© 2020 University of Stellenbosch

All rights reserved

SU Engineering Faculty Interim Arrangements due to the COVID-19

Outbreak

6 April 20201 Revision 2

Contents 1 Scope ............................................................................................................ 1

2 Important dates ........................................................................................... 1

3 Students support measures ......................................................................... 3

3.1 Main information points ...................................................................................... 3

3.2 Helping students to gain access to resources for learning and assessments ...... 3

3.3 Provisions for students with limited access to resources for learning and assessments ......................................................................................................... 3

3.4 Support measures for first year students ............................................................ 4

4 Staff support measures ................................................................................ 4

4.1 Assistance and training for staff teaching 1st semester modules ........................ 4

4.2 Personal circumstances ....................................................................................... 5

5 Module-based teaching (incl. UG and PG blocks) ........................................ 5

5.1 Approval required ................................................................................................ 5

5.2 Assumed student resources for online learning and formative assessments ..... 5

5.3 SUNLearn sites and module frameworks ............................................................ 6

5.4 Module frameworks ............................................................................................ 7

5.5 Interacting with students .................................................................................... 8

5.6 Learning materials ............................................................................................... 8

5.7 Practicals .............................................................................................................. 9

5.8 Tutorials ............................................................................................................. 10

5.9 Groupwork assignments .................................................................................... 11

1 Approved by the Faculty's Management Committee on 3 April 2020; minor changes added subsequently.

© 2020 University of Stellenbosch

All rights reserved

5.10 Vacation training ............................................................................................... 11

5.11 Copying material from copyrighted sources for students ................................. 12

6 Summative assessments for modules (A1, A2, A3) ................................... 12

6.1 Approvals required ............................................................................................ 12

6.2 Assumed student resources for online A2 and A3 assessments ....................... 12

6.3 First semester A1 ............................................................................................... 12

6.4 Assessment planning for A2 and A3 .................................................................. 13

6.5 Project type assignments to replace A2/A3 ...................................................... 15

6.6 SUNLearn quiz.................................................................................................... 15

6.7 Handwritten A2 and A3 papers ......................................................................... 16

6.8 Combined mode ................................................................................................ 16

6.9 Oral assessments ............................................................................................... 17

7 Final year projects ...................................................................................... 17

8 Moderation of final marks ......................................................................... 18

9 Postgraduate blocks ................................................................................... 18

10 Research and supervising postgraduate students ..................................... 18

Appendix A: Rules to include in A2/A3 question papers for handwritten answers .................................................................................................................... 20

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1 Scope

The University and the Faculty is committed to allow students to complete the 2020 academic year, to the greatest extent that is practical. We understand that this will require exceptional efforts of students, teaching staff and support staff. Everybody, students and staff, will have to contribute to making this year's academic programme a success.

The arrangements in this document were approved by the Engineering Faculty's Management Committee on Friday 3 April 2020 and replaces all previous arrangements for the Faculty. The arrangements herein assume that the Executive Committee of Senate, EC(S), will approve by Monday 6 April 2020 the recommendations made by the Committee for Learning and Teaching on 2 April.

These arrangements comply with national and institutional decisions at time of writing. Subsequent changes to these regulations and decisions may lead to changes to the Faculty's arrangements.

This document applies to the undergraduate and postgraduate modules offered in the first semester 2020 by the Engineering Faculty, but we would appreciate it if colleagues from other faculties that offer modules primarily to the BEng programmes, would also adopt these arrangements.

Potential changes to the second semester will be considered at a later date. In the meantime, lecturers should consider selecting books where an e-book is available for second semester modules, in case we have not returned to contact sessions by the start of the second semester and distributing hard copies of textbooks will be difficult. More guidance on this aspect will be given after DALRO's concessions have been received.

2 Important dates

Mon 30 March: All first semester modules should have an online presence (e.g. a SUNLearn site). These sites should indicate to students that arrangements for the remainder of the first semester are being developed and will be made known before classes resume on Monday 20 April.

Mon 6 April: Release of this document.

Tue 7 April: SU decision on the revised calendar for 2020, including changes to first and second semester.

Tue 14 April: Departmental chairs must confirm to the Dean that they have approved the online arrangements for all the department's modules for the remainder of this semester. Sections 5.1 and 6.1 details the approvals required.

Tue 14 April: Proposals for consideration by the Programme Committee must be submitted to the Committee's chairperson. Sections 5.1 and

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6.1 details the approvals required. A template will be provided for these submissions.

Wed 15 April: The Programme Committee considers the above proposals and, where approved, submit them to the Vice-Rector: Learning and Teaching.

Fri 17 April: The last day on which the changes to each module should be communicated to students, but changes still subject to approval by EC(S) should me marked as "subject to final approval".

Mon 20 April: Teaching resumes online. Formative assessments may commence. Previously announced deadlines for major assignments should be delayed to at least 4 May, taking into account the extended recess.

Weekly from 20 April: Each week's learning plan and all its teaching materials must be available to the students at least at the start of that week. (Recommendation: send an announcement when the new material has been added).

Tue 21 April: EC(S) meets to approve changes submitted through the Programme Committee.

Fri 24 April: The last day by which the approved changes to each module should be communicated to students.

