VU Collaborate provides a comprehensive suite of assessment tools.

• Assessment Dropbox is where students submit assessments and where you can view, grade and give feedback.
• Comment Bank for student feedback in VU Collaborate (PDF 456 KB) - a resource to assist in providing feedback.
• Turnitin - is the text-matching tool that VU uses to detect plagiarism and help students learn how to better utilise academic integrity.
• The Gradebook is a repository for student grades. It is possible to link the Assessment Dropbox to the Gradebook so that grades are published automatically to students.
• Quizzes include instructions for standard quizzes, self-assessments, surveys and the use of the Question Library.
• Attendance can be marked within VU Collaborate by using an attendance register.
• Awards and badges can be awarded to students as they progress through online content or complete a task.
• ePortfolio is a powerful tool that can be used by staff and students for storing, organising, reflecting on and sharing items. ePortfolio items can be submitted to the Assessment Dropbox. 

Assessment should follow the expectations set out in the Assessment for Learning – Standards for Assessment Procedure (external link), read in conjunction with the Assessment for Learning Policy (external link)

 

Assessments and learning activities in VU Collaborate

This table can be used to check what types of assessments and learning activities you are using and how they can be adapted into VU Collaborate. Quick points are provided about the benefit of using each activity in VU Collaborate.

Assessment or learning activity	Activity in VU Collaborate	Benefits
Test, worksheet, quiz	Quizzes	Some quizzes such as multiple choice and true/false questions can be marked automatically. Marks can be automatically added to the grade book.
Self-check activities	Quizzes, Checklists, Surveys & H5Ps	Can be linked to user progress to track student progress through the unit. Can be used across multiple units/courses. Variety can increase engagement.
Journals and reflections	Discussions, e­Portfolio, WordPress	Marks can be automatically added to the grade book. One place and one format can make checking/tracking and assessing easier. Discussions can stimulate innovation, critical thinking and reflection.
Reports, essays, case studies	Dropbox and Turnitin	Using groups means marking fewer assessments in total. Turnitin provides a simple method of checking similarity, referencing and plagiarism. Marks can be automatically added to the grade book.
Case studies	Discussions and Dropbox	Can be private, in groups or shared. Easy to add ideas and construct new processes. Marks can be automatically linked to the grade book.
Sharing information, communicating concepts, Presentations	H5P, Feedback Fruits, Padlet, Zoom, WordPress	Provides options for creative demonstration. Variety can elevate engagement. Develops digital and communication literacy of learners. Marks may be automatically linked to the grade book.
Glossary	Glossary	Learners can add their own contextual understanding. Can be shared with others and updated easily.
Tracking student progress	Intelligent agents (lAs), User Progress, Gradebook	IAs send emails automatically once certain criteria are met such as completions, logins, support needs, etc. The automatic email can also be sent to the academic.  User progress and Grade book show what the learner has completed and give an overview of grades.