Course coordinator
Associate Professor Elizabeth Edwards
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- External
- Attendance mode
- Online
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Education School
On completion of this course students will have an understanding of the psychometric underpinnings of standardized instruments, will have demonstrated their capacity to effectively evaluate such an instrument, and have had an opportunity to become familiar with a range of instruments useful in individual assessment.
This course may not be offered internally if the enrolment is less than 10 students.
Welcome to EDUC7007 Tasks and Tests: Individual Assessment. This course provides a basic knowledge of the principles and methods of individual assessment. It is designed for teachers, learning support teachers, and guidance officers. This course is NOT focussed on classroom assessment but on processes typically employed by those who are assisting children with specialﾠneeds. During the semester you will develop knowledge and skills in the areas of assessing individual development, student characteristics and behaviourﾠand educational achievement. You will learn about data collection methods such as interviews, observationﾠand testing. You will also explore basic issues in psychometrics, evaluate standardised tests, and examine professional and ethical issues in assessment.
There are a number of resources toﾠsupport you in your studies in this course. The first is this electronic course profile whichﾠprovides an overview of:ﾠ the aims and objectives and graduate attributes of the course; contact details for library and the course coordinator; the learning resources and learning activities; assessment requirements of the course; and university policies and guidelines. You will also need access to books recommended for this course. There are multiple copies in the library; alternatively, you can purchase copiesﾠfor your own library as you will find them to be an invaluable professional resource.
TheﾠEDUC7007 Learning Summaryﾠoutlines a study plan for the semester and youﾠwill find this document on the course Blackboard site. The study plan identifies a topic area of study for each week and the readings associated with each topic. For each topic there are brief notes (similar to a lecture summary)ﾠwhich relate to the readings from the text, and theyﾠalso contain information from other sources that are intended to assist your understanding of the material covered in the courseﾠand toﾠbroaden your knowledge. In an attempt to provide some additional support for your learning,ﾠsome topics may beﾠfollowed by activities to allow you to apply your knowledge of the material.ﾠ
There is ﾠa collection of readings that have been lodged with the UQ library and which are available online.ﾠﾠInformation relating to these will be available via the Blackboard site for this course.ﾠ This collection refers to material thatﾠis not contained in the textbook. Some will be listed as essential readings and others are available as additional material for your information. Also please conduct searches of data bases such as PsycINFO and ERIC during the semester on each of the weekly topics.ﾠIt is importantﾠto keep up to date with your readings and the weekly topic areas.
Additional information will be loaded on the Blackboard site for this course from time to time.
Course requirements
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
EU811, ED787, 792, EU857, 892, 895, EDUC7204, PSYC7001
Jointly taught details
This course is jointly-taught with:
- Another instance of the same course
Students enrolled in this course in both in person and external offerings will attend joint lectures/workshop offered in hybrid mode. Students are encouraged to attend the weekend workshop in person to engage in practical activities.
Course contact
Lecturer
Associate Professor Elizabeth Edwards
Course staff
Tutor
Miss Thuy-Anh Nguyen
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Students are expected to attend weekly Zoom sessions on Mondays 4pm-6pm from Week 1 to Week 8 PLUS a practical weekend workshop on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 September 8am to 4pm. Check Blackboard for Zoom links and workshop location.
ﾠ
Aims and outcomes
The aim of the course is to assist students to develop an understanding of assessment methods and techniques in individual assessment. Assessment that employs multiple methods is the most appropriate approach to identifying not only a student’s educational needs, but also other factors that may be affecting a student’s academic success. This course will introduce students to a range of approaches to assessment, assist them to consider the value and limitations of each approach and develop basic skills in decision making about effective assessment.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
demonstrate a basic knowledge of current perspectives of assessment
LO2.
identify concepts of measurement and their application to norm-referenced and criterion-referenced tests as well as their relevance for interview and observational data
LO3.
apply the skills to allow you to consider the validity of assessment data
LO4.
demonstrate a basic knowledge in the assessment of behavioural problems and academic skills
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examination |
Understanding Psychometrics Online Exam
|
20% 25 questions |
12/08/2024 - 16/08/2024
Students must take the online exam between 8am on Monday 12 August 2024 and 2pm on Friday 16 August 2024. |
| Presentation | Test Review | 30% 10 Minutes |
19/08/2024 - 9/09/2024
In Class/Zoom during Weeks 5-8. Submit via Turnitin. |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Confidential Guidance Report | 50% 2000 words |
14/10/2024 2:00 pm
Submit via Turnitin |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Understanding Psychometrics Online Exam
- Hurdle
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 20% 25 questions
- Due date
12/08/2024 - 16/08/2024
Students must take the online exam between 8am on Monday 12 August 2024 and 2pm on Friday 16 August 2024.