Tue 28 April: No timetable swop

Tue 28 April: Last day by which students may be required to complete the A1 papers as formative assessments.

Mon 4 May: Summative assessments may commence. This includes submission of large assignments, i.e. assignments that contribute 20% or more of the final mark..

Fri 5 June: End of first semester lectures.

Mon 8 June: Start of first semester A2 sessions to revised timetable.

Fri 26 June: End of A2 sessions.

Sat 27 June: Start of first semester A3 sessions to revised timetable.

Sat 11 July: End of A3 sessions.

Mon 27 July: Second semester commences. All dates on the original calendar delayed by one week.

Fri 31 July: Last day for final marks for first semester modules to be loaded onto SIS.

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3 Students support measures

3.1 Main information points

3.1.1 Students should be referred to the University's website, by following the Covid-19 links, to:

http://www.sun.ac.za/english/online-teaching-support-students

3.1.2 Students that require support regarding non-academic issues should be referred to Avril Ford (aford@sun.ac.za) or August Engelbrecht (august@sun.ac.za).

3.1.3 Our educational psychologists will be continuing their services through online means, to the extent that their availability allows in the extended semester (they already have some commitments in their respective private practices). Students can make appointments through Avril Ford.

3.2 Helping students to gain access to resources for learning and assessments

3.2.1 Students should be reminded that SUNLearn files can be stored on mobile devices for viewing off-line.

3.2.2 All students in South Africa have data access at low cost. IT has tested SIM cards from major cell phone companies and for approximately R20, a student can get access to SUNLearn. Vodacom, MTN, Cell C and Telkom has zero-rated (MTN only 500 Mb per day) to access SUNLearn. On some networks, students must have minimal data on their SIM cards to establish the connection with SUNLearn.

3.2.3 SU staff members are busy determining which students need help to acquire devices required to learn online and participate in assessments. Some students were identified through a survey that approximately 15 000 students participated in. Since not all students participated in the survey, many of whom may not have had the necessary resources, the staff are following up NSFAS students, those who did not reply to survey and students identified by Faculty Managers. An IT committee is looking into how devices can be loaned by SU to these students. We can expect an announcement soon.

3.2.4 The legal division is investigating obtaining permission to bring some students (those who are not connected) back to campus or to getting devices to the students. The current national regulations do not allow these actions.

3.3 Provisions for students with limited access to resources for learning and assessments

Because not all students will have equal access to devices and internet connectivity, the following provisions are made to ensure all students are treated fairly:

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3.3.1 The prerequisites are waived in 2020 for all cases where semester 1 modules are required for semester 2 modules.

3.3.2 Plans are being developed for allowing extraordinary assessments for first semester modules in January 2021. These plans will assume that students will be able to return to campus later this year and will have access to the online learning materials developed for the 1st semester and other material with limited contact sessions. SU is developing arrangements for students that may need to stay in SU residences in January to make use of these assessment opportunities.

3.3.3 The readmission process for 2021 will be waived in the sense that students who were registered for 2020 will not be refused readmission for 2021 based on 2020 performance. A similar arrangement for residence places is being developed by the relevant sections at SU.

3.4 Support measures for first year students

3.4.1 Since the teaching arrangements for the different modules are quite diverse, the teaching assistants (TAs) who lead the facilitated group learning sessions have been made available to the respective module coordinators. Each module coordinator will decide how to best use the TA for his/her module. The TAs will be paid by the Dean's division for about 37 hours of work for the remainder of the semester. The TAs are at the disposal of the modules for these hours, with the intention that they carry on supporting students.

3.4.2 The dean and Vice-Dean: Teaching will to continue to interact with students in the Dean's periods through SUNLearn.

4 Staff support measures

4.1 Assistance and training for staff teaching 1st semester modules

4.1.1 All lecturers should familiarise themselves with the SU support page: http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Pages/Online-Teaching-Support--Lecturers.aspx

4.1.2 All lecturers should attend the lunch-time webinars offered by the Centre for Learning Technologies (CLT) or watch a video recording of the sessions. A link to these webinars is on the SU support page.

4.1.3 All lecturers should familiarise themselves with the Faculty's Recommended Engineering Education Practices (REEP) site on SUNLearn (amongst the 2019 sites).

4.1.3.1 All teaching staff members should have been enrolled, but if any are not, they should search for the site (use REEP as search word) and self-enrol.

4.1.3.2 Particularly refer to the topic "Resource for Teaching Online".

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4.1.3.3 All lecturers should subscribe to the forum on the REEP site, where questions can be posted and answered.

4.1.4 Otherwise lecturers who require assistance with online teaching pedagogy or technology should:

4.1.4.1 Make use of assistance from colleagues in their own department.

4.1.4.2 Contact Prof Anton Basson or Dr Karin Wolff.

4.2 Personal circumstances

4.2.1 We are concerned that some staff members are facing particular challenges with preparing for the online teaching during and after the lock-down, e.g. due to health issues, having to look after children during lock-down, poor internet access or limited teaching resources at home.

4.2.2 Please contact your departmental chairperson as soon as possible about such problems, so that help can be arranged for you.

4.2.3 The Dean has asked the departmental chairs to ensure each module has "backup" staff members to support the one(s) offering the module and to be ready to take over if a staff member cannot continue due to personal circumstances.

5 Module-based teaching (incl. UG and PG blocks)

5.1 Approval required

5.1.1 The online arrangement for each module is subject to the approval of the chairperson of the module’s host department, including arrangements for lectures, tutorials, practicals and group assignments.

5.1.2 Departmental chairs may delegate some aspects of this approval.

5.1.3 The departmental chairs must confirm their approval for all modules hosted by the department by the due date given in Section 2.

5.1.4 The Programme Committee's approval is required for the following:

5.1.4.1 Changes to module outcomes that may affect other modules or programme outcomes;

5.1.4.2 Formative assessment plans that do not comply with the Faculty's Assessment Rules or from the pre-approved deviations.

5.1.5 Changes may only be announced to students after they have been approved by the departmental chair or, where relevant, deviating from the Faculty's general regulations, the Programme Committee.

5.2 Assumed student resources for online learning and formative assessments

5.2.1 Students can be assumed to be able to access the material by means of personal computers or (at the minimum) from a mobile phone that can use the SUNLearn app.

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5.2.2 It is acknowledged that some students will not have such resources during A2 and/or A3. Therefore, the arrangements in Section 3.3 are provided.

5.2.3 Students should be encouraged to download learning material to view offline, also on the SUNLearn app available for Android and Apple devices.

5.2.4 The online learning material should be sufficiently “data light”, so that students with even limited bandwidth can access it. Some networks zero-rate only 500 Mb per day. A typical video uses 6 Mb per minute. Each 15-credit module should therefore aim to limit their data requirements to 500 Mb per week.

5.2.5 Staff should assume that students will not have access to FIRGA for the remainder of the first semester.

5.2.6 If students need to access FIRGA software off-site, staff members should contact Johan Brand (FIRGA Manager, jbrand@sun.ac.za) to arrange VPN connections for students.

5.2.7 When we are not in a lockdown situation, FIRGA will remain open so that students in and around Stellenbosch can still use it, with appropriate measures for cleaning, disinfection and social distancing.

5.3 SUNLearn sites and module frameworks

5.3.1 This section gives the minimum requirements for all modules' SUNLearn sites. The sites do not have to use the template offered by CLT, but all sites should adhere to the criteria listed in paragraph 5.3.4.

5.3.2 Departmental chairs should, from time to time, ask class representatives' feedback about each module's SUNLearn site.

5.3.3 Staff members responsible for a SUNLearn site should ask another lecturer (typically the internal moderator) to check whether the site clearly communicates to students what is indicated below, because what may be obvious to the person who creates the site, may be unexpectedly obscure to other persons. This cross-checking is required by the Faculty instead of enforcing a common structure for all modules' SUNLearn sites.

5.3.4 Each module's SUNLearn site should contain at least the following (refer to the presentation titled "What should be (changed) on your SUNLearn site" under "Resources for Teaching Online" on the Faculty's REEP Guidelines on SUNLearn for more recommendations):

5.3.4.1 Roadmap of the site containing at least:

➢ Where to find each of the required elements listed below.

➢ When should students expect new content to have been added (do not expect students to check all sites continuously).

o Recommendation: load each week's work at least by the start of that week.

➢ Where should students expect new content to be added (some staff add new content near the top and others at the bottom)

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5.3.4.2 Lecturers' and class representative's contact details (class rep details available from Avril Ford).

5.3.4.3 Lecturer/TA/student assistant availability: when will synchronous contact be possible; when will forum posts be answered. For first year modules: how the TAs for facilitated group learning sessions will help students.

5.3.4.4 Where students can find support: point students to the "General Information" block on right-hand side of the screen of all the Engineering Faculty's SUNLearn modules.

5.3.4.5 Module framework; where necessary, e.g. regarding major assessments, indicate changes as provisional until approved by EC(S). Clearly indicate that it is an updated version compared to that of the start of the semester.

5.3.4.6 Week-by-week learning plans (or day-by-day for PG blocks), each typically containing:

➢ Required: Learning material (or references to where the material can be found on the SUNLearn site or elsewhere) with descriptions:

o What the content is about (do not repeat the textbook, but guide the students' readings from the textbook)?

o An explanation of what aspects are most important and why (i.e. the threshold concepts)?

o By when students must engage with it (e.g. before attempting certain formative assessments)?

➢ Recommended: Discussion forum for the week's topics.

➢ Required: Formative assessments for students to get feedback on their mastering of the material (e.g. quiz, tut problems).

o Indicate whether/how much these formative assessments contribute to the semester mark.

➢ Required: The deadlines for the week's learning activities, with an indication of whether the deadlines are suggested or enforced.

5.4 Module frameworks

5.4.1 Module frameworks must be revised to reflect the changes to the module:

5.4.1.1 The main assessments and how the final mark will be determined.

5.4.1.2 Preliminary information about new/additional project-type assignments.

5.4.1.3 Changes to the content and presentation plan.

5.4.1.4 Changes to submission deadlines.

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5.4.2 Recommended: Expand the presentation plan in the module framework as shown at the end of the presentation titled "What should be (changed) on your SUNLearn site" under "Resources for Teaching Online" on the Faculty's REEP Guidelines on SUNLearn.

