The TESTA Process will take approximately 6 months and should be completed before PPR paperwork deadline.
To begin, the Course Director should contact the TESTA team to arrange an initial meeting. This meeting will cover the four elements of TESTA and provide guidance on the upcoming steps.
Following the initial meeting, the Course Director should create a timeline for completion of the four elements (outlined below) and book all required meetings.
Once all four elements are complete, the TESTA team will compile a full report. This report will be shared with the Course Director and the Course Team. The Course Director should convene a debrief meeting for the Course Team to discuss the report and identify areas for progression.
The TESTA process consists of four elements, each focussing on different aspects of the assessment and feedback process:
These four elements are non-sequential and can run simultaneously. Each element will culminate in a draft report, which will be compiled by the TESTA Team into a final report for use by the School.
It is the responsibility of the Course Director to set each element in motion and to liaise with the TESTA Team regarding any necessary support.
For more information regarding each element, select from the tabs above.
TESTA Timeline
The Course Director should begin the TESTA process approximately 12-18 months before the PPR date.
12 months
12-6 months
6 months
6-2 months
2 months
All timings are approximate. Course Directors should schedule TESTA during quiet times of semester, away from times of heavy assessment or student placements. In order to have all documentation in place for PPR, it is recommended that the final debrief meeting is scheduled no later than 2 months before the PPR date.
To begin the TESTA process, the Course Director will convene a meeting with members of the TESTA team. This meeting may also include any admin support from the School who will be involved in the TESTA process.
Before the meeting, the Course Director should obtain the following information about the programme:
At the initial meeting, the TESTA team will outline the TESTA process and answer any questions. Together, the Course Director and TESTA team will construct a timeline for the process and identify potential dates for future meetings.
The Student Assessment Experience Questionnaire is a 28-question survey administered to all final year students within the programme by Jisc Online Surveys (formerly BOS).
In order to obtain meaningful results, at least 25-50 students must complete the survey. In the case of programmes, it may be possible to include students from earlier years, or to amalgamate multiple programme streams. This can be discussed with the TESTA team at the initial meeting.
The TESTA focus group consists of a one-hour meeting between a group of 5-8 students from the school and members of the TESTA team, to discuss the student experience of assessment and feedback. In the case of large programmes, or multiple programme streams, several focus groups may be organised.
The focus group will be audio-recorded, and transcribed by an external organisation. The TESTA report will outline all major topics discussed, and include anonymous quotations from students.
This section of the TESTA process, developed at the University of Dundee, consists of a qualitative analysis of feedback, performed by an Associate Dean (typically L&T, or QA).