GLOSSARY OF TERMS:

Academic Board – the Institute committee responsible for academic policy formulation and implementation.
Assessment - formal means of determining how well a student has performed in a course.

Assessment components – different parts of the overall assessment of a course, e.g. examinations, tests, portfolios, essays.

Course - a discrete study often known as a subject or unit. In these rules the term refers to courses taught at the Vanuatu Institute of Teacher Education – see 7.1 and 7.2 below for reference to other courses.

Course outline – a detailed statement of aims, outcomes, content and assessment provided to each student at the commencement of a course.

Credit point - the value attached to a course. Credit points are not attached to Teaching Practice. Each semester comprises courses totalling 36 credit points, which approximates to 36 hours of course work time. Normally a credit point indicates approximately one hour of classroom contact and one hour of independent study time during each teaching week.

Diploma – refers to the anglophone Diploma in Education (Secondary).

Distinction – students may graduate with Distinction in Course Work and/or Distinction in Teaching Practice. See 1.5 below.

Examination Committee – a committee, comprising all Diploma in Education (Secondary) lecturers, which recommends results to the Academic Board.

External course – course taught through University of the South Pacific Extension Services or by Alliance Française.

Grade – the overall mark awarded for a course on the scale E through A+.

Internal course – course taught at the Vanuatu Institute of Teacher Education.

Programme - the entire two years of study in the Diploma in Education.

Programme Committee – a committee, comprising all Diploma in Education (Secondary) lecturers, which is responsible to Academic Board for policy formulation and implementation.

Programme Coordinator – the academic staff member appointed by the Institute Principal to lead the Diploma in Education (Secondary) section of the Institute and take charge of programme administration.

Provisional student - a student who has been permitted to enrol under the provisional entry rules.


NOTE: At the time of writing the Academic Board of the Vanuatu Institute of Teacher Education has not been established. Until such time as the Board has been established, the Examination Committee will be the final arbiter on matters relating to student progress and assessment.

1. Assessment

1.1 Principles

The following principles apply to the assessment policy in this programme:

1.1.1 Assessment components contained within course outlines constitute a contract which is binding on both lecturers and students. Once a course has commenced, any changes made to the assessment requirements must be the result of negotiation between lecturers and students.

1.1.2 Assessment components should relate to the stated outcomes of the course and to the teaching strategies employed in the module.

1.1.3 A range of approaches to assessment will ensure that students are not disadvantaged by undue emphasis on any one means of assessment. Assessment methods include portfolios, planning tasks, self-evaluation, written examinations, research reports, class tests, oral presentations, and group tasks as well as individual assessment components.

1.1.4 The criteria and procedures used for judging assessment components should be described clearly by the students at the start of each course.

1.1.5 The assessment should be done with students' knowledge and, as far as possible, be negotiated with students at the start of the course.

1.1.6 Students must know when an assessment is being made and what is being assessed at that time.

1.1.7 Fair, equitable, and consistent reporting methods should be used to ensure that learning outcomes are interpreted justly and fairly for all students.

1.1.8 Assessment should be based on evidence recorded over time by the lecturer and should include only comments or marks that have a sound evidential basis.

1.1.9 Feedback on assessment tasks should be constructively critical, supportive, positive, and specific in giving advice on ways in which the student may improve his/her work.

1.1.10 All grades should be regarded as provisional until confirmed at a meeting of the Examination Committee.

1.1.11 Students may reasonably expect that grades awarded, and decisions about the resubmission of assessment components and supplementary examinations, will take into account genuine mitigating circumstances such as illness and compassionate matters.

1.1.12 Lecturers may reasonably expect that all students will complete all assessment tasks to the best of their ability.

1.2 Assessment components

It is neither possible nor desirable to be prescriptive about the nature of assessment components, which will vary considerably from course to course in the Diploma. Points 1.2.1-1.2.5 below are guidelines only to indicate that course assessment must be fair and not impose an unreasonable burden on students.

Assessment components in all course outlines should:

1.2.1 indicate the types of assessment tasks to be used. These may include, for example, portfolios, journals, lesson plans and teaching materials, microteaching, written assignments, seminars, seminar papers, research reports, book reviews, map and graph construction, seminar papers and written examinations;

1.2.2 be described in as much detail as possible to avoid misunderstanding and give students the greatest chance of producing their best work;

1.2.3 normally comprise not more than one assessment component for every two credit points;

1.2.4 normally comprise not more than 1 000 words per component or equivalent;

1.2.5 in the case of an examination, normally be not more than one hour in duration for every two credit points.

1.3 Assessment load

To ensure that participants are not over-assessed at any point in their course, an assessment schedule will normally be compiled by lecturers before the commencement of each semester. The Programme Coordinator may request individual lecturers to modify the timing of their assessment requirements to ensure that participants have a reasonable and appropriate assessment load.

1.4 Grades

1.4.1 Students will be graded E through A+ in all courses. All grades between C and A+ are considered pass grades. D and E are fail grades. The following grading scheme has been adopted for the Diploma in Education (Secondary):

1.4.2 The Programme Committee will, at the end of each semester and at other times as appropriate, be constituted as an Examination Committee for the purpose of endorsing grades for all courses. The Examination Committee may recommend that grades for courses be adjusted up or down where, in the absence of suitable justification by the lecturers concerned, they are considered to be inconsistent with the grades awarded in other courses.

1.4.3 To pass a course a student must have a final average of at least 50% for the course as a whole. The final grade for a course is the aggregate of the assessment components set down in the course outline provided to each student when the course starts. Unless there is a statement to the contrary in the course outline, it is not necessary for a student to pass each assessment component in order to pass the course.

1.4.4 All assessment components for each course must be completed unless there is a statement to the contrary in the course outline.

1.4.5 The Teaching Practice component of the programme will be assessed as an Ungraded Pass (UGP) or Ungraded Fail (UGF).

1.4.6 Incomplete (I) will be awarded to a student who has been given approval by the course lecturer to (a) submit work too late to be considered by the Examinations Committee at the end of the semester; (b) resubmit work too late for it to be considered at the Examination Committee meeting; (c) take a supplementary examination for academic, medical or compassionate reasons.

1.4.7 Result Withheld (RW) will be awarded (a) to a student whose results have not been released for disciplinary reasons; (b) when a lecturer is unable to complete course assessment before the date set for ratification of results by the Examination Committee.

1.4.8 A student who fails a course as a result of absenteeism (below) will be awarded UGF.

1.5 Graduation with Distinction

1.5.1 A student who is considered by her/his associate teachers and Institute supervisors to have exhibited outstanding performance in Teaching Practice may be awarded a Diploma with Distinction in Teaching Practice. To be eligible for this award a student must (a) be awarded Outstanding by 50% of visiting lecturers and associate teachers in the first Teaching Practice and by 75% of visiting lecturers and associate teachers in the second Teaching Practice; or (b) be awarded outstanding by all visiting lecturers and associate teachers in the second Teaching Practice.

1.5.2 A student whose coursework grades average B+ or higher over the two years of the programme may be awarded a Diploma with Distinction in Course Work.

1.6 Late submission of assessment components

1.6.1 Students are required to submit to their course lecturer all assessment components by 1630 on the date set down in the course outline, and to sit for examinations at the time indicated in the examinations timetable. These dates and times may be changed only on the basis of negotiation between the whole course group and the course lecturer.

1.6.2 If there are mitigating circumstances, a lecturer may negotiate with an individual student late submission where this does not give an unfair advantage to the student. Students are required, at least two days before the due date, to seek permission to submit work late by writing to the lecturer concerned. The lecturer will keep the written request on file, together with a record of his/her response to the request, including any agreement reached as to the negotiated submission date.

1.6.3 Normally, work submitted late without approval will incur a penalty of five per cent of the total marks allocated in the course outline to the assessment component for every day past the due date. Work which receives a fail grade under these circumstances may not be resubmitted

1.7 Return of marked work

Lecturers are normally expected to return marked work to students within two weeks of its submission. Work that is submitted late with or without approval may take longer to be returned.

1.8 Completion and resubmission of assessment components

1.8.1 At the discretion of the course lecturer a student may be permitted to resubmit a failed assessment component in order to achieve a pass grade overall for the course. Normally work may not be resubmitted if, in the judgment of the course lecturer following discussion with the student, a reasonable attempt has not made to complete the assessment component satisfactorily. Under these circumstances the grade awarded for the course will be SP or SF only.

1.8.2 Work may be resubmitted only once, and normally only one assessment component may be resubmitted in any course.

1.8.3 A lecturer may permit a student to submit an additional assessment component if failure of the component, and hence the course, is (a) a consequence, in the lecturer's view, of the student not having made a reasonable attempt to complete the assessment component satisfactorily; (b) due to late submission of an assessment task. Under these circumstances the grade awarded for the course will be SP or SF only.

1.8.4 A course lecturer may allow a student who achieves a D for an examination, which results in failure of the course, to sit for a supplementary examination. Under these circumstances the grade awarded for the course will be SP or SF only.

1.8.5 Other circumstances in which a supplementary examination may be approved include absence from an examination through illness (where this is supported by a doctor’s certificate), and absence on compassionate grounds (where this can be substantiated). Under these circumstances a grade will be awarded for the course in the normal way.