5.5 Interacting with students

5.5.1 Interacting with students is extremely important to keep their interest, to gauge whether they are mastering the work and to answer their specific needs.

5.5.2 SUNLearn forum discussions (using "Auto subscription") are the preferred medium for interaction because they allow uploading files and discussions are organised by topic threads. Recommended approaches:

5.5.2.1 Create a forum for each week's topics.

5.5.2.2 Commit to answer the students' questions in a specific time frame, typically during the normal timetable slot (see selection of periods under 5.6.4).

5.5.2.3 Encourage students to answer other students' questions.

5.5.2.4 Encourage Afrikaans students to participate in English, but also allow them to post questions in Afrikaans. If questions are posted in Afrikaans, answer them in Afrikaans (if you can), but also post an English translation of the question and the answer in the same thread (try Google Translate to assist with this).

5.5.3 SUNLearn chat allows for synchronous communication, but is limited to text.

5.5.4 Students have been informed that no emails will be answered if sent directly to lecturers about modules' work, unless it is about a very personal issue that needs to be kept confidential. Only SUNLearn forums may be used for questions that may be of interest to other students in the class.

5.5.5 Lecturers may use a teaching assistant (TA) or experienced student assistants to answer students' questions on a forum, but the lecturer should always oversee this process.

5.6 Learning materials

5.6.1 "Data light and asynchronous" are strongly recommended. Note details given in Section 5.1.2.

5.6.2 Preferably use one or more of the following modes:

5.6.2.1 Online discussions using SUNLearn forums.

5.6.2.2 Written lecture notes (without repeating what is given the module's textbook, but rather guiding students' reading of the book), e.g. a more extensive version of what is required in paragraph 5.3.4.6.

5.6.2.3 Pre-recorded videos of a series of topics, e.g. recorded presentations with audio.

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5.6.3 If video recordings are used:

5.6.3.1 Reduce the size of videos using compression functions or an efficient recording tool (e.g. a Zoom session with yourself in which you share your screen and record your voice). Using PowerPoint's own recording tools produces large video files. Advice will be added to the "Resources for Teaching Online" on the Faculty's REEP Guidelines on SUNLearn. Staff should share their experiences with colleagues on the forum of the REEP site.

5.6.3.2 Shorter, single topic videos are preferred.

5.6.3.3 Videos should be uploaded to SUNLearn (is zero-rated by the major cell phone networks, typically 500 Mb per day).

5.6.3.4 Optionally, videos can also be loaded on the Faculty's blended learning site on YouTube, "SUEngBlendedLearning". To access this site, please send your Gmail login credentials and module name to Avril Ford (aford@sun.ac.za). A playlist will be created for your module, where all that module's videos should be uploaded.

5.6.4 If live streaming is used:

5.6.4.1 The stream must also be recorded, so that students that cannot participate in the live streaming, can watch the video later once it is made available on SUNLearn or some other platform.

5.6.4.2 The platform can be chosen by the lecturer after consultation with the students via the SUNLearn forum. MS Teams is the SU preferred platform, but others like Zoom, etc can be considered.

5.6.4.3 Streaming must be done in the normal timetable slot for the lectures of the particular module. If more than one class group was involved, the timetable for the first English class group and the first Afrikaans class group (if the module was offered in parallel medium) must be used.

5.6.5 If a module was offered in parallel medium, the online teaching must be made available in English and, if the staff have time, also in Afrikaans. If only English teaching offered, Afrikaans summaries must be offered up to third-year modules.

5.7 Practicals

5.7.1 Since the normal programme for the second semester is already full and we are not sure whether the second semester may also be affected by the Covid-19 virus, practicals should not roll over to the second semester.

5.7.2 If an ECSA Graduate Attribute (aka ECSA ELO) is assessed in a module, consult your programme coordinator, to formulate appropriate arrangements to do this. The Vice-Dean: Teaching should be consulted once an approach has been formulated for final approval.

5.7.3 Where feasible, consider using the following approach:

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5.7.3.1 Video record the practical (a video camera is available from Avril Ford).

5.7.3.2 Post the video and one or more data sets on SUNLearn.

5.7.3.3 Use a SUNLearn quiz to check the students' understanding of the video.

5.7.3.4 Require the students to submit a report uploaded as a SUNLearn assignment, with Turnitin to check for plagiarism.

5.7.4 Workshop Practice is postponed until students have returned to campus, even to later years should this become necessary, because of minimal impact on the rest of students' programmes.

5.8 Tutorials

5.8.1 Formative assessments must be created to give students practice in the mode chosen for A2 and A3 assessments, unless the latter is a project type assignment.

5.8.1.1 If A2/A3 will be based on SUNLearn quizzes, it is particularly important that tut quizzes be given that will help the students become use to that way of assessment.

5.8.1.2 If handwritten A2/A3 answers must be scanned in and submitted on SUNLearn, at least one tutorial should use this method for submission.

5.8.2 Weekly tutorial problems and/or small SUNLearn quizzes are recommended, in addition to those mentioned above. If conventional tutorial problems are given:

5.8.2.1 Required: provide final answers for all questions so that students can determine whether they could solve the problems.

