Assessment@yourfingertips: An innovative approach to task assessment incorporating an EPSS and rubrics

Alistair Campbell
Edith Cowan University

Keywords: assessment, ICT, innovative

Assessment@yourfingertips is an innovative electronic performance support system (EPSS) incorporating rubric-designed marking keys to improve and enhance the task assessment process in higher education for all stakeholders (coordinator, tutor and students). The aim of the system was to address the dilemmas arising from large classes with multiple tutors employed on a casual basis. This innovative system has been developed over the last four years, using an iterative, collaborative, action research approach.

The EPSS has improved consistency in both inter- and intra-marking; aligned the assessment tasks with learning outcomes; and enhanced feedback to students, making it more precise, consistent and detailed. The use of instructional and educative rubrics has enhanced transparency, validity and reliability for both learners and tutors, and has addressed a number of equity and diversity issues. Additionally, the clerical and administrative activities associated with the task assessment process have been streamlined by the elimination of the busy and unproductive work. This has resulted in a reduction of workloads and errors, and an increase in accuracy during the marking process.

Evaluation of this novel approach provides strong evidence that the quality of the task assessment process has improved; student and tutor experience has been enhanced; and student-learning outcomes have been positively influenced.