HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (HKIT) Applied Learning Internal Quality Assurance Mechanism (IQA) The purposes of assessment Assessment is an important process to evaluate learning of students. It involves generating and collecting evidence of a student s attainment of knowledge and skills and judging that evidence against defined standards. Assessments in Applied Learning (ApL) Programmes serve two major purposes: an indicator of a student s learning progress (continuous assessment) and a summary of student s achievement in learning (summative assessment). Results from the continuous and summative assessments will be used by the HKEAA to award qualification students. In this light, an assessment system to ensure reliability, validity and fairness of assessment is very important. Principles of assessment HKIT has already setup an internal quality assurance mechanism to ensure that the assessment of our students works is credible. The same quality assurance mechanism will be used for assessing students taking the ApL subjects. To be credible, all assessments that contribute to this programme must be: 1) reliable, 2) valid and 3) equitable and fair. In other words, no matter what kinds of formats are being used in assessing students such as written examinations, oral presentation, practical tests, computer assisted tests or any other means, the principles must remain the same. Reliable assessment To be reliable, assessment decisions on students performance must be consistent across all assessors for all students undertaking the same assessment task. Valid assessment Validity is a measure of the accuracy of an assessment. An assessment is valid when it is appropriate for the purpose. In this light, different assessment schemes will be used and the formats of assessment will match the criteria to be assessed. Equity in assessment Assessment materials are consistently applied to all students and teachers. The assignments will be marked twice by two different teachers and any discrepancies in marking will be discussed. The award of students final grade will follow the clearly-defined standards of performance (performance descriptors). The details of implementation of Internal Quality Assurance (IQA), boards and committee and QA procedures will be discussed in the following sections. 1
INTERNAL QUALITY ASSURANCE MECHANISM Introduction Quality assurance is a concept that HKIT has been building at all levels on a regular basis. It started from a scheme which staff members are constantly reminded of, to measures that are now part of the organizational culture. Quality assurance is a whole-organization activity through which the programmes and the services of the Institute are delivered at high quality in accordance with documented approved procedures. The Institute is engaged in a continuous process to identify any deficiency which will be dealt with by improving procedures. Basic Principles HKIT subscribes to the following basic principles of Quality Assurance: The Institute and its programmes are subject to both internal quality assurance mechanisms and external quality assurance mechanisms. External members are involved in the internal quality assurance mechanisms. The Institute incorporates inputs from three types of external members: external examiners, external advisors and consultants. The Institute is accountable to the Board of Governors, the community, students and employers for the quality of education offered. The end results and the process of quality assurance are equally important. Quality assurance is successful only if it is practised at all levels by staff working collaboratively in a quality culture. Resources should be allocated for the implementation of quality assurance. Committees Involved Quality assurance is executed by the following committees: Academic Board Quality Assurance Committee Faculty Boards Examination Board Programme Development Committee Academic Board The Academic Board is the flagship policy-making body of the quality assurance activities of the Institute. Quality Assurance Committee The Quality Assurance Committee is the executive body of quality assurance. It collects information, analyze it, deliberate the issues and make policy recommendations to the Academic Board for approval. Faculty Boards The Faculty Boards comprises all front line teachers who keep close contact with the students and administrative staff. Faculty Boards are able to provide feedback on the demand of the programmes through admission and employers feedback on graduates. They provide information on the outcome of the quality of our programmes. 2
Examination Board Examination results of students indicate the students achievements compared with programme expectations. They also indicate suitability of the programmes with respect to the ability of the students. They also reflect the effectiveness of teaching and learning and the appropriateness of the assessment scheme in individual programmes. Programme Development Committee The design of a new programme and the regular review of existing programmes provide a good framework for the birth of a quality programme. Major Processes Quality assurance is conducted in the following five areas of the operation of the Institute. They cover the important processes of the Institute: Development of new programmes and review of existing programmes Evaluation of teaching Staff appointment, development and appraisal Admission of students Assessment of student learning Assessment of students learning outcomes They form the main items to be reviewed by the Quality Assurance Committee annually Development of new programmes and review of existing programmes The Institute adopts rigorous procedures for the development of new programmes. Existing programmes are periodically reviewed. The feedback provides useful information to enhance the quality of the programmes. This is an important step in the quality assurance for the Institute s programmes. Evaluation of teaching A questionnaire is presented to students at the end of each semester for each course. Analysis of the data collected serves as an indication of the professionalism, the efforts and the presentation skill of the teacher. The Dean or the President will discuss the situation with the staff member if he/she is below the standard. The Academic Board reviews the questionnaire periodically to ensure the collection of useful feedback and that teacher s privacy and students rights are properly balanced. Staff appointment, development and appraisal Staff appointment is an important step to ensure that HKIT will recruit staff with the qualifications and experience required for the posts concerned. Heads of disciplines, deans of faculties and President are all involved in the appointment process. Staff development is important not only in maintaining but also improving the quality of staff. Staff appraisal is an important step to ensure the quality of performance of staff. The abovementioned student evaluation questionnaire forms a good base for teaching staff 3