5.8.2.2 Recommended: provide solution frameworks (a few intermediate results and the final result) for problems similar to what will be given for A2/A3.

5.8.2.3 Recommended: provide full solutions for a small number of key problems a few days later. These solutions should show students how they are expected to answer similar questions in A2/A3.

5.8.3 Lecturers may choose between releasing quiz solutions immediately to students (typically if the quiz does not contribute to the semester mark) or only after the quiz has closed (typically if the quiz does contribute to the semester mark).

5.8.4 If full solutions are provided, they should be released a few days after the due date.

5.8.5 For all years in BEng modules, the tutorial problems or quizzes may contribute to the semester mark.

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5.8.6 Recommended approach: Use the TAs and student assistants assigned to the module to create SUNLearn quizzes as formative assessments.

5.8.7 Refer to Section 2 for the dates when formative assessments that contribute to the semester mark may be given.

5.8.8 Where feasible, formative assessments should not require more facilities than what is assumed for teaching. However, it is acknowledged that some modules cannot reasonably be reformulated to avoid the requirement for computers or particular software (e.g. MATLAB, FEM, CFD, plant simulation software or programming software for computer science assignments).

5.9 Groupwork assignments

5.9.1 Students are free to choose their platform for collaboration as a team. MS Teams (SU preference) is recommended because it integrates all the required functionality for team collaboration into one platform, including file sharing, chat and video-conferencing. However, teams may use other platforms like, Zoom, Skype or Google Hangouts.

5.9.2 Students can create collaborative workspaces in their Microsoft cloud space using Groups.

5.9.3 Staff must give groups a set of guidelines for their expected conduct, including at least:

5.9.3.1 that students should lodge an appeal with a staff member as soon as they feel disadvantaged relative to other group members; excuses for poor performance in this regard will not be considered later when assessing the group's work or when buddy ratings are moderated;

5.9.3.2 that the collaboration platform chosen must be accessible to every group member;

5.9.3.3 that group communication about the project should be on a platform that keeps a record of the communication (e.g. the chat function in MS Teams);

5.9.3.4 that all files should be shared on the platform (e.g. on MS Teams, with file names that make sense to all team members (a naming convention should be formulated by the group);

5.9.3.5 that when a group member changes a file, the previous version of the file must remain on the platform (the file naming convention should provide for versioning);

5.9.3.6 that each group should attempt to meet synchronously online at least once per week.

5.10 Vacation training

5.10.1 Due to the short July recess, no vacation training will probably be possible in the winter recess of 2020.

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5.10.2 Final year students that relied on doing vacation training in July 2020 should contact their departments, who will make arrangements on a student-by-student basis.

5.10.3 Exceptional concessions regarding vacation training will only be considered for final year students and must be approved by the departmental chair. Currently, it is still assumed that students may be able to do vacation work in December 2020/January 2021.

5.11 Copying material from copyrighted sources for students

5.11.1 DALRO has informed the SU of concessions regarding staff copying material for students.

5.11.2 Staff should look out for communication from Carol Kat about concessions, in the near future.

6 Summative assessments for modules (A1, A2, A3)

6.1 Approvals required

6.1.1 All the approval measures given for online teaching (Section 5.1) also apply to the arrangements for summative assessments.

6.1.2 In addition, the following must be submitted to the Programme Committee by the deadlines given in Section 2:

6.1.2.1 Any deviations from the Faculty's Assessment Rules or from the pre-approved deviations.

6.1.2.2 The way in which ECSA GAs will be assessed and externally moderated.

6.2 Assumed student resources for online A2 and A3 assessments

6.2.1 Students can be assumed to

6.2.1.1 be able to complete A2/A3 assessments in the slot allocated to the module on the central examination timetable;

6.2.1.2 have access to SUNLearn for the whole exam timetable slot + 1 hr;

6.2.1.3 have access to a personal computer or laptop.

6.2.2 It is acknowledged that some students will not have such resources during A2 and/or A3. Therefore, the arrangements in Section 3.3 are provided.

6.2.3 No new online platforms (e.g. for online proctoring) will be available for assessments (in most cases, SUNLearn will be the only platform).

6.3 First semester A1

6.3.1 A1s that were not completed during the Testweek will not be rescheduled in the remainder of the semester.

6.3.2 The A1s that were completed (until the 8am session on Monday, 16 March) should be marked and the results communicated to the students.

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6.3.3 These A1 results should only be used where it is to the advantage of the students who wrote them.

6.3.4 How the final mark will be calculated for students that did not write A1 is part of the assessment planning addressed in Section 6.4.

6.3.5 The formative value of A1 should be preserved to the greatest possible extent:

6.3.5.1 The question papers of the 2020 A1 that were not written, or an earlier year's equivalent, should be provided to the students and they should be encouraged to complete the paper in test-like conditions, as formative assessment.

6.3.5.2 The question papers must be made available to students on or before the resumption of tuition (Monday 20 April 2020).

6.3.5.3 Lecturers should either enable students to self-assess their A1s (e.g. by providing a specimen solution) or allow the students to submit their answers on SUNLearn. If submitted, it may be marked by the staff or TAs, or as peer assessments.

6.3.5.4 The time required of students for completing the A1 paper must not let students exceed the total time budget for the module for the week when it is due. If peer assessments are used, the time budget must take that into account too.

