THE ROLE OF EXTERNAL EXAMINING IN HIGHER EDUCATION

INNOVATIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION TEACHING AND LEARNING

Senior Series Editor: Patrick Blessinger, St John’s University and Higher Education Teaching and Learning Association, USA

Associate Series Editor: Enakshi Sengupta, Higher Education Teaching and Learning Association, USA

Published Volumes:

Volume 23University–Community Partnerships for Promoting Social Responsibility in Higher Education – Edited by Enakshi Sengupta, Patrick Blessinger and Craig Mahoney
Volume 24Leadership Strategies for Promoting Social Responsibility in Higher Education – Edited by Enakshi Sengupta, Patrick Blessinger and Craig Mahoney
Volume 25Integrating Community Service into Curriculum: International Perspectives on Humanizing Education – Edited by Enakshi Sengupta, Patrick Blessinger and Mandla Makhanya
Volume 26International Perspectives on Improving Student Engagement: Advances in Library Practices in Higher Education – Edited by Enakshi Sengupta, Patrick Blessinger and Milton D. Cox
Volume 27Improving Classroom Engagement and International Development Programs: International Perspectives on Humanizing Higher Education – Edited by Enakshi Sengupta, Patrick Blessinger and Mandla Makhanya
Volume 28Cultural Competence in Higher Education – Edited by Tiffany Puckett, and Nancy Lind
Volume 29Designing Effective Library Learning Spaces in Higher Education – Edited by Enakshi Sengupta, Patrick Blessinger and Mandla S. Makhanya
Volume 30Developing and Supporting Multiculturalism and Leadership Development – Edited by Enakshi Sengupta, Patrick Blessinger and Mandla S. Makhanya
Volume 31Faculty and Student Research in Practicing Academic Freedom – Edited by Enakshi Sengupta and Patrick Blessinger
Volume 32International Perspectives on Policies, Practices & Pedagogies for Promoting Social Responsibility in Higher Education – Edited by Enakshi Sengupta, Patrick Blessinger and Craig Mahoney
Volume 33International Perspectives on the Role of Technology in Humanizing Higher Education – Edited by Enakshi Sengupta, Patrick Blessinger and Mandla S. Makhanya
Volume 34Humanizing Higher Education through Innovative Approaches for Teaching and Learning – Edited by Enakshi Sengupta, Patrick Blessinger and Mandla S. Makhanya
Volume 35Humanizing Higher Education through Innovative Approaches for Teaching and Learning
Volume 36Integrating Research-based Learning across the Curriculum
Volume 37International Perspectives in Social Justice Programs at the Institutional and Community Level

INNOVATIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION TEACHING AND LEARNING Volume 38

THE ROLE OF EXTERNAL EXAMINING IN HIGHER EDUCATION: CHALLENGES AND BEST PRACTICES

EDITED BY

Enakshi Sengupta

International Higher Education Teaching and Learning Association, USA

Patrick Blessinger

International Higher Education Teaching and Learning Association, USA

Andrew Ssemwanga

Family Enterprise Support Initiative (FESI), Uganda

and

Barbara Cozza

St John’s University, USA

Created in partnership with the International Higher Education Teaching and Learning Association

https://www.hetl.org/

United Kingdom – North America – Japan – India – Malaysia – China

Emerald Publishing Limited

Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley BD16 1WA, UK

First edition 2021

Copyright © 2021 Emerald Publishing Limited

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No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without either the prior written permission of the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying issued in the UK by The Copyright Licensing Agency and in the USA by The Copyright Clearance Center. Any opinions expressed in the chapters are those of the authors. Whilst Emerald makes every effort to ensure the quality and accuracy of its content, Emerald makes no representation implied or otherwise, as to the chapters’ suitability and application and disclaims any warranties, express or implied, to their use.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-1-83982-175-2 (Print)

ISBN: 978-1-83982-174-5 (Online)

ISBN: 978-1-83909-880-2 (Epub)

ISSN: 2055-3641 (Series)

