Newcastle University Digital Exams Service announced as finalist in the e-Assessment Awards

The e-Assessment Association has announced the shortlisted finalists for its international awards programme, The e-Assessment Awards.

We are delighted to announce that the Newcastle University Digital Exams Service has been shortlisted in the ‘Best Use of Summative Assessment’ category.

The e-Assessment Awards programme holds a unique position, as it encompasses all sectors of education: from schools, through further and higher education to workplace training and professional exams. The Awards programme was launched in October 2016 to highlight and celebrate the outstanding and positive contributions that technology makes to all forms of assessment, and has gone on to showcase the best practice, research and innovation in the sector.

Professor Suzanne Cholerton, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Education, recognised this excellent acheivement:

“The nomination reflects the fact that we are a leading institution in the sector for digital exam provision.  It also recognises our commitment to ongoing innovation, exemplified by the recent introduction of digital written exams that students can take using their own devices. 

The Digital Exams Service plays a pivotal role in providing our students an educational experience supported and enhanced by technology, which is one of the four key themes of the University Education Strategy.  Delivering a diverse range of summative exam types in a secure online environment enables authentic assessment, enhances the accessibility of exams for all of our students, and supports the University’s commitment to lowering its environmental impact by reducing the amount of paper required for exams.

The success of digital exams at Newcastle University is founded on collaboration between academic and professional services colleagues in academic units across the institution, together with the Learning and Teaching Development Service, IT Service, and Exams and Awards Office. This commitment to collaboration and innovation provides a strong foundation as we prepare to meet the challenges of delivering rigorous, authentic, and accessible assessment in the new educational landscape resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Finalist e-Assessment Awards 2020

The Digital Exams Service here at Newcastle has also been recognised as an example of good practice and innovation in the recent JISC report: The future of assessment: five principles, five targets for 2025.

e-Assessment Awards – Selected finalists showcase, 3 June 2020

Hear more from some of the team from Newcastle and other finalists at this upcoming showcase. A joint initiative with Transforming Assessment and the e-Assessment Association. This panel style webinar includes:

  • Development of the Student Progress Dashboard, finalist for Best Use of Summative Assessment
  • Newcastle University Digital Exam Service, finalist for Best Use of Summative Assessment.
  • An animated version of a situational judgement test (SJT) measuring interpersonal problem-solving skills in an educational context, finalist for Innovation Award.

Register (free) http://taw.fi/3jun2020   

e-Assessment awards: Categories and finalists

The six sets of finalists were shortlisted by six separate panels of highly experienced, international experts. The following have been announced as finalists within the respective categories:

Best Use of Formative Assessment

  • AlphaPlus Consultancy Ltd
  • NetSupport for ReallySchool
  • Skills Forward

Best Use of Summative Assessment sponsored by SQA

  • Newcastle University Digital Exam Service
  • Oxford University Press
  • The Compliance & Skills Academy (COSAC) for Safe2Site
  • University of Reading

Innovation sponsored by ncfe | cache

  • ACT Inc.
  • Centre for Assessment Research, Policy and Practice in Education (CARPE)
  • Sparx
  • Tata Consultancy Services

Best Transformational Project sponsored by RM Results

  • AlphaPlus Consultancy Ltd
  • University of Jeddah
  • University of Reading

Best Research

  • ACTNext by ACT, Inc.
  • Heriot-Watt University
  • University of Reading

Excellence in Export

  • Highfield Qualifications and Stadium
  • PECS Data Services

Commenting on the awards, Janet Garcia, President PSI International, the Awards’ headline sponsor, said:

“The Awards programme once again demonstrates the incredible quality and ingenuity of e-assessment solutions and projects worldwide, and we are delighted to continue to support the Awards because of the value and richness of the shared knowledge that we are able to showcase as a result.”

Matt Wingfield, chairman of the e-Assessment Association, added:

“Every year, the Awards shine the spotlight on those who are making a positive contribution to e-assessment and help share best practice, innovation and research in technology-enabled assessment. The high quality of submissions again this year is a true testament to the continuing calibre of those within the sector, with the international nature of submissions demonstrating the increasing reach of e-assessment right across the globe. Given the large number of entries, securing a place on the shortlist is a significant achievement in itself, and we wish everyone the very best of luck in the second round of judging, where each finalist prepares for an online interview with the judges in their category.”

If you are interested in finding out more about the Digital Exams Service here at Newcastle get in touch at LTDS@ncl.ac.uk

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