6.3.5.5 These formative assessments based on A1 may contribute a small percentage to the semester mark (if marked by staff or peer assessed). In such cases, A1 should not be released on SUNLearn before 20 April 2020.

6.3.5.6 If the A1 will contribute to the SM, it must not be due later than Tuesday 28 April 2020.

6.3.6 As an alternative to above, the A1 assessment can be repacked into a SUNLearn test that is marked online. The release and due dates remain the same as in paragraphs 6.3.5.5 and 6.3.5.6.

6.4 Assessment planning for A2 and A3

6.4.1 The staff responsible for each 1st semester undergraduate module must formulate an assessment plan for each module.

6.4.2 The assessment plan is subject to the approval of the host department's chair and the Programme Committee (deadlines in Section 2).

6.4.3 The module framework and the module's SUNLearn site must be updated to reflect the plans (deadlines in Section 2).

6.4.4 The assessment plans must take into account:

6.4.4.1 Plans must provide for A2 and A3 with the students not returned to campus. No A2 and A3 question papers for contact assessments need be prepared. If the students do return to campus before A2 and/or A3, the assessments prepared for non-contact mode will still be used.

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6.4.4.2 Final marks will be required as normally. The earlier proposal to only award a pass or fail was not supported institutionally since Engineering is the only faculty that intended using it and it would have required considerable work to implement in the marks system.

6.4.4.3 Examination timetable is being condensed. A revised timetable will be released by the Timetables Office in due course.

6.4.4.4 The timetable will still use only two sessions per day, with provision for extra time.

6.4.4.5 All A2 and A3 submissions by students, irrespective of the format used for the assessment, must be handed in on or before 1 hr after end of module's exam timetable session. The extra hour is for extra writing time, which is provided on a universal extra writing time basis. Oral assessments can be scheduled at other times, as indicated below.

6.4.4.6 Assessment schemes for exit level modules may require exceptional assessment methods (e.g. larger scale use of oral examinations) to preserve the validity and reliability of the assessments.

6.4.4.7 For non-exit level modules, a lower level of validity and reliability of the assessment may be acceptable in these unusual circumstances.

6.4.5 The assessment plan proposal must give the following:

6.4.5.1 The assessment plan's time budget must be given. The budget must fit into the time budget for the module as a whole. A typical 15 credit module has a budget of 20 hr for A2 preparation and writing. The remainder of the budget is typically 10 hr per week for 12 teaching weeks, and 10 hr for A1's preparation and writing, but the A1 budget will be lost for most modules this semester.

6.4.5.2 The format of the summative assessments must be given, preferably using one or more of the options in Sections 6.5 to 6.8. The feasibility of each option is affected by the nature of the module, the staff capacity and whether the module is an exit-level module.

If none of the recommended options are suitable, alternatives can be proposed in the assessment plan, but the broad concept of the alternative should be discussed with the relevant departmental chair and the Vice-Dean: Teaching before developing the details.

6.4.5.3 The way in which ECSA GAs will be assessed and externally moderated, if any are assessed in the module, must be given.

6.4.5.4 The weighting of the assessment elements in the final mark calculation must be given using only SM and A2. If A1 was written, another weighting scheme using SM, A1 and A2 must be presented also. The one that gives the highest mark must be used for each student. For the case where no A1 is taken into account, a maximum weighting of 0,7 for A2 will be accepted. The weight allocated to the SM should consider how much of the SM is contributed in situations

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where there is little control over whether students submit only their own work.

6.4.5.5 If the assessment scheme requires a change to the module outcomes, to the extent that the change affects other modules or the programme outcomes, these outcome changes must be described and motivated.

6.5 Project type assignments to replace A2/A3

6.5.1 This section applies to project assignments introduced to replace A2 and A3, and not major project assignments that are completed during the lecturing phase of the semester.

6.5.2 The project should be sufficiently open-ended so that Turnitin will be able to detect undue collaboration between students. The project report must be suitable for scrutiny by Turnitin (e.g. a PDF file submission where sufficient content is text).

6.5.3 The project may be released and completed during the examination. In this case, the project must be released at most 48 hours before the submission deadline. Alternatively, the project may be released during the lecturing phase of the semester.

6.5.4 The time budget and submission deadline for the project submission should be the same as if a normal A2 would have been written. If the project starts during the lecturing phase of the semester, part of that time budget may be allocated to the project's time budget, but the modules overall budget must remain within limits.

6.5.5 In all cases, the time budget for the project must be communicated to the students.

6.5.6 Students must be given the opportunity to submit an improved submission, as an A3, after marking and feedback of the original submission. Therefore, this option replaces both A2 and A3.

6.6 SUNLearn quiz

6.6.1 The quiz must be formulated as an open book assessment.

6.6.2 The quiz must be thoroughly checked and tested by the internal moderator, well in advance of its use.

6.6.3 The quiz must be released on SUNLearn at the start of the module's A2/A3 slot on the exam timetable.

6.6.4 The quiz must include the rules and declaration for SUNLearn as provided by the University's "honesty plugin". Instructions to add this to a quiz is given on the REEP SUNLearn site, under the "Resources for Online Teaching" topic.