1.8.6 Supplementary examinations, resubmitted assessment components, and additional assessment components must normally be completed prior to the commencement of the semester following that in which the course was taught.

1.8.7 A student who fails a Teaching Practice is required to repeat all or part of it at a time and in a manner to be determined by the Teaching Practice sub-Committee. A Teaching Practice may be repeated only once. A second failure will normally result in exclusion from the programme.

1.8.8 A student who repeats a Teaching Practice is required to meet all associated costs.

2. Student progression

2.1 Enrolment in certain courses may be conditional upon a student passing specified prerequisite courses or a test or tests to ascertain entry levels for future progression. Any such requirements will be specified in the course outline.

2.2 To graduate a student must achieve a Pass grade in courses totalling at least 135 credit points plus Teaching Practice 1 and Teaching Practice 2.

2.3 A first year student may normally proceed to the second year only if s/he has achieved a Pass in courses totalling 54 credit points (75%), plus Teaching Practice.

2.4 A student who has achieved a pass in courses totalling 54 credit points but has not passed Teaching Practice may, at the discretion of the Examination Committee, be permitted to proceed to the second year.

2.5 A student who, at the end of semester 1, is unable to meet the requirement for progression to the second year may apply to remain in the programme at his or her own expense on a provisional basis during semester 2. The student's continuing provisional status will be contingent upon satisfactory academic progress during the semester. Progress to the second year will still be subject to the provisions of clause 2.3.

2.6 A second year student may normally proceed from semester 3 to semester 4 only if s/he has achieved a Pass in courses totalling 80 credit points (75% of semester 1-3 courses) plus at least one Teaching Practice.

2.7 A student who is excluded from the programme on the basis of unsatisfactory progress may apply to repeat failed courses on a part-time basis at his or her own expense the following year during the semester in which the courses are normally offered. The Examination Committee will base its decision on the student’s overall results.

2.8 A course may not be repeated if it has been discontinued. However, it may be possible for a student to take an alternative course, where a suitable alternative exists.

2.9 A lecturer, with the approval of the Examination Committee, may allow a repeating student to complete assessment components for a course without having to attend classes. In such instances the requirements, including the nature of any formal contact between lecturer and student, will be stated in writing for the edification of the student and the Programme Committee.

2.10 A student may not normally repeat a course that s/he has failed twice.

2.11 Any failure of a course must be referred to the Programme Coordinator who may direct that one assessment component or more be re-assessed by a suitably qualified second marker.

2.12 The status of somebody who has been admitted to the programme as a provisional student will be altered to normal status at the end of semester 1 if s/he achieves a Pass grade in all semester 1 courses.

2.13 A provisional student who achieves a Pass grade in 75% of Semester 1 courses (54 credit points), plus Teaching Practice, may be permitted to continue in semester 2 as a provisional student.

2.14 A provisional student who, at the end of Semester 2, has fulfilled requirements for progression to Year 2 of the Diploma may proceed to Year 2 on a normal basis.

2.15 A provisional student who achieves a pass in fewer than 75% of Semester 1 courses (54 credit points) will not normally be permitted to continue.

2.16 A first year student will be awarded RW in all semester 2 courses and will not be permitted to proceed to the second year of the course if, at the end of the year, s/he owes money to the Institute for non-payment of fees, library fines or failure to return Institute property. The RW results will stand until all debts have been repaid.

2.17 A second year student will be awarded RW in all semester 2 courses and will not be permitted to graduate if, at the end of the year, s/he owes money to the Institute for non-payment of fees, library fines or failure to return Institute property. The RW results will stand until all debts have been repaid.

3. Advanced standing

3.1 A beginning student who has passed an external course which is a normal part of the Diploma in Education (Secondary), or which is deemed by the programme Committee to be the equivalent of a course in the programme, will be granted advanced standing for the course.

who is granted advanced standing will not be required to take a substitute a course. However, s/he will be funded to take an alternative course approved by the Programme Committee if s/he so desires, without penalty for failure.

3.3 A students who seeks advanced standing for a course on the grounds that it is the equivalent of a normal course in the programme is responsible for demonstrating to the satisfaction of the Programme Committee that it is an equivalent course.

4. Attendance requirements

4.1 Students are required to commence their studies on the first day of each semester.

4.2 Students are required to attend at least 95% of all scheduled classes unless granted leave under the terms of 3.3-3.5 below. Failure to do so will result in a Fail grade for the course.

4.3 A student who takes leave of absence from a class for a legitimate reason such as a death in the family, personal illness, or trauma, is required to complete a leave of absence form in advance and have it approved by the lecturer(s) concerned. A student who is unable to notify the lecturer in advance is required to complete a leave of absence form and give it to the lecturer concerned.

