Example assessment & marking criteria

Assessment type: / Evaluative report
Subject: / INF532 Knowledge Networking for Educators
This subject examines the educational practices of connected learning environments within distributed networks of people and institutions, including schools, information organisations and online communities. Knowledge networking is introduced as an active and complementary partnership of online tools, information access, information distribution and pedagogic practices, which are underpinned by social, ubiquitous, blended and personalised learning. Research foundations and case studies will define the value and function of personal knowledge networks. The subject examines tools and opportunities to produce, circulate, curate and comment on new media and explore the affordances of popular peer-culture tools and community-based knowledge for connected learning.
Subject learning
outcomes: / On successful completion of this subject, students will be able to:
  • understand the life-cycle of information, its history and its future;
  • locate and evaluate a range of innovative online tools and spaces for creative knowledge production and learner engagement;
  • use a suite of new media tools for information management, content creation, content curation, collaborative work, and connecting social networks and communities of practice within and beyond the school;
  • describe and critique the interplay between formal and informal learning in physical and digital venues, and approaches such as the flipped classroom;
  • build on knowledge networking to strengthen school-based classroom engagement and learning through intentional and reflective online instructional design;
  • design, develop and deploy products, tools or strategies that show an understanding of education informatics; and
  • utilise a personal learning network to enhance professional growth, personal knowledge management and collective intelligence practices.

Assessment task: / 2. Network literacy evaluative report
Value& length: / 50%, 1800 words (+/- 10%) plus blog entries
Task description: / Complete a network literacy evaluative report drawing upon blog posts throughout the session to document how your practice-based and experiential learning activities helped you meet the learning objectives of this subject.
This assignment is in two parts. You must complete both parts.
Part A: Knowledge networking blog
Create a knowledge networking blog by the end of Week 1, and use this to show evidence that you have:
  • engaged with sections of the four self-paced topic modules, online readings and networked class discussions;
  • completed a number of formative learning activities using a range of digital tools and spaces, content curation platforms, and creative knowledge production applications;
  • participated in the series of six 1 hour ‘tweet meets’ (peer-learning sessions) on topic module content;
  • critiqued student knowledge networking artefacts;
  • developed and/or refined your network literacy and knowledge networking skills and understandings throughout the session; and
  • reflected on your development as a connected educator.
Part B: Evaluative Report (no more than 1800 words)
Write an evaluative report on your learning in INF532 this session. Include:
(a)an evaluative statement using the networked learning experiences documented on your KN blog as evidence of meeting the learning objectives of this subject (900 words); and
(b)a reflective statement on your development as a connected educator as a result of studying INF532, and the implications for your role as a ‘connected leader’ within your school community, and/or at district/state/national level (900 words).
Note this evaluative report should be published as the final entry (or page) on your knowledge networking blog.
Rationale: / This assignment provides students with opportunities to:
  • Demonstrate how knowledge and information engagement in connected learning environments are an essential combination of online tools, spaces and activities in a participatory culture.
  • Demonstrate an active engagement with knowledge networking environments and innovative social networking tools, content curation platforms, and creative knowledge production applications to support their own informational, educational, social and personal needs, as well as those of their colleagues and students.
This assignment is designed to assess all learning outcomes, with particular emphasis on 5, 6 and 7.