6.6.5 All the questions may be released from the outset or a staged release may be used, where the questions for the quiz are released at reasonable time intervals per question, per group of questions, or per section.

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6.6.6 If staged release is used, the time available for each stage is limited and students are not allowed to return to a completed question outside the time slot allocated to that stage.

6.6.7 It must be reasonably possible for the average student to complete the whole quiz within the examination timetable slot, but students should also be allowed to complete the quiz up to the normal end time of the exam timetable slot + 1 hour. The times for consecutive stages should therefore overlap to some extent.

6.6.8 The questions may have randomised input values and the quiz may use randomised questions. This randomised approach is optional for non-exit level modules, but strongly recommended for exit level modules.

6.6.9 A staged release would be more appropriate for exit level modules.

6.6.10 A staged release can be accomplished by setting a series of separate quizzes.

6.6.11 If a staged release is used, a similar format must be used for some formative assessments during the semester, so that student can be familiarised with this method.

6.7 Handwritten A2 and A3 papers

6.7.1 The question paper must be formulated as an open book assessment.

6.7.2 The question paper must be shortened, compared to contact assessments, to allow for students that must contend with disturbances where they write, as well as scan in their answers before submitting it.

6.7.3 The question paper must contain the rules given in Appendix A, customised as appropriate for the particular question paper. The requirement for the student card and the declaration must be retained.

6.7.4 Before the first question on the paper, remind students that they must submit a cover page described in the rules and that the answers must be handwritten.

6.7.5 The question paper must be released on SUNLearn at the start of the module's A2/A3 timetable slot and the submission deadline must be 1 hr later that the end of the timetable slot.

6.7.6 Each question in the paper, as well as the cover page, must be set up as separate assignments so that students can submit each question as soon as they have completed it. The assignment must be set up to allow for multiple submissions until the submission deadline.

6.8 Combined mode

6.8.1 An A2 or A3 can use a combination of the quiz and handwritten modes.

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6.9 Oral assessments

6.9.1 Oral assessments may be used to confirm the above assessment methods. The questions in the oral should, therefore, centre on what the student submitted in the other assessment method.

6.9.2 The students must be required to identify themselves at the start of the oral, including showing their student cards, ID documents or passports.

6.9.3 All ECSA GA assessment results in the "marginally pass"/"marginally fail" category must be confirmed using oral assessments.

6.9.4 A stratified sample of other assessments may be confirmed using oral assessments at the discretion of examiners and internal moderators, after consultation with the departmental chair or his/her delegate.

6.9.5 Orals should normally be scheduled after the module's A3, up to the first week of the second semester. However, it may be scheduled earlier (e.g. after A2) if the student is available.

6.9.6 Oral assessments can be conducted using MS Teams (SU preference), Skype, Zoom or another platform that can record the session.

6.9.7 The oral assessment must be recorded (for moderation purposes) and therefore may be conducted by a single examiner, but where feasible the examiner and internal moderator. The use of one examiner for an oral is subject to the prior approval of the departmental chair.

6.9.8 If an oral assessment fails a student, the internal moderator must review the student's marked script and the recording of the oral.

6.9.9 The recording of all the orals for a particular module must be placed at the disposal of the external moderators.

7 Final year projects

7.1.1 Staff must be accommodating to students who are not near the campus or who do not want to risk coming to campus. Note that students are not allowed by the University to return to the residences until all students are allowed back onto campus.

7.1.2 Staff are encouraged to adapt assigned projects to remove requiring lab or workshop work to be completed.

7.1.3 Supervisors should meet their students as frequently as usual using MS Teams or a similar platform.

7.1.4 Students that need to have parts made can email the drawings to their department's workshop (if the workshops are open). Detailed procedures to be provided by each department.

7.1.5 The report-type submissions are retained as before.

7.1.6 At least two examiners must take part in the oral assessment, and the orals should be conducted using MS Teams or a similar platform.

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7.1.7 Departments must revise the final year project deadlines, according to the change in the University's schedule, and communicate the changes to the students as soon as possible.

8 Moderation of final marks

8.1.1 Internal moderation must take place, albeit differently in the online environment. Further, the minimum number of answers that must be moderated is half of the normal number.

8.1.2 External moderation is required for ECSA GA assessments and final year projects.

8.1.3 External moderation for 1st semester modules, other than ECSA GAs and final year projects, is not required in 2020.

9 Postgraduate blocks

9.1.1 Provided that all the postgraduate students registered for a module confirm that they have suitable internet access where they are in lockdown, those modules may continue with online learning and teaching from an earlier date than 20 April 2020.

9.1.2 Postgraduate modules that would have been offered by outside lecturers may be cancelled if those lecturers are not willing or able to move to online teaching and assessment. Please consult your PG coordinator and departmental chair in any decisions in this regard.

9.1.3 The schedule for PG blocks must be revised, due to the loss of teaching time and cancelled blocks. It may be best to keep rescheduled blocks free from synchronous teaching and give generous deadlines for assignments, so that students can catch up with the block when it fits their individual availability.

9.1.4 The assessment arrangements for postgraduate modules (PGDip Eng and MEng Struct) can be formulated by each department. If the revised arrangements do not meet the normal requirements for postgraduate modules, approval of the Programme Committee must be obtained (as for the undergraduate modules) before the arrangements are communicated to students and implemented.

