Enhancing students' learning experience through personalised assessments

About this project

Develop innovative assessment experiences

If you are driven to forge an exciting career in the education industry and keen to develop novel assessment mechanisms, the University of South Australia – Australia’s University of Enterprise – is offering a hands-on project-based PhD within the Centre for Change and Complexity in Learning (C3L).

Personalised assessment gives us greater flexibility to create a unique experience for each student. The purpose is to help all students make progress, through understanding what they can do, and the things they need to work on. 

It is essential to implement personalised evaluations with individualised feedback so that we can improve students’ learning experiences via increased interaction between them and teachers. We also want to ensure that students develop the qualities and abilities needed after graduation.
 
We need to conduct thorough research to transition towards these personalised assessments. This will promote more individualised and active teaching and learning methods that can be applied widely, sustainably, and economically.

You will be based within the lively research environment at C3L but also be closely linked to UniSA Education Futures and UniSA STEM. This unique setting offers an excellent space for scholarly exploration, fostering collaboration and innovation. 

Within this research context, you will have the valuable opportunity of interacting with a diverse community of peers, including AI and IT experts and researchers. This interdisciplinary cooperation promotes a dynamic exchange of ideas and viewpoints, enhancing the overall research experience.

What you’ll do

In this project-based research degree, you will first conduct an extensive literary exploration and research to understand the landscape of personalised assessments in formative and summative assessments. Then, you will develop and evaluate AI-enhanced student-centred pedagogy. 

You will also be involved in designing and developing personalised assessment tools to be integrated with Moodle, Canvas, or any other Learning Management Systems, and address relevant ethical, legal, and pedagogical implications. 

Throughout the project, you will collaborate closely with peers, educators, researchers, and AI experts, aiming to help build the capacity of teachers to develop personalised assessments.

Where you’ll be based

You will be based C3L, which focuses on the complex relationship between human and artificial cognition, how it changes society, knowledge processes, and teaching and learning. 

The 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.

We focus on four key research streams: change in complex systems, infrastructures for AI, human and artificial cognition, and learning analytics. 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. Additionally applicants must meet the projects selection criteria. 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 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.