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
Task description
Assessment 1: Online Exam
Length: 25 questions (a mix of true/false, multiple answer, multiple choice)
Time: 60 minutes
As this course enables access to some restricted assessment tools, it is imperative that those who pass the course understand basic information about standardisation and psychometrics. This assessment is a hurdle exam - in order to pass the course, a student must pass this exam.
- Students will be able to attempt the examination up to 3 times.
- The exam will be made available on Blackboard in Week 4.
- All students are required to submit their first attempt by 2pm on 16 August 2024.
- If a student does not pass on this attempt, they have two further opportunities to pass the exam by 2pm 30 August 2024.
- If second and third attempts are required to pass the exam, the maximum grade awarded is 50%.
Exams will be conducted in Blackboard.
Hurdle requirements
Students must achieve a pass (minimum 50%) for the online exam in order to pass the course.Exam details
| Planning time | no planning time minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 60 minutes |
| Calculator options | Any calculator permitted |
| Open/closed book | Open Book examination |
| Exam platform | Learn.UQ |
| Invigilation | Not invigilated |
Submission guidelines
Students must make their first attempt at the online exam by 2pm on Friday 16 August 2024. Please set aside 60 minutes of uninterrupted time, as you are not able to pause the timer and return to it later.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Extensions follow the UQ policy: https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/applying-assessment-extension
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Test Review
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance, Oral
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 30% 10 Minutes
- Due date
19/08/2024 - 9/09/2024
In Class/Zoom during Weeks 5-8. Submit via Turnitin.
Task description
Assessment 2: Test Review
Length: 10 minutes with 5 minutes for questions
Description:
This assignment requires you to make an oral presentation to review a test for your peers. Select a current, standardised test of individual functioning (e.g., academic skill(s); behaviour; language; basic concepts) that you will potentially (and legitimately) use as a guidance officer/counsellor after completion of this course. Using the manual, test reviews and other reputable sources of information, address the questions that need to be considered when making a decision about the utility of a test to your practice. Ensure that the standards you are applying are clear. The list of available tests can be found on Blackboard.
Your oral presentation must include:
- A scenario to provide an example of when you might use your selected test. Your scenario should provide a brief description of a child or adolescent, a referral question, and justification why the particular test you are reviewing is the right one to administer to answer the question.
- An overview of the test including: purpose, suitability, time to administer, content, format and procedure, subscales or domains, how the test was designed and evaluated, reliability, validity, and any other interesting information (e.g., whether the test has shortened versions, if test is available in other languages etc)
- An evaluation of the evidence for use of the test including any recommendations, limitations, and practical implications for use in school guidance and counselling work.
- Use of appropriate visual aids (e.g., PowerPoint slides), clear oral communication skills, and within time limit.
Further information to aid successful completion of this assignment plus a marking rubric, are provided on the course Blackboard site.
Submission guidelines
Students must upload a copy of the slides for their presentation by 2pm on the day following their presentation.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Extensions follow the UQ policy: https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/applying-assessment-extension
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Confidential Guidance Report
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 50% 2000 words
- Due date
14/10/2024 2:00 pm
Submit via Turnitin
Task description
Assessment 3: Confidential Guidance Report
Due date: 2pm on Monday of Week 12
Length: 2,000 words
Description:
This assignment requires you to prepare a Confidential Guidance Report following assessment of a child referred for significant behavioural problems in school. You will be provided with the child's background, some classroom observations, reason for referral and copies of the completed tests. Your task is to prepare a report suitable for the child's teacher, parent, and guidance file and must include: description of the assessments, summary the results and appropriate recommendations. The report must follow the guidelines covered in the workshop.
Client Scenario:
Information to aid successful completion of this assignment will be provided on the course Blackboard site e.g., background, referral question/s, tests administered, copies of completed proformas and extracts from scoring manual so you can determine results, interpret findings and make appropriate recommendations.
A marking rubric is provided on the course Blackboard site.