10 Research and supervising postgraduate students

10.1.1 SU remains open and research activities, when not in a lockdown situation, should continue where at all possible.

10.1.2 Until all students are allowed to return to campus, postgraduate students should come to campus only when they need specific software or lab facilities.

10.1.3 Postgraduate students should liaise with their supervisors to discuss practical arrangements.

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10.1.4 Students are encouraged to work off-campus and to minimise face-to-face interaction with staff.

10.1.5 If students need to work on campus (after the lockdown has been lifted), they should adhere to all the national, institutional and departmental recommendations and regulations (e.g. for use of laboratories) to avoid virus transmission.

10.1.6 Faculty deadlines for PhD candidates' research proposals are retained without change, until further notice.

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Appendix A: Rules to include in A2/A3 question papers for handwritten answers

Note: Please customise as appropriate.

Engineering Faculty Rules and Instructions

Fakulteit Ingenieurswese Reëls en Voorskrifte

NB: READ ALL THESE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE STARTING TO ANSWER THE QUESTION PAPER

NB: LEES AL HIERDIE VOORSKRIFTE VOORDAT DIE VRAESTEL BEANTWOORD WORD

The Engineering Faculty's "General Stipulations for

Under- and Postgraduate Modules" apply to this

assessment.

Fakulteit Ingenieurswese se "Algemene Bepalings

vir Voor- en Nagraadse Modules" is op hierdie

assessering van toepassing.

The SUNLearn submission deadline is one hour in

addition to the normal writing time to

accommodate students that qualify for extra

writing time and for submitting the answers

online.

Die SUNLearn keertyd vir indiening is een uur

ekstra na normale skryftyd om studente wat vir

ekstra skryftyd kwalifiseer, te akkommodeer en vir

indien van die antwoorde aanlyn.

The marks for each question are indicated to the

right of the question in square brackets.

Die punte vir elke vraag word regs van die vraag in

vierkantige hakies aangedui.

Pocket calculators prescribed for the first two

years of the BEng may be used.

Sakrekenaars voorgeskryf vir die eerste twee jaar

van die BIng mag gebruik word.

This is an open book assessment. No information

sources other than the textbook and that provided

by the lecturers may be consulted from the time

the student has received the assessment until

he/she has submitted all his/her answers.

Hierdie is 'n oopboek assessering. Geen

inligtingbronne behalwe die handboek of dit wat

deur die dosent voorsien is, mag geraadpleeg

word nie vandat die kandidaat die assessering

ontvang het totdat hy/sy al sy antwoorde ingedien

het.

Communication between candidates or with

anybody else is not allowed from the time the

candidate received the assessment until he/she

has submitted all his/her answers.

Kommunikasie tussen kandidate of met

enigiemand anders word nie toegelaat nie vandat

die kandidaat die assessering ontvang het totdat

hy/sy al sy antwoorde ingedien het.

The submitted answers must contain a cover page

giving the following:

• A copy of the candidate's student card (if not

available, then ID document or passport).

• The candidate's student number, surname

and initials written by hand.

• The following declaration: "I declare hereby

that I have read the rules and instructions on

the question paper and have abided by all the

rules and instructions".

• The candidate must sign below the

declaration.

'n Voorblad moet saam met die antwoorde

ingegee word. Dit moet die volgende bevat:

• 'n Kopie van die kandidaat se studentekaart

(indien nie beskikbaar, dan ID dokument of

paspoort).

• Die kandidaat se studentenommer, van en

voorletters. Hierdie moet handgeskrewe

wees.

• Die volgende verklaring: "Ek verklaar

hiermee dat ek die reëls instruksies op die

vraestel gelees het en voldoen het aan al die

reëls instruksies".

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• Die kandidaat moet die verklaring

onderteken.

Answer all the questions by hand using a dark pen

on A4 sheets of paper (preferably lineated).

Answers may not be typed on a computer or

otherwise.

Beantwoord al die vrae per hand met 'n donker

pen op velle A4 papier (verkieslik met lyne).

Antwoorde mag nie, op 'n rekenaar of andersins,

getik word nie.

When an answer(s) for any question/section in the

question paper has been completed, it should be

scanned (e.g. using a cell phone app; "Genius

Scan" and "Adobe Scan" recommended) and

submitted as pdf file on the corresponding

assignment on SUNLearn. It must be submitted

without delay, to minimise the risk of not being

able to submit answers.

The cover page with the declaration must be

submitted last.

You are allowed to resubmit answers and can

therefore submit corrections after a previous

version was submitted.

Wanneer enige antwoord(e) vir enige

vraag/afdeling van die vraestel voltooi is, moet dit

sonder vertraging geskandeer word (bv deur 'n

selfoon toep te gebruik; "Genius Scan" en "Adobe

Scan" word aanbeveel) en as 'n pdf lêer op

SUNLearn ingedien word, om die risiko dat

antwoorde nie ingedien kan word nie, te

minimeer.

Die voorblad met die verklaring moet laaste

ingedien word.

Jy word toegelaat om 'n antwoord meer as een

keer in te dien en kan dus korreksies indien nadat

'n vorige weergawe ingedien is.