Marking criteria & standards of performance

Developed by Judy O’ConnellBarbara Combes

Part A: Knowledge Networking Blog
Levels of achievement: / High Distinction (85+) / Distinction (75-84%) / Credit (65-74%) / Pass (50-64%) / Working towards (<50%)
Student investigates a range of ideas and issues / Blog entries demonstrate a strong professional position about key issues as discussed in weekly forums, blog posts and subject learning materials / Blog entries shows an emergent professional dialogue about key issues as discussed in weekly forums, blog posts and subject learning materials / Blog entries show awareness of key issues as discussed in weekly forums, blog posts and subject learning materials, and provides evidence of being able to highlight appropriate facets of the issues being discussed / Blog entries show awareness of some of the key issues and central course concepts as discussed in weekly forums, blog posts and subject learning materials, however, emphasis is disproportionate and somewhat descriptive / Blog entries are descriptive and show little or no awareness of key issues discussed
Student applies
and integrates critical analysis / Strong evidence of independent investigation, original questioning and analysis. Independently takes and understands multiple perspectives and through these can provide an insightful and/or exhaustive critical discussion of the issues at hand / Evidence of independent investigation, and original questioning and analysis. Independently takes and understands multiple perspectives and through these can provide an insightful critical discussion of the issues at hand. / Some evidence of independent investigation, original questioning and analysis. Takes and understands multiple perspectives and through these can provide a critical discussion of the issues at hand / Little evidence of independent investigation, original questioning and analysis.Attempts to take and understand multiple perspectives / No evidence of independent investigation, original questioning and analysis. No attempt to take and understand multiple perspectives
Student is able to form, present and support own opinions / Incorporates own opinion and original ideas into discussion, explicitly shaped by a strong foundation in theory and examples, and to promote further thinking / Incorporates own opinion into discussion, with foundation in theory and examples, with some incorporation of ideas to promote further thinking / Incorporates own opinion into discussion, linked to theory or examples / Some attempt to incorporate own opinion into discussion, however, opinion may not be grounded in theory or examples. Little or no attempt to incorporate original ideas / No attempt to incorporate own opinion into discussion, or opinion is not grounded in theory or examples
Mark for Part A:
Part B: Evaluative Report – blog post
Levels of achievement: / High Distinction (>85%) / Distinction (75-84%) / Credit (65-74%) / Pass (50-64%) / Working towards (<50%)
Comprehension and analysis:
Evaluative statement demonstrates engagement with networked learning experiences.
Demonstrates quality research and academic writing skills using appropriate scholarly conventions / Draws from the literature beyond the readings to support justifications. Accurately engages with the range and breadth of the concepts, theories and practical applications of knowledge networking. Demonstrates sophisticated critical research, analysis and synthesis skills, using ideas and principles beyond those introduced in the modules. Argument flows, writing, referencing and online attribution are free from error, demonstrating an outstanding level of research undertaken / Draws from the literature beyond the readings to support justifications. Evidence of precise engagement with the concepts and theories pertinent to the concepts, theories and practical applications of knowledge networking. Demonstrates competent analysis using ideas and principles beyond those introduced in the modules. Argument flows, writes with clarity. Use of scholarly conventions reflects a high level of research undertaken. Few errors in online attribution and referencing / Assignment well informed by the readings and goes beyond key texts. Makes connections between the concepts, predominant ideas and practical applications relevant to knowledge networking. Evidence of analysis using ideas and principles introduced in the module. Use of scholarly conventions reflects a sound level of research undertaken. Infrequent errors and minor omissions in online attribution and referencing / Draws from course readings. Descriptive narrative with some discussion using ideas and principles introduced in the module. Is abreast of the main relevant connections and practical applications in knowledge networking. Use of scholarly conventions reflects an adequate level of research undertaken. May have errors in online attribution and/or omissions in reference list / Unfamiliar with concepts relevant to knowledge networking. No evidence of research in the course literature. Descriptive narrative and includes frequent unsupported facts and opinions. Use of scholarly conventions reflects the level of research undertaken which was minimal. Many errors and omissions in attribution and reference list
Synthesis:
Reflective statement demonstrates understanding and evaluation of development as a ‘connected’ educator / Provides a critical and creative reflective statement that provides sophisticated synthesis of knowledge networking, and insightful reflection of development as a ‘connected’ educator and leader.Evaluation provides a connected interpretation, linking all aspects of the knowledge networking experience with intuitive insights / Provides an in-depth reflective statement that provides synthesis and reflection of interconnections of ideas and experiences in development as a ‘connected’ educator and leader. Evaluation provides quality scrutiny of all aspects of the knowledge networking experience / Provides a reflective statement that shows conceptualisation and synthesis of ideas, but which may be a mix of descriptive and reflective thinking in demonstrating development as a ‘connected’ educator and leader. Evaluation provides a coherent interpretation of the knowledge networking experience / Provides a reflective statement that is appropriate, though limited in some elements of synthesis of ideas. Tentative presentation of ideas and interconnections that influence development as a ‘connected’ educator and leader. Evaluation provides a foundational interpretation of the knowledge networking experience / Understanding is vague, and reflective statement shows little or no understanding of being a ‘connected’ educator or leader. Evaluation is limited or descriptive
Mark for Part B:
General Comment: