Interesting that this enquiry to the list comes on the same day that I
was drafting some words for incorporation in our Dundee Online
Assessment Policy and Procedures document.

I am happy to share it below, but it is in draft and some bits may
change.

Richard

/follows
Procedures for Assessments utilising Online Submissions, ePortfolios
and Discussions

The field of e-Learning is rapidly developing, and the University has
to achieve a balance of supporting innovation, while ensuring
assessments are correctly secured and managed. The four areas are
presented below are recognised as developing, and lecturers should use
this guidance provided, but also accept that changes and further
recommendations may be made as the technology matures. A particular
concern involves the ease of use of these technologies, which frequently
mitigates against conventional systems for recording submission and
receipt. In addition these systems are developing in complexity and the
potential exists that students may submit work in the wrong location, or
that lecturers may mark work from the wrong location.

1. Digital dropboxes / online submission.
Instructions provided to students for the delivery of material using
the Blackboard or Questionmark digital drop boxes, or Blackboard
Assignment Submission tools must be clearly made. The recommended tool
is the Blackboard Assignment Submission system which can be activated by
an instructor completing the following steps:
a. etc
b.
c.

This has the advantage that files are individually uploaded by a
student, but they are uniquely named and stored for bulk extraction by
the module tutor. The Blackboard Content Management System also presents
a secure and flexible system for the submission of documents.

When student course work is submitted online for summative assessment
purposes, the students should receive an acknowledgement that their work
has been received for assessment. The acknowledgement should be normally
made immediately after the deadline has passed. This acknowledgement may
be in the form of a personal email from the instructor. The email system
within the My Dundee system may be used for this purpose allowing
completed student participants to be selected from a list provided.
Instructors could then "invert" this list and email all other students
alerting them that their work had not been received.

2. Plagiarism detection tools and submission.
The JISC Plagiarism Detection Service provides a system which students
can submit their work which is subsequently checked for plagiarism and
both the work and a plagiarism report made available to the module
instructor for assessment. From August 2005 this system is to be charged
for and the University may or may not subscribe.

Guidelines for use are similar to those for general Online Submissions
provided above that for summative assessments the students should
receive a timely message that their work has been received by the
instructor.

3. ePortfolio presentations and assessment.
Online portfolios offer a flexible and powerful tool for students to
collate and reflect upon their University work and personal development.
Some types of online portfolios may be prepared for formative and/or
summative assessment. The Blackboard Portfolio tool is available for
this purpose and is robust and secure. Technical assistance in the use
of the Portfolio tool is available from the LEU. Students should receive
clear guidance on the role of additional links and file assets within
Portfolios. In particular, the ownership of linked resources should be
clearly labeled to avoid issues of plagiarism.

Normal conventions established throughout this document should be
adhered to when Online Portfolios are used for summative assessment. For
instance:
a. Student should be aware of what the assessment covers, how many
marks area available and a general outline of how it will be marked.
b. It must be clear to the students if the Portfolio is an individual
or team-based activity
c. Guidelines for submission date and method should be clearly
presented (typically an the lecturer can be provided with read access to
the Portfolio for assessment.)
d. Once submission is made, the lecturer should acknowledge to each
student that they have received and can access their portfolio.

4. Assessment of postings to Discussion Boards/ Email/Online
Activities
The ability to assess the contributory role of individual students to a
synchronous or asynchronous interactive activity is recognised as a
valid mechanisms of assessment. There are published methods for
assessing these contributions (xxx), and individual instructors may have
their own valid approaches. Again conventions of good assessment
practice should be followed and students should be broadly aware of the
assessment criteria and the marks available.

Dr Richard Parsons
Director of eLearning
[log in to unmask]  +44(0)1382 344265

Why ePortfolios? http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~rparsons/portfolio/
Online Assessment Course:
http://www.dundee.ac.uk/learning/dol/caaonline.htm
Learning Technologies: http://www.dundee.ac.uk/learning/ilt/index.htm

>>> [log in to unmask] 02/03/05 3:50 pm >>>
Dear All,

Our Registry has had several recent requests from teaching staff for
guidelines on the use of the digital drop box and assignments features
in
Blackboard. These aren't about how to use the features but about
procedural
guidance on whether electronically submitted work is acceptable,
should
paper backups be required, ensuring authenticity etc etc.

Have any of your institutions developed policies or guidelines for
electronic submission and if so, are you willing to share the details
or
provide contacts of those who are responsible for such policies?

Many thanks,

Stan

DR R Stanier
Learning Technologies Group Manager
University of Brighton
01273 642780