Submission guidelines
Students must upload their report by 2pm on the due date.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Extensions follow the UQ policy: https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/applying-assessment-extension
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 19 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Absence of understanding of psychometric assessment; oral and written work lacks structure and little or no attention to style guidelines, proofreading and grammar. |
| 2 (Fail) | 20 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Minimal understanding of psychometric assessment; oral and written work is poorly structured and limited attention to style guidelines, proofreading and grammar. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Developing understanding of psychometric assessment; some structure evident in oral and written work and some evidence of attention to style guidelines, proofreading and grammar. Please note that this is the highest grade that can be obtained if the Hurdle exam is not passed. |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 50% - 64% |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 65% - 74% |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 75% - 84% |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 85% - 100% |
Additional course grading information
Assignment Submission:
All assignments must be submitted electronically. Assignments must be submitted by the due date.
Students are reminded that the Hurdle exam must be passed for a Grade higher than 3 to be awarded.
Calculation of final grades:
All three assessment tasks will be provided a score out of 100. The final grade will be calculated using the weighted and individual assessment scores as well as The University of Queensland grade descriptors outlined in this section. For example, if a student receives the following three grades:
- Assessment 1ﾠ(Hurdle Exam): score of 80/100 at 20% weighting
- Assessment 2ﾠ(Presentation): score of 70/100 at 30% weighting
- Assessment 3ﾠ(Report): score of 80/100 at 50% weighting
The final grade for this student taking into account the weighting of each assessment task would be:ﾠ (80 x 0.20) + (70 x 0.30) + (80 x 0.50) = 16 + 21 + 40 = 77, which corresponds to a Grade of 6 based on the grade descriptors outlined in this section.
In case of decimals, scores will be rounded to the nearest whole number. For example, a score of 66.25 will be rounded down to 66, yet a score of 77.5 will be rounded up to 78 etc.ﾠ
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the 'Assessment' folder in Blackboard for this course.
Release of assessment item marks and feedback
In addition to the grade awarded, feedback will be provided in a timely manner to enable students to apply the feedback to further tasks within the course or program and/or plan for supplementary assessment, requests for re-mark, or re-enrolment. However, as per UQ Policy and Procedures Library under the Assessment Policy, results for the final assessment item are to be released only after the final grade for the course has been released. Time frames for applications for assessment re-mark are indicated under the Assessment Procedure.
Re-mark policy
After each assessable item, students will be given the opportunity to view their assessment and so satisfy themselves that a marking or administrative error has not occurred. The formal process of querying a course result (requesting a remark on academic grounds) is set out in the UQ Policy and Procedures Library under the Assessment Procedure.
Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) to support or inform assessment
The following applies toﾠall assessmentsﾠin this course:ﾠﾠ
Tasks have been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. ﾠWhilst students may use AI technologies, successful completion of assessments in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which AI will provide only limited support and guidance. A failure to reference AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct. Instructions for referencing AI can be found here:ﾠhttps://guides.library.uq.edu.au/referencing/apa7/chatgpt-and-generative-ai
To pass all assessments, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI tools.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Psychometric Tests
The School of Education has a Test Library containing tests commonly used in education settings. The Test Library is available to students enrolled in EDUC7007. See Blackboard for a list of tests and borrowing details.
ﾠ
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (22 Jul - 28 Jul) |
Lecture |
Week 1: Introduction to Assessment, Ethics & Decision Making |
Week 2 (29 Jul - 04 Aug) |
Lecture |
Week 2: Introduction to Psychometrics |
Week 3 (05 Aug - 11 Aug) |
Lecture |
Week 3: More Psychometrics, Reliability and Validity, & Evaluating Tests |
Week 4 (12 Aug - 18 Aug) |
Lecture |
Week 4: Reviewing an Assessment Instrument |
Week 5 (19 Aug - 25 Aug) |
Lecture |
Week 5: Behavioural Assessment & Functional Analysis |
Week 6 (26 Aug - 01 Sep) |
Lecture |
Week 6: Assessment of Social-Emotional Functioning |
Week 7 (02 Sep - 08 Sep) |
Lecture |
Week 7: Assessment of Reading and Oral Language |
Week 8 (09 Sep - 15 Sep) |
Lecture |
Week 8: Assessment of Academic Achievement |
Practical |
Weekend Workshop - Sat/Sun 14/15 September This workshop provides practical application of assessments of adaptive behaviour and cognitive functioning, interviewing & report writing. Adaptations and accommodations of individual assessment are discussed. Students are encouraged to attend in-person. |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.