The Empowering-Developing-Assuring Assessment Framework

The result is Deakin’s distinct assessment framework that prioritises the varied purposes of assessment across a degree.

The conceptual framework, illustrated below shows the relationship between three core purposes of assessment: Developing knowledge, skills and attributes, Assuring course learning outcomes, and Empowering students during the assessment process. There are two assessment task types in the framework, Assuring tasks and Developing tasks, that are distinguished by their primary purpose. Hover over each element of the Assessment Framework to learn more.

The Empowering-Developing-Assuring Assessment Framework aims to:

• foster the design of a holistic, course-wide ecosystem of interlinked assessment task types and feedback loops
• strengthen student engagement and meaningful learning
• develop critical capabilities needed to thrive in a genAI enabled world, and
• assure achievement of Course Learning Outcomes to protect the integrity of the award.

The Empowering-Developing-Assuring Assessment Framework

The result is Deakin’s distinct assessment framework that prioritises the varied purposes of assessment across a degree.

The conceptual framework, illustrated below shows the relationship between three core purposes of assessment: Developing knowledge, skills and attributes, Assuring course learning outcomes, and Empowering students during the assessment process. There are two assessment task types in the framework, Assuring tasks and Developing tasks, that are distinguished by their primary purpose. Hover over each element of the Assessment Framework to learn more.

Developing

The primary purpose of Developing tasks is to prioritise the development of knowledge, skills and capabilities. These tasks prioritise: 

• scaffolded development of knowledge, skills and attributes 
• responsible and ethical use of genAI 
• the process of learning 
• promoting academic integrity 
• creating actionable feedback loops that prepare students for Assuring tasks 

Assuring

The primary purpose of Assuring tasks is for students to demonstrate achievement of Course Learning Outcomes. These tasks prioritise: 

• valid and secure assessment design 
• restricting the use of genAI through the structural design of the task. 

Empowering

Assessment is also seen as an opportunity to Empower students through the design of the task. Empowering design elements span both Assuring and Developing tasks. 

Empowering design elements prioritise: 

• student agency 
• inclusion 
• relationality 
• opportunities for learning 
• intrinsic motivation  
• development of evaluative judgement.  

The Empowering-Developing-Assuring Assessment Framework aims to: 

• foster the design of a holistic, course-wide ecosystem of interlinked assessment task types and feedback loops 
• strengthen student engagement and meaningful learning 
• develop critical capabilities needed to thrive in a genAI enabled world, and 
• assure achievement of Course Learning Outcomes to protect the integrity of the award.