must be submitted via the appropriate Canvas drop box. It is the student's responsibility to upload the correct and corresponding draft or assessment item to the right submission section. Assignments must be submitted in a format accessible to the assessor(s), as stated on the relevant canvas site. If the unit convener and/or tutor are unable to access a submission, or if no submission has been made by the due date and time, a standard late penalty of 10% of the total marks possible for the task may be applied per day, for three days, after which the submission will receive a score of ‘0' in keeping with UC's Assessment Policy.

Special assessment requirements

- Students must complete every assessment item in order to pass the unit. Normally an aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the unit.

- Students should keep a copy of any assessment item that has been submitted.

- Moderation is used in the TESOL courses to maintain agreed standards in the assessment of student work through a valid, consistent and transparent process, in line with the UC Assessment Policy. Sample assignments at different grade levels will be moderated for each assessment item in each unit. All assignments that receive a mark of 45 or more but less than 50 percent will also be moderated. In addition, if a student receives an overall mark close to a grade boundary, their assignments will be moderated before their final result is released.

 - If there is any doubt with regard to the requirements of any particular assignments or assessment procedure, the onus for clarifying the issue rests with the student who should contact the lecturer about the matter.

- Provision of valid documentation

Please note that the University takes student conduct very seriously. All documentation provided to University staff must be valid and the provision of fraudulent documentation carries with it potentially serious consequences, including suspension and/or exclusion from the University. Note that all allegations of student misconduct will be referred to the Associate Dean for Education (ADE) as a prescribed authority for investigation.

Formatting requirements

• Please respect the word limit as indicated in the unit outline/Canvas site.
• Written assignments are to be typed: 1.5 or double-spaced (but may vary in the test itself), size 12 Times New Roman, margin: default.
• Use page numbering.
• Check your work carefully for spelling and grammatical errors.
• Appendixes should be added at the end of your assignment and should be numbered.
• References should be organised based on the APA style (7th ed.): https://canberra.libguides.com/referencing/apa
• References should include only works which have been cited in the main text or appendices.

Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.

Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.

UC students have to complete the Academic Integrity Module annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).

UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.

Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.

Learner engagement

Students are expected to devote ten hours a week for the completion of the unit and the remaining hours can be allocated to unit related tasks based on students' preference and need. The following breakdown is suggested:

Reading relevant sources: 40 hours

Preparation for assessment: 50 hours;

Engagement in synchronous and asynchronous activities: 60 hours;

Participation requirements

Your participation in online activities will enhance your understanding of the unit content and therefore the quality of your assessment responses. Lack of participation may result in your inability to satisfactorily pass assessment items.

Required IT skills

Students are expected to have word processing and IT skills to allow them to fully engage in the unit through Canvas and to complete their assessment. This includes basic word processing skills, engagement in Canvas activities, posting messages, uploading video and audio files, uploading assignments, and using the library catalogue and library databases. Students should ensure they have access to a computer and α safe workspace to complete the online activities.

Artificial intelligence services must not to be used for assessment or assessment preparation by students unless explicitly allowed in the assessment instructions for an assessment task published with the assessment task and/or in the unit outline. That is, an artificial intelligence service may only be used if:

• its use is authorised by the unit convener as part of a specified assessment task, and
• it is used in the way allowed in the assessment instructions and/or unit outline, and
• its use is appropriately referenced, meaning that students must reference the use of Al in their assessment in the same way as they reference other source material.

In-unit costs

There are costs for the main textbooks should you wish to purchase a copy.

The books are also available for borrowing and reading in the UC library.

Work placement, internships or practicums

None

Additional information

Research led Units: This unit involves research-led education. There are active researchers delivering this unit who are able to engage students in deep and active learning and transmit to students their passion for the research they are carrying out.

Provision of information to the group: Notifications through the Canvas Announcements Forum or the Canvas Discussion Forums are deemed to be made to the whole class.  It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that they check for announcements on the Unit's Canvas website (forum messages are also emailed to student email addresses only).  Students should ensure they check their student email regularly.  The Canvas discussion forums will be checked by staff regularly.

Use of student email account: The University Email policy states that "students wishing to contact the University via email regarding administrative or academic matters need to send the email from the University account for identity verification purposes".  Therefore all unit enquiries should be emailed using a student university email account. Students should contact servicedesk@canberra.edu.au if they have any issues accessing their university email account.

• Semester 2, 2024, On-campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (219700)
• Semester 2, 2024, Online, UC - Canberra, Bruce (219701)
• Semester 2, 2023, On-campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (214504)
• Semester 2, 2023, Online, UC - Canberra, Bruce (214505)
• Semester 2, 2022, Online, UC - Canberra, Bruce (207903)
• Semester 2, 2022, On-campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (207902)
• Semester 2, 2021, Online, UC - Canberra, Bruce (203974)
• Semester 2, 2021, On-campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (202015)
• Semester 2, 2020, On-campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (196009)
• Semester 2, 2019, On-campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (190191)