ASSESSMENT COMPETENCIES

INTRODUCTION

Planning assessment is essential in teaching practice because it ensures that assessments are aligned with learning outcomes and that students are evaluated fairly and consistently. Proper planning also impacts student learning by providing clarity on expectations, which helps students focus their efforts and engage more meaningfully with the course content.

Conducting assessments effectively is equally important, as it allows lecturers to accurately measure student understanding and skills rather than merely assessing rote memorisation. Fairness during the assessment process is maintained through the use of clear rubrics, standardised criteria, and moderation processes to ensure consistency.

Managing the assessment process is crucial, as it supports timely feedback, efficient marking, and proper record-keeping, all of which contribute to student development and institutional accountability. Feedback plays a critical role by guiding students on how to improve and deepening their learning beyond the assessment itself.

Despite challenges such as time constraints, large class sizes, and maintaining consistency, effective systems and careful planning help to address these issues. Ultimately, assessment contributes to overall academic quality by ensuring that standards are upheld and that graduates meet the

• Are your assessment processes reliable, valid, transparent and fair? (UJ Policy: Assessment)
• Are the tasks that you require students to do feasible (practicable) in relation to available financial resources, facilities, equipment and time? (UJ Policy: Assessment)
• Have you made allowances for both formative and summative assessments? (UJ Policy: Assessment)
• Have you consulted the various UJ policies regarding Assessment Processes & Invigilation:
  • UJ Assessment regulations
  • Assessment Standard Operating Principles for Faculties
  • Addressing security risks: setting, printing, handling and storage of assessments
  • Alteration of assessment and final assessment opportunity marks
  • Access control and telephonic or radio contact at final assessment opportunity venues
  • Invigilation
  • Rules that govern the committing of offences and/or transgressions of assessment
• Do you know what to do if a student commits plagiarism? At a programme, department and faculty level? What is your role and responsibility?
• Do you know what to do if a student is found cheating in an examination venue? At a programme, department and faculty level? What is your role and responsibility?
• Are your assessment practices based on established best practice and contemporary research and are aligned with the assessment practices and procedures required by the NQF? (UJ Policy: Assessment)
• Do you review your assessment processes for continuous improvement?

UJ Support Divisions: The Division for Teaching Excellence at UJ can be contacted via these links:

• https://www.uj.ac.za/teaching-and-learning/division-for-teaching-excellence/
• https://www.uj.ac.za/teaching-and-learning/division-for-teaching-excellence/staff/