evaluation. The staff appraisal process also helps to identify the training or development needs of individual staff member. Admission In a competitive market like Hong Kong, the popularity of an institution s programmes gives a practical indication of the demand for the programmes. It also compares the programmes with similar programmes offered by other course providers in Hong Kong. The standard of students not only indicates the demand of the programme but also serves as a good reference how the programme matched with the standard of students. Assessment of student learning There are rigorous quality assurance procedures for assessment in a bid to maintain and enhance the standards of the Institute s awards. At the end of a semester, all teaching staffs attend the Examination Board meeting when results are discussed. The focus is on subjects with abnormal results. The cause is explored with a view to finding the root of the problem. Remedial measures will be taken either inhouse or with the co-operation of partner institutions. Assessment of students learning outcomes There are rigorous quality assurance procedures for assessment in a bid to maintain and enhance the standards of the Institute s awards. In fact, with the philosophy of assessment of learning and assessment for learning in mind, HKIT encourages more formative assessment, both formal and informal ones, in all its courses. Academic staff members are encouraged to adopt more classroom assessment techniques (CAT) such as those suggested by Angleo (1993) to monitor closely students learning. At the end of each term, all teaching staff would attend the Examination Board meeting where results are endorsed. Issues discussed include poor results and other special cases. The cause is explored with a view to finding the root of the problem. Remedial measures will be taken either in-house or with the co-operation of partner universities overseas. HKIT adopts an external examiner system to ensure that the examinations are of comparable standards to similar programmes. External Examiners, advisor and consultants Roles of External Examiners To judge the assessment strategies and arrangements To evaluate the overall student performance in relation to their peers in other institutions in terms of academic achievement analytical and technical skills expected 4
To decide whether the students have been fairly graded To give advice on future assessment policies and practices Requirements of External Examiners Experienced in the assessment of students in a similar field Appropriate level of academic expertise in similar local and overseas programmes Roles of External Advisors To give general advice to HKIT To review the approach of the programme To suggest modifications to the programme to match the need of society Requirements of External Advisors Good experience in the field concerned and/or Knowledge in similar local and overseas programmes. Roles of External Consultants To advise HKIT on specific areas / projects. Requirements of External Consultants Experts in the areas or projects concerned. In summary, the internal quality assurance mechanism entails a continuous process of course or programme review, taking account of feedback from students, teachers, External Examiners, External Advisors, External Consultants, and related Committees/Boards with a view to building on strengths, addressing weaknesses, updating academic content and upgrading support for learners. Remedial actions would be taken as soon as any problems are identified. The implementation of existing programmes is closely monitored so as to maintain high standards of delivery and outcomes, and to deal with problems swiftly and effectively. The feedback of programme reviews provides useful information to enhance the quality of the programmes. The following paragraphs will explain the functions of Boards and Committees involved in the Quality Assurance procedures. The boards and committees include Academic Board, Quality Assurance Committee, Faculty Board, Examination Board and Programme Development Committee. For each board and committee, the information related to composition of board or committee member, terms of reference and frequency of meeting will be provided. ACADEMIC BOARD 5
Academic Board is the academic arm of the Hong Kong Institute of Technology and is responsible for maintaining academic standards of the programmes of the Institute, subject to financial constraints and the strategic intent of the BoG. Composition The Academic Board shall comprise the following members: i. President, as Chairperson ii. Vice Presidents iii. Academic Registrar iv. Deans of Faculties v. At least one elected teaching staff representative of each faculty vi. Student Affairs Officer The President will appoint one staff member to be the secretary. Terms of Reference The Academic Board regulates the academic affairs of Hong Kong Institute of Technology. Its main Terms of Reference are as follows: i. To advise the Council on academic matters and provision of facilities, ii. To plan, develop and review programmes and advise the Council and committees on the general policies for programmes leading to the awards of Certificate, Diploma, Associate Degree, Degree, Master and Doctorate, iii. To determine the period, mode and conditions of programme awards for the approval of the BoG via the Council, iv. To review and decide admission regulations and requirements for students, v. To review and decide assessments schemes and practices including examinations leading to academic awards of the Hong Kong Institute of Technology based on recommendations of Faculty Boards, vi. To review the quality assurance mechanism of the Hong Kong Institute of Technology including the external examining system and take follow-up actions on feedbacks of external examiner, vii. To approve the appointment of External Examiners on the recommendation of the Faculty Boards, viii. To give directions to the Faculty Boards, Programme Teams and Programme Leaders, ix. To consider policies on staff development, research and other scholarly activities and make recommendations to the Council, 6
