Development of an integrated online supervised assessment facilitating environment (SAFE)

About this project

Help revolutionise online assessment processes

If you are excited about a building career in technology and keen to develop cutting-edge innovations in the education sector, the University of South Australia – Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering a hands-on project-based PhD within UniSA STEM, working closely with the Centre for Change and Complexity in Learning (C3L). 

Our project will create a revolutionary integrated online supervised assessment-facilitating environment called SAFE. It will be compatible with any standard Learning Management System (LMS), including Moodle and Canvas, and useful for online quizzes, written final exams and viva-voce assessments.  

SAFE will use secure processes to authenticate students’ identities. During exams, students will not need to download files to access questions and then later upload their answers. Instead, they will be able to access the questions from a standard quiz and respond directly. SAFE will have the capacity to host oral assessments via intelligent tutors on SAFE. 

Students can concentrate on their learning and preparing for assessments without becoming anxious about installing different tools. SAFE will also alleviate the opportunity for academic misconduct during exams and online quizzes. Our system will improve students’ learning experiences, learning outcomes and motivation. 

You will be based within UniSA STEM and will work closely with C3L and UniSA Education Futures. This unique setting offers an excellent space for scholarly exploration, fostering collaboration and innovation. Within this research context, you will have the valuable chance to interact with a diverse community of peers, including VR, Software, Design, AI and IT experts and researchers. This interdisciplinary cooperation promotes a dynamic exchange of ideas and viewpoints, enhancing your overall research experience.

What you’ll do

In this project-based research degree, you will conduct an extensive literary search to understand the landscape of supervised formative and summative assessments, and effective proctoring systems.  

You will also be involved in designing and developing an integrated online supervised assessment-facilitating environment that can be integrated with Moodle, Canvas, or any LMSs, considering the ethical, legal, and pedagogical implications.  

Throughout the project, you will collaborate closely with peers, educators, researchers, and AI experts. Your aim is to build the capacity of teachers to develop supervised assessments and develop guidelines and policy recommendations to integrate supervised assessments into higher education at UniSA and the new university of the future.

Where you’ll be based

You will be based within UniSA STEM and will work closely with C3L and UniSA Education Futures. UniSA STEM link engineering, mathematics, science, defence, cybersecurity, construction management, environmental science, aviation, information management, information technology, and project management, harnessing the connections across disciplines to bring big ideas to fruition. Our researchers deliver technical expertise and advice to industry, government and community groups to make commercially viable and sustainable impacts.

C3L uses complexity science methodologies, promotes the uptake of applied research and engages with the community, government agencies (healthcare, education, defence, cultural) and industry to research the lifespan of learning and the role of UniSA in serving all stages of knowledge and learning processes. Financial Support

This project is funded for reasonable research expenses. Additionally, a living allowance scholarship of $32,500 per annum is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, and permanent residents of Australia, including permanent humanitarian visa holders. Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants will be eligible to receive an increased stipend rate of $50,291 per annum. A fee-offset or waiver for the standard term of the program is also included. For full terms and benefits of the scholarship please refer to our scholarship information.

Eligibility and Selection

This project is open to applications from Australian or New Zealand citizens, and Australian permanent residents or permanent humanitarian visa holders. International applicants are not invited to apply at this time.

Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for entrance into a PhD. All applications that meet the eligibility and selection criteria will be considered for this project.

The successful applicant is expected to study full-time and to be based at our Mawson Lakes campus in the north of Adelaide.

Essential Dates

Applicants are expected to start in a timely fashion upon receipt of an offer. Extended deferral periods are not available. Applications close on Sunday 2 June 2024.