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University of Reading

EMA programme update from Gavin Brooks

Thursday, 19 October 2017

EMA programme update

Colleagues, 

I wanted to provide you with an update on progress of the Electronic Management of Assessment (EMA) programme.

The EMA Programme has three core objectives:

  1. Enabling a consistently good student assessment experience
  2. Providing an improved and supported assessment experience for staff
  3. Reducing the administrative burden of assessment for the University

New RISIS screens

Over the summer period a significant amount of work has been undertaken to include Sub Modular Marks in RISIS. This will mean that from autumn 2017, assessment information and individual assessment marks for undergraduate modules for all schools will be managed and shown in RISIS. 

New screens will soon be available for Module Convenors, Markers and Personal Tutors, as well as School-wide information and reports for Directors of Teaching and Learning (SDTLs and DTLs). A webinar was held recently to highlight some of the new RISIS functionality – please email the EMA team if you would like view the webinar.  

I would like to personally pass on my thanks to members of the Programme Administration Groups who undertook a significant amount of data preparation and cleansing over the summer time to put us into the position we are in now. We would not be able to undertake the RISIS changes without this support.

Exploratory phases and special projects

Two early adopter schools, the School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Sciences and the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, are working closely with the EMA Programme, TEL and Support Centre teams to prepare for the move to Electronic Submission, Feedback and Grading. The first training sessions for academic staff are scheduled to start on Monday 23 October.

In addition, special projects have commenced with the Institute of Education and Henley Business School, focusing on integrated electronic feedback.

The Learning Analytics exploratory phase is nearing completion. The EMA Programme will be considering the recommendations and options following consultation work in October, and I will provide further communication on the outcomes soon.

Share your views

The Programme continues to work very closely with key groups including TEL, CQSD, MCE, Programme Administrators, RUSU and a range of communities of practice across the University. The team itself now includes both academic and graduate partners representing a range of disciplines, as well as professional staff on secondment. Engagement is welcomed with the entire University community and the Programme seeks to ensure that change is fully supported.

If you have any questions or comments please contact the EMA team or Emma Mayhew, the EMA Academic Director.

Full details of the programme is available at www.reading.ac.uk/ema. 

I will provide a further update towards the end of the year as the programme develops.

 

Professor Gavin Brooks

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning)