Policies

Assessment and Evaluation

Assessment in education is the process of gathering information as evidence of student mastery over concepts and/or skills. Continuous assessment provides ongoing feedback that creates transparency between teacher expectations and student learning outcomes.

Assessments in the Continuing Teacher Education–BC courses have been developed based on competency-based assessment in accordance with the Professional Standards for BC educators.

Progress Updates (Self-Evaluations)

While instructors will assess your progress on an ongoing basis throughout the course, you will also have the opportunity to self-assess and compare your assessments to your instructor’s assessment of your overall progress in the course.

Both you and the instructor will complete the Progress Update Evaluation Checklist and reflection section at two points (after Module 2 and Module 5) during the course.

You must meet all six criteria in the Acceptable section of Progress Updates 1 and 2. Those who don’t meet all six criteria will be at risk of failing the course. If you meet at least three criteria in the Exceptional section over the course of Progress Update 1 and 2, this will demonstrate skills to the instructor indicative of the A+ level.

Formative and Summative Assessments

Your instructor will complete two rubrics throughout the course to evaluate your progress. The Formative Assessment rubric will be completed halfway through your course (after Module 4). The Summative Assessment will be completed at the end of your course and will include your final letter grade.

Those who do not meet the minimum expectation will receive a level of Unsatisfactory (US) for that criterion. If you receive an Unsatisfactory level in any criterion in the Formative Task Assessment, you are expected to incorporate the instructor’s feedback into the next assignment to show your understanding.

Those who do not show progress in learning and receive an Unsatisfactory level for the same criterion across both assessments will receive a final mark of Fail for the course. If you receive more than five Unsatisfactory criteria levels in the Formative Assessment, you will receive a final mark of Fail.

Those who receive more than one Unsatisfactory level on the (course culminating) Summative Task Assessment will receive a final mark of Fail.

Assigning a Grade

At the end of the session, instructors complete the Summative Assessment. Using evidence gathered throughout the course, such as Progress Updates, the Formative Assessment, discussions, and Assignment task submissions, the instructor assigns a letter grade to accompany the Summative Assessment.

The assigned grade is developed from the grid below:

Descriptor	Letter Grade	Criteria Description The candidate achieved…
Exceptional	A+	Exceptional participation in progress evaluations All criteria at the Exceptional level
Proficient	A	Acceptable participation in progress evaluations and/or 7 or more criteria at the Exceptional level with 3 or less at the Proficient level No criteria can be at the Developing or Unsatisfactory level
Developing	B+	No more than 1 Unsatisfactory participation in progress evaluations and/or 7 or more criteria at the Proficient level or above with 3 or less at the developing level No more than one criterion can be at the Unsatisfactory level
Unsatisfactory	US	Full or partial assignment resubmission is required as the work does not meet A+, A or B+ expectations and is considered Incomplete This is a temporary level, and failure to resubmit as required will result in a mark of fail
Fail	F	Any criteria achieved that do not meet A+, A, or B+ requirements

Late Assignments

Additional Qualification Courses are designed so that candidates work through the same modules at the same time. All assignments will be accepted up to the due dates identified in the course outline. Although assignment submissions to instructors need to be uploaded by the module's due date, discussion tasks must be completed within the time frame of the specific module, allowing candidates enough time to read and respond to each other's posts.

Candidates who are unable to meet the due dates for any assignment due to extenuating circumstances must request additional time from the instructor. Extensions are given at the discretion of the instructor. Candidates who do not request extensions and who make more than one late posting to a discussion or submit more than one late assignment cannot be considered for an A+ grade in the course.

Please note that a candidate who has completed 75% of the required work by the end of the course will not qualify for an extension and will receive an automatic Fail.

Resubmissions of Assignments

Candidates who receive Unsatisfactory on over four or more subsections of the Formative Assessment must contact the instructor for further guidance on improving their level in the course. This process will usually involve resubmission of the assignment(s).

Candidates who receive a Fail grade at the end the course may appeal by following CTE’s Appeal Process.

For additional information, please see The Appeal Process for a Failing Grade.

Course Accommodations

Applicants who require special accommodations are asked to follow these steps:

1. Contact the Staffing Coordinator, Morgan Roy at morgan.roy@queensu.ca at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the course to allow enough time for appropriate accommodations to be made.
2. Provide necessary documentation upon request.
3. Develop an accommodation plan with the manager of CTE that will be implemented and communicated with your course instructor.

Failed Grade Appeal

1. Course participants have the right to appeal a failed grade assigned in a course subject to the marking scheme set out by the course instructor(s).
2. As a first step, the course participant should email their instructor and request an informal review of the grade. Instructors are strongly encouraged to consent to this review. This request should be made within 10 working days of the grade being received. Normally the instructor will provide a reconsidered grade and notify the candidate by email within a further 10 working days of receipt of the request and any further information being submitted by the course participant.
3. If the request for an informal review by the instructor is denied or if the course participant is not satisfied with the decision, a formal appeal may be submitted to the Staffing Coordinator, Morgan Roy at morgan.roy@queensu.ca. The appeal must be submitted in writing with copies of all relevant documents not later than 10 working days after the reconsidered grade being received. The appeal will be reviewed by a third party within 10 business days of receiving the appeal.