2000-1-3 Evaluation of Students

Policy

1. The learning and progress of the students in each course are evaluated by the course faculty member.
2. The College, in conjunction with the faculty member, will:
   1. establish the means and methods by which the student's learning will be evaluated,
   2. communicate to the students - usually through the course outline - how they will be evaluated,
   3. conduct evaluations in a manner consistent with the information provided to the students,
   4. grade or assess the work and learning of the students in a fair, objective and transparent manner,
   5. inform the students, in a timely fashion (10 working days), of the results of the evaluations,
   6. inform the students of their progress through the course with a current record of evaluation results and, if feasible and reasonable, a statement or measure of their standing in the course (e.g. current average.)
3. All communications to a student(s) concerning evaluation results and course standing shall be conducted by means that ensure the confidentiality of the information (e.g. secure learning management system, not an office-door posting), and in a manner that respects the student and the student's efforts.
4. Students normally will be evaluated through a variety of methods, such as tests, assignments, participation, clinical observation, etc., as determined by the faculty and described in the course outline. The course outline will describe the evaluation components, structure and weights.
5. No single evaluation may have a weight of more than 40% in the calculation of the final grade.
   1. Notwithstanding the above statement, in those cases in which the majority of the course is delivered at a distance or online, up to 50% of the final grade may be determined in a single proctored evaluation.
   2. In exceptional circumstances, such as a capstone project or a field or clinical placement, where it may be necessary to exceed the maximum, the relevant Dean may grant permission for the maximum to be exceeded.
6. In a course offered to degree programs, a minimum of 30% of the final grade shall be determined through evaluations that are proctored or supervised by College faculty. Any exception to this requirement must be approved by the appropriate Dean responsible for the course's delivery.
7. The College may establish one or more course requirements - deemed to be essential to the delivery of the course or the realization of the course outcomes - that must be met in order to complete successfully the course. Such requirements must be consistent with course learning outcomes and not be unreasonably applied. The teacher may assign a failing grade where a student has achieved a passing final average mark or grade but has not successfully fulfilled all requirements for passing the course as stipulated in the course outline.
8. Students may not be evaluated or graded on the basis of attendance (i.e. marks cannot be awarded or withheld on the basis of attendance). Students may be evaluated (i.e. marks awarded), for participation, skills demonstration, etc. Such evaluations must be undertaken in a demonstrably objective manner (e.g. use of an evaluation rubric.) Failure to attend the class or lab is likely to affect adversely the student’s performance, and hence marks, in these components of the course evaluation.
9. Notwithstanding the above statement 7, there may be, in some courses or programs, a course-success or program-graduation requirement for the completion of a minimum number of hours or days in a classroom, clinical, or co-op setting in order to meet professional, licensing, or occupational requirements. In apprenticeship programs, attendance may be established. Failure to meet time requirements may result in a reduced or failing grade or failure to graduate.
10. Students have the right to see, review and question each marked or graded evaluation, including reports, essays, exams (including final exams), presentations, etc.
    1. At a minimum, the faculty member has a responsibility to provide to the students reasonable and easy access to a marked/graded evaluation and the applicable marking scheme or rubric for the purposes of reviewing and questioning the marked/graded evaluation.
       1. In those cases in which the answer medium and the evaluation medium are separate, e.g. answers on a Scantron sheet and questions on a separate sheet or projected, the student must receive the answer medium and have easy access to the questions in another medium in order to enable a review of the marked evaluation.
    2. It is pedagogically desirable that marked evaluations be returned to the students in the classroom, or other relevant learning environment, and be reviewed ("taken up") with the students.
11. Marked evaluations must be returned to students for their keeping unless overriding security or pedagogical concerns indicate otherwise, in which case the onus is on the faculty member to demonstrate the need for retaining the evaluation materials.
12. Notwithstanding the above statement, where the student has provided the materials for the evaluated work (e.g. a painting, a photograph) the work shall be returned to the student by the end of the semester in which it was submitted.
13. Any marked evaluations that are returned to the students for their keeping but that are not 'picked up' or received by some students, and marked evaluations that are retained by the faculty member shall be stored safely for a period not less than one year from the end of the semester in which the evaluations or work were created. (Records Retention (1000-1-3) policy)