ENHANCING

ASSESSMENT IN
HIGHER EDUCATION
 Advance HE Student Success Frameworks
What is
assessment?
Assessment and feedback practices
are at the core of higher education (HE).
Assessment provides judgement so
it needs to be valid and reliable. It also
supports student learning and feedback,
so it should be designed to promote
desirable learning behaviours,
develop subject-specific and
professional competencies, as well
as other graduate attributes.
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In recent years, the education sector has actively
worked to improve assessment and feedback
practices, aiming to meet the current needs of
higher education, students, institutions and
employers. This framework supports the
ongoing transformation by providing essential
principles for assessment and feedback crucial
to student learning.
The process of enhancing assessment involves
various stakeholders in a cycle of review,
planning and action. This has implications for the
institution’s infrastructure, policies and practices.
It requires dialogue between academic and
professional services staff, students and employers
to inform curriculum review and development.
Continuous enhancement of assessment
positively impacts student learning, satisfaction
and confidence in academic standards.
Framework for enhancing assessment
Who is the
framework for?
This framework is designed for
all stakeholders; for educators,
those in charge of policy, quality
assurance and quality enhancement,
and those responsible for leading
education at all levels from pro
vice-chancellors to programme leaders.
It’s most effective when implemented
institution-wide and integrated Successful initiatives to widen access to HE
into programmes. have led to a more diverse student body,
greater variation in prior learning experiences,
abilities and expectations, resulting in
awarding gaps.
Clear learning outcomes, assessment criteria and
constructive feedback are essential to address
these gaps and promote inclusive education.
 Advance HE Student Success Frameworks Framework for enhancing assessment

Why is enhancing How is the

assessment important? framework structured?

Enhancing assessment is fundamental Multiple factors impact

to improve learning and teaching. student success. Each of our
frameworks identifies prevailing
Research consistently shows that enhancing themes and views them
processes, policies and practices leads to
better student learning and satisfaction. through three perspectives: Institution
It also facilitates the adoption of requirements
like authenticity, sustainability and inclusivity. Institution
cators
Educators E du

Students
Students

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 Advance HE Student Success Frameworks Framework for enhancing assessment

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the assessment cycle and delivering timely, ard Pr edback Techno ous Feedbac
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tic Con
The institution plays a crucial role in promoting mma
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and disseminating innovative assessment practices, ssm d
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6 7
 Advance HE Student Success Frameworks Framework for enhancing assessment

Educators

The framework promotes a holistic approach by

course teams across the four areas of focus.
Educators need to work within the institutional
Staff Embedded
systems, processes and policies and apply them Development in the Curriculum
to their context. Activities such as self- and peer-
assessment, formative assessment and learning
from feedback may not be familiar to all students,
so it is essential to integrate and progress them
throughout a programme or course.
The framework encourages the adoption of diverse and
innovative assessment methods. A team-based approach
ensures students experience a broad range of assessment Systems,
Innovative
methods, enhancing the validity, authenticity and inclusivity Processes
Assessment
of assessments. Educators require subject-specific and Policy
developmental support to stay current in this landscape.

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 Advance HE Student Success Frameworks Framework for enhancing assessment

Students

This student-centred framework aims to Contribute to

Showcase
Assessment
enhance learning potential through improved Competencies
Design
assessment design. This includes peer-
and self-assessment, and formative and
summative assessments, all of which
foster academic literacy and good Recognise Understand
academic practice. and Act on Assessment
Feedback Criteria
These interconnected factors not only enhance
students’ understanding and trust in assessment,
but also involve them in authentic tasks that improve
both assessment and feedback practices.
Thrive on
Complex Give and Receive
Authentic Feedback
Challenges

Contribution
to Group Work

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 Advance HE Student Success Frameworks Framework for enhancing assessment

How can you

use the framework? Acts as a benchmark to map against and/or consider
current practice.

The framework is a guide to ensure a focus on the Educators Develops collaborative engagement and can be used to
student experience, adoption of the appropriate develop inter- and intra-disciplinary working, and/or with
pedagogical practice, and a consideration of external stakeholders.
assessment at a strategic level. The three areas of
focus within the framework can be used independently, Provides a resource that can identify and recognise
or collectively, to identify the intersections between professional development, needs and requirements.
institutional policies and practices.

Develop strategic priorities and enhance culture through Offers a structure for identifying key elements that can
shared ownership of policies and processes. positively impact on a learner’s experience and attainment.

Institution Encourage a shared vision and values; providing creative
and innovative assessment practices.
Foster and develop the relationship between institutions,
external and internal stakeholders.
Students Identifies core components to help develop a shared
and common understanding of assessment practices
and literacies.
Allows for contextual understanding and recognises that
areas will be under varying degrees of focus through
different learning experiences and stages.

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 Advance HE Student Success Frameworks Framework for enhancing assessment

How does this

framework align with the
Professional Standards
Framework (PSF) 2023?
Staff may wish to consider how their Professional
V1 V3
engagement with enhancing assessment Values
in higher education can offer an effective
approach to areas of activity, enable
deeper understanding of core knowledge, Activity A1 A3
and demonstrate alignment with professional
values. It is particularly relevant to the
following dimensions: Core K2 K5
Knowledge

Advance HE invites all those teaching or

supporting learning to evidence their use of this
or other Student Success Frameworks in applying
for Fellowship in recognition of their commitment
to professional practice.

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We help higher
education organisations
be the best they can be
by unlocking the potential
of their people.
Talk to us about how to make our
Student Success Frameworks work for you,
email us at solutions@advance-he.ac.uk
www.advance-he.ac.uk
We are a member-led, sector-owned
charity that works with institutions
and higher education across the
world to improve higher education
for staff, students and society.
We are experts in higher education
with a particular focus on
enhancing teaching and learning,
effective governance, leadership
development and tackling
inequalities through our equality,
diversity and inclusion (EDI) work.