The project goals are to:

• Examine current assessment practices in first year, with particular attention on semester one, to identify what types of assessment practices and policies may be required to support student transition and engagement in the first year;
• Review the structure and outcomes of first year to identify what adaptations might be desirable to better support student transition and engagement in the first year;
• Ensure that the evaluation of the structure, outcomes and assessment of first year are informed by international good practice in assessment and the first year experience

Based on these goals to provide a series of recommendations to the registrar and senior academic staff with responsibility for teaching and learning, on how the university might enhance assessment practices in the first year to better support student learning and success.

The project is comprised of a team of key academic and administrative staff to explore current assessment practices in the first year with a particular emphasis on semester 1.  The project will evaluate current practices in light of first year student performance and module data at UCD it will also explore international good practice in first year and in assessment more generally and assess what practices might be customized to UCD.  The project will also consider the intended purposes of first year at university and any implications for module and programme design. The project membership represents: Teaching Fellows; Administrative Head of Service; Programme Deans; VPTL’s; Teaching Fellows; School Heads of T & L; Teaching & Learning staff.

The project has been configured to explore:

• Student data
• Policy responses
• Good practice in assessment
• Synthesis & evaluation criteria for assessment change options

These four strands will provide the evidential basis for the recommendations arising from the project.

A key outcome of this project has been the development of a comprehensive suite of resources to provide advice and guidance on the design of first year assessment to support successful student learning.  These resources have been customised for module, school and programme level.  You can access these resources on the First Year Assessment page within the assessment resources.

• Early November - mid December evaluation and benchmarking of first year assessment practices at UCD and elsewhere to identify good practice, new approaches;
• Mid-December – Early January formulation of recommendations from group;
• Mid-January – Consultation with international expert on options, Professor David Nicol, University of Strathclyde, see  Enhancing Assessment & Feedback in First Year delivered on 20th January 2011 at a Teaching & Learning Seminar in UCD.  Go to the Re-engineering Assessment Practices in Higher Education website for more information about Professor Nicol's work. 
• Late January – Final recommendations for consultation through University Committee Structure;
• End February – Recommendations for implementation agreed;
• Beginning of March onwards to end of April, recommendations for 2011 implemented via module update process.