Assessment is the way we determine whether you have met the learning outcomes of your course or not.
Assessment varies for each course. Full details, including assessment due dates, will be in the course information sent to you when you enrol. You can also find your assessment due dates and exam dates in My Open Polytechnic.
Find your assessment due dates in My Open Polytechnic
There are two types of assessment.
Formative – does not count towards your final grade. It helps you self-test your knowledge and understanding of the course material. We recommend you complete all formative assessment within your course.
Summative –does count towards your final grade. This is a compulsory test of your knowledge and understanding of the course material.
Assessments can range from written work, such as essays or journals, through to practical projects, portfolios and online quizzes. For some courses, you will need to attend contact sessions or assessment workshops, while other courses have voluntary contact sessions (depending upon demand).
All work you submit must be your own independent work and be referenced correctly. The Open Polytechnic uses the APA referencing system and you can find a short guide to APA referencing here.
Referencing and avoiding plagiarism
You may be able to submit your assessments in te reo Māori, Open Polytechnic accepts summative assessments provided in te reo and there may be options which you can discuss with external examination bodies (e.g. NZQA).
Submitting your work in te reo Maori
Deadlines for submission of your assignments are in your course information. It is important that you make every attempt to complete your assignments on time. If you cannot meet the deadlines because of illness or other sustained interruption to study, contact your course leader as soon as possible to discuss your options. Do not wait until after the due date has passed – assessment deadline dates are compulsory.
Assessment extensions of up to two weeks can be applied for through My Open Polytechnic and may be approved by your course leader, providing the extension does not go past the end date of the trimester. Any extension approved will not exceed the time when marked work is returned to students. Assessment extensions of more than two weeks will only be granted where there are exceptional circumstances which have affected your ability to study for a significant part of the period during which the assessment was to be done. The special consideration process applies.
Assessments received after any time extension granted will be returned to you unmarked and you will be awarded zero marks.
Most open courses have assessment due dates. Assessment extensions of up to two weeks can be applied for through My Open Polytechnic and may be approved by your course leader. For extensions of more than two weeks contact your course leader direct. If you need additional time to complete your course due to exceptional circumstances, you can apply for special consideration. A maximum eight week extension to your enrolment period may be approved. Documentary evidence showing exceptional circumstances will be needed. Your special consideration application must be received by us before your course end date.
Special consideration for assessments
If this is your first time studying with Open Polytechnic, and you are studying a Level 1-3 course, you will need to complete a compulsory literacy assessment at the start and end of your study time.
The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) has created the assessment tool to measure and improve the literacy and numeracy skills of adult learners in New Zealand.
When your enrolment is confirmed you will receive an email from TEC with your password and a link to their website so that you can complete the assessment. A second assessment will be emailed to you at the end of your study time.
When you have finished the assessment you can see a visual report with your results. There is no pass or fail for the assessment.
Your tutor will use your results from the first assessment to find out what support you may need.
The Literacy and Numeracy assessment is not part of your study with Open Polytechnic. However, TEC requires that we ask you to complete it.
If you have any questions about the Compulsory Literacy Assessment please contact us.