x. To decide on dismissal of students of the Hong Kong Institute of Technology, xi. To decide on library, laboratory and other educational facilities, xii. To consider policies and guidelines for consultancy, xiii. To approve results of rechecking/remarking of students scripts. Frequency of meetings The Academic Board shall meet at least once every term, but the Chairperson may convene a meeting as and when necessary provided the notice of meeting together with the agenda is issued at least one week before the meeting. 7
QUALITY ASSURANCE COMMITTEE Quality assurance (QA) is an evolving exercise and requires continuous review, monitoring and improvement. The Quality Assurance Committee plays an important role in developing QA policies and practices for approval by the Academic Board and monitors the effects of the QA activities. Composition The composition of the Quality Assurance Committee is as follows: i. Chairperson elected by all staff ii. One representative each from Faculty of Science and Technology, Faculty of Business, Office of Administration, and Project Yi Jin Team. Terms of Reference The Terms of Reference of the Quality Assurance Committee are as follows: i. To review and evaluate the policies and guidelines for quality assurance and make recommendations to the Academic Board for approval; ii. To analyse the result of the quality assessment exercise; iii. To deal with and to ensure the effectiveness of the Faculty and administrative quality assurance plan and assessment exercise; iv. To evaluate, in collaboration with academic and administrative staff, the effectiveness of the quality assurance plan; v. To review and evaluate the policies and guidelines for quality assurance and make recommendations to the Academic Board for approval; vi. To promote a quality culture within the Institute. Frequency of meetings The Quality Assurance Committee shall meet at least once every term, but the Chairperson may convene a meeting as and when necessary provided that the notice of meeting together with the agenda is issued at least one week before the meeting. FACULTY BOARD A Faculty Board shall be constituted for each Faculty. It is responsible for the teaching and general organization of the programmes administered by the Faculty. The Faculty Board 8
reports from time to time to the Academic Board on important matters concerning its programmes. Composition The Faculty Board shall comprise the following members: i. Dean of Faculty, as Chairperson ii. All academic staff members of the Faculty Terms of Reference i. To formulate and review the guidelines in relations to admission, teaching, learning, examination and graduation for the programmes administered by the Faculty, ii. To formulate alternative admission policies, iii. To consider, in consultation with other Faculties, the processing of advanced standing claims and recommend policies and guidelines to the Academic Board, iv. To develop pedagogical strategies and best practices on teaching and learning in consultation with other Faculties, and make recommendations to the Academic Board for approval, v. To make recommendations on major changes in academic programmes or new academic activities to the Academic Board, vi. To review the conduct of examination and continuous assessment scheme and make recommendations to the Academic Board, vii. To finalize the examination results of students, viii. To review the appeal cases and report to the Academic Board, ix. To propose a list of External Examiners for approval by the Academic Board, x. To consider the comments and suggestions of External Examiners and make recommendations to the Academic Board for continuous improvement of the teaching and assessment of the programmes, xi. To review the roles of External Examiners regularly and advise the Academic Board on policies and practices of external examining. Frequency of meetings The Faculty Board shall meet at least once every term, but the Chairperson may convene a meeting as and when necessary provided that the notice of meeting together with the agenda is issued at least one week before the meeting. 9
EXAMINATION BOARD The Examination Board is an executive body for the planning and implementation of assessments and is an important quality assurance mechanism for student assessment. Composition The composition of the Examination Board is as follows: i. Vice President as chairperson ii. Examination Officer iii. All teaching staff who have teaching duties in the corresponding academic period Terms of Reference The Terms of Reference of the Examination Board are as follows: i. To prepare procedures, guidelines and schedules for the conduct of all assessment operations for teachers and students; ii. To approve supplementary examination applications; iii. To approve the results of appeal cases based on the grading criteria of the Academic Board; iv. To consider the feedback from External Examiners together with the comments of the Faculty Boards; v. To carry out post-assessment review on the conduct of the assessment procedures and make recommendations to the Academic Board regarding changes in assessment policies, practices and regulations. Frequency of meetings The Examination Board shall meet at least once every term, but the Chairperson may convene a meeting as and when necessary provided that the notice of meeting together with the agenda is issued at least one week before the meeting. PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE The Programme Development Committee plays a pivotal role in assisting the Academic Board to ensure the quality of the new programmes to be developed. Composition The composition of the Program Development Committee is as follows: i. Chairperson elected by all staff 10
ii. One representative each from Faculty of Science and Technology, Faculty of Business, Office of Administration, and Project Yi Jin Team. Terms of Reference The Terms of Reference of the Programme Development Committee are as follows: i. To evaluate proposals from Faculties on the desirability and resource implications for developing a new programme taking into consideration the external factors including the needs of society with a view to making recommendations to the Academic Board on the introduction of new programmes; ii. To review periodically the validity, standard and quality of existing programmes to ensure they comply with the aims and objective of the Institute; iii. To recommend Programme Teams and Programme Leaders to the President for appointment. Frequency of meetings The Programme Development Committee shall meet at least once in each academic year, but the Chairperson may convene a meeting as and when necessary provided that the notice of meeting together with the agenda is issued at least one week before the meeting. 11