List of Contributorsvii
Series Editors’ Introductionix
PART I: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF EXTERNAL EXAMINERS
Chapter 1: Introduction to the Role of External Examining in Higher Education – Challenges and Best Practices 
Enakshi Sengupta, Patrick Blessinger, Andrew Ssemwanga and Barbara Cozza1
Chapter 2: Acting as External Examiners in the UK: Going Beyond Quality Assurance 
Amudha Poobalan, Padam Simkhada and Edwin van Teijlingen13
Chapter 3: Promoting Access to External Examining Roles Through Professional Development 
Helen Kay and Juliet Hinrichsen25
Chapter 4: Authentic Assessments and the External Examiner 
Mikhaila Burgess and Helen Phillips43
Chapter 5: Is There such a Thing as “Comparableness”? The Challenges Facing the Ees of Higher-Education Courses Delivered within Further-Education Institutions 
Sarah Cooper and Sara Pearman61
PART II: CHALLENGES AND QUALITY ASSURANCE
Chapter 6: A Study of the Effectiveness of the External Examining System of Postgraduate (MBA) Dissertations and the Mismatch Between Expectations and Practice 
Deepanjana Varshney77
Chapter 7: External Examining the Professional Doctorate as Distinct from the Traditional PhD: Differentiating and Developing Policy and Practice 
Dionisia Tzavara and Victoria L. O’Donnell95
Chapter 8: External Examining Policies at the University of Mauritius 
Fareeda Khodabocus and Henri Li Kam Wah123
Chapter 9: Benchmarking: A Comparative Case Study Analysis of Quality Assurance Across the Private and University Sector in the Uk 
Kay Maddox-Daines139
Chapter 10: Building without a Foundation: Efforts in Higher Education to Meet External Examiners Requirements in the Absence of Statewide Data 
Megan Schramm-Possinger, Lisa E. Johnson and Beth G. Costner159
About the Authors173
Name Index181
Subject Index187
Patrick BlessingerInternational Higher Education Teaching and Learning Association, New York, USA
Mikhaila BurgessNoroff School of Technology and Digital Media, Norway
Sarah CooperYork St John University, York, UK
Beth G. CostnerWinthrop University in Rock Hill, USA
Barbara CozzaSt John’s University, New York, USA
Juliet HinrichsenIndependent Educational Consultant, Derbyshire, UK
Lisa E. JohnsonWinthrop University in Rock Hill, USA
Helen KaySheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK
Fareeda KhodabocusUniversity of Mauritius, Moka, Mauritius
Henri Li Kam WahUniversity of Mauritius, Moka, Mauritius
Kay Maddox-DainesUniversity of Suffolk, Ipswich, UK
Victoria L. O’DonnellLaureate Online Education, Netherlands & University of Liverpool, UK
Sara PearmanUCR Rotherham, Rotherham, UK
Helen PhillipsCardiff University, Cardiff, Wales
Amudha PoobalanUniversity of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
Megan Schramm-PossingerWinthrop University in Rock Hill, USA
Enakshi SenguptaInternational Higher Education Teaching and Learning Association, New York, USA
Padam SimkhadaUniversity of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK
Andrew SsemwangaFamily Enterprise Support Initiative, Kampala, Uganda
Edwin van TeijlingenBournemouth University, Dorset, UK
Dionisia TzavaraLaureate Online Education, Netherlands & University of Liverpool, UK
Deepanjana VarshneyCity University College of Ajman, United Arab Emirates

The purpose of this series is to publish current research and scholarship on innovative teaching and learning practices in higher education. The series is developed around the premise that teaching and learning is more effective when instructors and students are actively and meaningfully engaged in the teaching-learning process.

The main objectives of this series are to:

  • 1)

    present how innovative teaching and learning practices are being used in higher education institutions around the world across a wide variety of disciplines and countries,

  • 2)

    present the latest models, theories, concepts, paradigms, and frameworks that educators should consider when adopting, implementing, assessing, and evaluating innovative teaching and learning practices, and

  • 3)

    consider the implications of theory and practice on policy, strategy, and leadership.

This series will appeal to anyone in higher education who is involved in the teaching and learning process from any discipline, institutional type, or nationality. The volumes in this series will focus on a variety of authentic case studies and other empirical research that illustrates how educators from around the world are using innovative approaches to create more effective and meaningful learning environments.

Innovation teaching and learning is any approach, strategy, method, practice or means that has been shown to improve, enhance, or transform the teaching-learning environment. Innovation involves doing things differently or in a novel way in order to improve outcomes. In short, Innovation is positive change. With respect to teaching and learning, innovation is the implementation of new or improved educational practices that result in improved educational and learning outcomes. This innovation can be any positive change related to teaching, curriculum, assessment, technology, or other tools, programs, policies, or processes that leads to improved educational and learning outcomes. Innovation can occur in institutional development, program development, professional development, or learning development.

The volumes in this series will not only highlight the benefits and theoretical frameworks of such innovations through authentic case studies and other empirical research but also look at the challenges and contexts associated with implementing and assessing innovative teaching and learning practices. The volumes represent all disciplines from a wide range of national, cultural, and organizational contexts. The volumes in this series will explore a wide variety of teaching and learning topics such as active learning, integrative learning, transformative learning, inquiry-based learning, problem-based learning, meaningful learning, blended learning, creative learning, experiential learning, lifelong and lifewide learning, global learning, learning assessment and analytics, student research, faculty and student learning communities, as well as other topics.

This series brings together distinguished scholars and educational practitioners from around the world to disseminate the latest knowledge on innovative teaching and learning scholarship and practices. The authors offer a range of disciplinary perspectives from different cultural contexts. This series provides a unique and valuable resource for instructors, administrators, and anyone interested in improving and transforming teaching and learning.

Patrick Blessinger

Founder, Executive Director, and Chief Research Scientist, International HETL Association

Enakshi Sengupta

Associate Editor, International HETL Association