The University Assessment Policy (https://intraweb.hku.hk/reserved_1/cdqa/doc/University_Assessment_Policy.pdf) has specified that assessment is an integral component of a curriculum and it should reflect what and how students have learnt, and should enhance, facilitate, and support their learning experiences.
According to the Policy, HKU adopts standards-based assessment, which means that grade descriptors need to be established to guide the marking process and clarify expectations for students.1 The course grade descriptors should be provided to the students and the assessors, so the assessment is carried out with little ambiguity.2
A grade descriptor is a broad verbal statement about the general standard to be applied with a qualitative description of each grade3. There are
When developing your course level grade descriptors, the expectations of student achieving particular grades should be described. Each course may develop marking rubrics for assessment items aligned with the course level grade descriptors. The marking rubric for each assessment item need not include all aspects of the grade descriptor. Some assessment items may be more appropriate for the higher level grade descriptor (essay) and some for the lower level grade descriptors (MCQs). The grade descriptors should represent a range of grades. It is recommended that marking rubrics should be provided for each assessment item in the course.4
Promoting students’ assessment literacy is to help them comprehend multiple aspects of assessment, for example, the purpose and role of assessment, the meaning of the assessment criteria and standards, the techniques needed to complete the assessment. This will enable students to recognise and take responsibility for their role in assessment and also improve their performance.6 Some good practices in promoting students’ assessment literacy are:
HKU grade descriptors and assessment standards
http://ar.cetl.hku.hk/assgradstand.htm
Assessment in higher education
http://ar.cetl.hku.hk/assessment.htm
Promoting assessment literacy among students (by Prof. Margaret Price)
http://www.cetl.hku.hk/teaching-learning-cop/?smd_process_download=1&download_id=574
A classic piece of reflection on understanding standards (by Prof. Royce Sadler)
http://www.cetl.hku.hk/teaching-learning-cop/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/wise-assessment-briefing8.pdf
Acknowledgements: The examples of the grade descriptors at HKU were collected by Dr. Cecilia Chan. More information can be found in the Assessment Resource Centre http://ar.cetl.hku.hk/index.php
Copyright @ CETL, HKU
2Chan, C. (2014). HKU Grade Descriptors. http://ar.cetl.hku.hk/assgradstand.htm
3Prosser, M. (2010). Grade Descriptors and Standards. http://www.cetl.hku.hk/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Grade_Descriptors_and_Standards_Oct_2010.pdf
4See Note 2 – Chan (2014)
5Murray, V. (2009). The use of grade descriptors within assessment. Northumbria University. https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/static/5007/arpdf/academy/redguide47.pdf
6Price, M. (2016). Promoting students’ assessment literacy. Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning, The University of Hong Kong http://www.cetl.hku.hk/teaching-learning-cop/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/wise-assessment-briefing7.pdf