ASSESSMENT PROCESSES and CRITERIA
for FINAL PROJECT REVIEW
A search for a common base for assessment of design projects
Dear Colleagues
I am undertaking a research project which looks at establishing
an inventory of the assessment criteria and procedures for
Final Project Review for students completing an undergraduate
degree, Bachelor of Landscape Architecture. This research will
be documented as a report for a subject in a university teaching
and learning I am currently undertaking here at RMIT.
It will also inform our practice, with practical application in
our teaching programs as well.
Many of you, I'm sure, have struggled with setting the
appropriate mark or grade when it comes to assessing design
projects. Often the basis for marking is subjective,
supplemented with an oral and written analysis as additional
feedback to students. Another approach might involve a
very prescriptive format with performance components relating
to a defined product. In any case, at one end of the spectrum
is the supervisor or assessor, who must sit in judgement
(review the work) and provide a fair assessment with feedback
to help the students learning. At the other end is the student,
who needs direction, and should come to understand and value
good design, but may be concerned about how their work will
be received. It is of paramount importance that the student
has criteria upon which they can clearly organise their final
project and, through the process of assessment, know that
they will be fairly assessed. Assessment practice must guide
the student towards creative invention, artistic expression,
and technical competence.
We are surveying design schools throughout the world,
particularly schools in Landscape Architecture, to determine
what guidelines, assessment processes and criteria for final
design projects have been set into practice. For example, is
student work assessed more than once, is there feedback prior
to final assessment, is there a prescribed committee of review,
is there a time-table for completion, can the student employ
an external advisor, must there be a certain complement of
critics attending their final project final review etc?
Could you review your course guidelines to determine if
you maintain any of the following;
o What specific procedure is used for
assessing student capability and work?
o What assessment criteria are used for
marking and feedback for student work?
o Do you know of schools which use
assessment practices which differ from your
procedures and criteria?
o Do you know of individuals who
have studied or explored innovative assessment
practices and criteria?
It would be greatly appreciated if you could provide the
above information. If you would like a summary of
the outcome of our efforts please indicate so in your reply
(also indicate if you wish confidentiality to be maintained).
We will be more than happy to furnish you with the full
results of our survey, at a nominal cost, upon completion.
Looking forward to your early response,
Rob Mitcheltree, Lecturer, Landscape Architect
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert Mitcheltree
Lecturer, Landscape Architecture
RMIT University
GPO Box 2476V
Melbourne, Australia, 3001
Phone +61 3 660 2226 Fax +61 3 663 2891
mitcheltree@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
-------------------------------------------------------------------
for FINAL PROJECT REVIEW
A search for a common base for assessment of design projects
Dear Colleagues
I am undertaking a research project which looks at establishing
an inventory of the assessment criteria and procedures for
Final Project Review for students completing an undergraduate
degree, Bachelor of Landscape Architecture. This research will
be documented as a report for a subject in a university teaching
and learning I am currently undertaking here at RMIT.
It will also inform our practice, with practical application in
our teaching programs as well.
Many of you, I'm sure, have struggled with setting the
appropriate mark or grade when it comes to assessing design
projects. Often the basis for marking is subjective,
supplemented with an oral and written analysis as additional
feedback to students. Another approach might involve a
very prescriptive format with performance components relating
to a defined product. In any case, at one end of the spectrum
is the supervisor or assessor, who must sit in judgement
(review the work) and provide a fair assessment with feedback
to help the students learning. At the other end is the student,
who needs direction, and should come to understand and value
good design, but may be concerned about how their work will
be received. It is of paramount importance that the student
has criteria upon which they can clearly organise their final
project and, through the process of assessment, know that
they will be fairly assessed. Assessment practice must guide
the student towards creative invention, artistic expression,
and technical competence.
We are surveying design schools throughout the world,
particularly schools in Landscape Architecture, to determine
what guidelines, assessment processes and criteria for final
design projects have been set into practice. For example, is
student work assessed more than once, is there feedback prior
to final assessment, is there a prescribed committee of review,
is there a time-table for completion, can the student employ
an external advisor, must there be a certain complement of
critics attending their final project final review etc?
Could you review your course guidelines to determine if
you maintain any of the following;
o What specific procedure is used for
assessing student capability and work?
o What assessment criteria are used for
marking and feedback for student work?
o Do you know of schools which use
assessment practices which differ from your
procedures and criteria?
o Do you know of individuals who
have studied or explored innovative assessment
practices and criteria?
It would be greatly appreciated if you could provide the
above information. If you would like a summary of
the outcome of our efforts please indicate so in your reply
(also indicate if you wish confidentiality to be maintained).
We will be more than happy to furnish you with the full
results of our survey, at a nominal cost, upon completion.
Looking forward to your early response,
Rob Mitcheltree, Lecturer, Landscape Architect
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert Mitcheltree
Lecturer, Landscape Architecture
RMIT University
GPO Box 2476V
Melbourne, Australia, 3001
Phone +61 3 660 2226 Fax +61 3 663 2891
mitcheltree@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
-------------------------------------------------------------------