4.4 A student who is absent from class through illness is required to attach a doctor’s certificate to the leave of absence form.

4.5 A student who becomes pregnant is required to inform the Programme Coordinator, in writing, before the commencement of the semester in which the birth is to take place. The Programme Coordinator will inform the Student Welfare Committee which will appoint a suitable lecturer to consult with her, so as to determine an appropriate course of action. Action which may be taken by the Programme Committee, on the advice of the Student Welfare Committee, includes: requiring the student to take leave of absence for the semester in which the birth is to take place; deferral of Teaching Practice if there is a significant chance the birth will take place at that time. An exception to this rule is when the birth is expected, under normal circumstances, to take place during the December-January holiday period.

4.6 A student who is absent from class for any reason is required to discuss the matter with the lecturer concerned. It is the responsibility of the student to initiate discussion. The lecturer may require the student to carry out tasks needed to catch up with work that was missed.

4.7 Authorised absences under the provisions of 4.2 and 4.3 which total more than 5% and up to 20% of scheduled class time will be reported by the lecturer concerned to the Programme Committee. Action which may be taken by the Programme Committee includes termination of studies in the course resulting in failure; cessation without academic penalty of studies which may be resumed at another time; or continuation of studies subject to satisfactory completion of additional tasks determined by the lecturer.

4.8 Absences under the provisions of 4.2 and 4.3 which exceed 20% of scheduled class time will result in a Fail grade for the course.

4.9 A student who fails more than two courses as a consequence of absence may be placed on probation, suspended from the programme for one or more semesters, or expelled. Any such decision will be taken by the Academic Board on the advice of the Programme Committee, and will be presented to the student by the Programme Coordinator in writing at least one week before the Academic Board meets to consider the recommendation.

4.10 Consistent late arrival will be regarded as absence from class. A student who is late to class on three occasions in any course will thereafter be marked absent upon late arrival.

4.11 In the case of unavoidable prolonged absence - as a result, for example, of pregnancy, an accident, or illness - a student may seek leave of absence from the programme for one or more semesters. Under such circumstances a student may be permitted to leave the Institute without academic penalty. The student will normally be expected to re-commence studies at the start of the equivalent semester in the year in which studies re-commence.

4.12 A student who is expelled under the terms of 4.8 may apply to be re-admitted as a provisional enrollee twelve months after the expulsion takes effect. The student may be re-admitted only at the commencement of a semester. The student's provisional status may be reviewed at the end of one semester of study should there be no repeat of the incidence of absenteeism.

5. Student grievance procedures

5.1 A student who has a grievance about the content or conduct of any course, or the way in which her/his work has been assessed, must first discuss the matter with the course lecturer. Should there be no satisfactory resolution, the matter will then be referred to the Programme Coordinator who will attempt to negotiate a solution. If a solution cannot be negotiated the matter will be referred to the Programme Committee for resolution. The Programme Committee’s decision will take the form of a recommendation to Academic Board.

5.2 Academic Board, before taking a final decision on the recommendation, will invite the student to present the reasons for her/his grievance. The student may choose to be accompanied and supported by a nominee of the Students' Representative Council or a supportive lecturer.

6. Plagiarism and the recycling of assessment components

6.1 Sources of information and ideas used in assessment components must always be referenced in accordance with the referencing guidelines for the programme. These sources include books, articles, cartoons, people (including assistance provided by another student), television, newspapers, radio, the internet, one of a student’s earlier assessment components, or the work of another student.

6.2 Lecturers normally will not accept an assessment component a significant part of which has been submitted previously in another course or programme. Students also may not submit the same assessment component for two concurrent courses. Students, however, are free, where assessment components in two courses complement each other, to approach the lecturers concerned beforehand to seek permission to submit a joint assessment component, which will be more demanding than a single assessment component in either course. They are also free to approach a lecturer to ask if they may submit an assessment component which builds substantially on a previous assessment component.

6.3 Failure to observe these rules may lead to the award of a Fail grade for the assessment component, a requirement for resubmission, reduced marks, or disciplinary action.

7. Application of rules relating to assessment and student progression

The Programme Coordinator may waive these rules in exceptional circumstances which do not give an unfair advantage to the student concerned. Any such decision will be explained in writing to the Programme Committee and to the Academic Board at its next meeting.

8. External courses

8.1 The assessment, attendance and student progress rules of the University of the South Pacific and Alliance Française will apply to Diploma in Education (Secondary) students when taking courses at those institutions.

8.2 Failure of a University of the South Pacific or Alliance Française course will be treated like any other failure under clauses 2.2, 2.3, 2.5 and 2.6 for purposes of student progression and graduation.

[compiled by VASTEP, 1999-2002]