SESSION 1B

Lu Qing Wang, UOW College
Consistency and Reliability in Rating Student’s Work

Abstract
Ensuring fairness, consistency and trust in the marking process when rating student’s work is a very challenging part of assessment, especially when marking for a large number of students. It is extremely important to mark the student’s work accurately and consistently so that the final mark reflects the learner’s ability. This presentation describes the moderation process used in our college to rate students’ final exam performance in the Direct Entry Program. The process aims to be rigorous, transparent and objective. We have developed a four-stage process to rate students’ work: Pre-moderation marking to familiarise the markers with the expectations and the criteria for marking the question and provide a marking standard; Marking; Post-moderation cross-marking among classes to ensure the fairness and consistency of the mark and Post-moderation Audit for future improvement. Utilising these strategies ensures high levels of consistency within each cohort of students and across each session the course is delivered.

Bio
Lu Qing Wang has worked as a TESOL teacher at UOW College since 1989. She has taught on a range of English Language courses including general English, IELTS, EAP. She began coordinating courses in 1998 and is currently the course coordinator of English for Tertiary Studies, a direct entry program in the UOW College.