Guidance for Module Leaders and Chairs of Module Boards

Module Boards of Examiners

Guidance for Module Leaders and Chairs of Module Boards

This guidanceis for Module Leaders and Chairs of Module Boards and provides information about the function of a Module Boards of Examiners, therole of a Module Leader during a Module Boardand data which is available to assist with analysis of module performance.

Functions of a Module Board of Examiners

• Ensuring that marks awarded are accurately recorded and ratified.
• Ensuring due consideration is given to:
• the profile of component marks and overall module marks;
• the mean mark and standard deviation of component marks and overall module marks;
• pass rates,especially in comparison to the previous cohort(s);
• thepercentage of marks falling in each grade band.
• If concerns are raised with regard to any aspect of module assessment, the Module Board is empowered to make formulaic, across-the-board changes to sets of marks, or (if practicable) to ask internal and external examiners to revisit scripts/assessments.
• Decisions are made collectively by the Board, where there are concerns about the assessment process this will require action(s) to be logged within the PMEP action log by the Programme Leader. Module Leaders will need to ensure that the Programme Leader is advised of actions. Where the standard deviation for student performance falls outside identified norms, actions must be logged in the PMEP action log. PMEP action logs can be accessed via Blackboard through the Monitoring and Enhancement ‘course’.
• Module Boards should not discuss individual student performance.

Role of a Module Leader

All Module Leaders are expected to attend meetings of Module Boards where modules for which they have responsibility are under consideration. During the meeting, Module Leaders shouldprovide a brief oral report based on information from theModule Leader’s report template including:

• Any relevant contextual information, this could include any issues impacting on module delivery or the assessment process.

• An analysis of student performance on the modulecovering each component of assessment and overall module performance focusing on mark range, mark average and standard deviation (definitions are provided below).
• The pass rate for the module with reference to the previous cohort(s).
• Information about any unusual patterns emerging (e.g. an extremely high/low assessment component or module average or where a standard deviation is outside identified norms)and if appropriate, actions identified.

A module leader’s report template is available at .

Mean Mark

The mean mark is the average mark achieved by the cohort. The calculation does not include any non-submissions. Where a module mark is capped, the capped mark is included in the mean module mark.

Standard Deviation

The standard deviation is a measure of how widely the cohort’s marks are dispersed from the average value (or the mean).

Data on Module Performance

Module performance reports are available to Module Leadersvia Qlikview. Reports provide:

• a mean module mark for a specified module;

• a mean module mark for a specified module across a three year period (this includes the current year and the two previous years);
• the mean module mark for all modules across a School, a Levelor a predefined cognate subject area.

The Qlikviewapplication will enable Module Leaders to identify those ‘priority modules’ with an outlying performance and where further review may be necessary. Whilst data will be available for all modules, no matter what the cohort size is, only modules with a cohort size of 20+ may be identified as a priority module.

Qikview is accessible here: .If you are having difficulty with access, please contact .

Additional Information

A narrated PowerPoint with additional information about the two tier Exam Board process is available through Blackboard (navigate to the Professional & Organisational Staff Development).

May2015

Quality and Enhancement Office