UECA Integrated Assessments Project

Integrated Assessments Project Summary

The Integrated Assessments Project is a University English Centres of Australia (UECA) cross-institutional initiative led by Associate Professor Pamela Humphreys and Professor Thomas Roche, aimed at advancing assessment practices in Direct Entry English for Academic Purposes (EAP) programs. Sparked by sector discussions during UECA’s 2022 Southern Cross University hosted Assessment Symposium and Benchmarking Project (2020–2021), the initiative sought to explore “integrated assessment”—tasks that combine skills such as reading and writing, or listening and speaking—reflecting the communicative demands of academic study and a shift away from discrete skills-based tests of proficiency.

In 2022, UECA funded four collaborative projects involving nine member institutions, each focused on developing evidence-based, scalable approaches to integrated assessment in Direct Entry Programs (DEPs). These programs prepare international students for university study in Australia and are critical pathways for meeting language proficiency requirements. The projects’ outcomes form the foundation of the Integrated Assessment Special Edition of the English Australia Journal (Humphreys & Roche Eds.), offering both theoretical and practical contributions to assessment design.

Project 1: Developing Multiple Literacies

The University of Newcastle and the University of Wollongong College designed an integrated listening-into-speaking task and rubric framed around the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Drawing on a multiliteracies framework, the project highlights how integrated assessments can foster the academic literacies needed for success in university contexts.

Project 2: Person-Centred and Authentic Assessments

The University of Southern Queensland and Southern Cross University College examined how employability skills can be embedded in EAL/D integrated assessment tasks. Using a systematic literature review, the team produced recommendations for designing person-centred, authentic assessments that reflect the communicative realities of professional environments.

Project 3: Integrated Assessment Blueprint

UNSW College, with peer review from UTS College, developed a comprehensive blueprint for an integrated reading-into-writing assessment for pre-Masters DEPs. The blueprint includes theoretical grounding, task specifications, scoring and administration guidelines, and validation procedures—providing a transferable template for other institutions.

Project 4: A Tale of Two Centres

The Centre for English Teaching (University of Sydney) and Macquarie University College conducted a comparative study of integrated test design across contexts. The project proposed a Framework for Argument-Based Validation for Good Practice in Test Design, supporting quality assurance and consistency in assessment development.

The English Australia Special Edition also features reflections from UECA’s 2022 Assessment Symposium, where leading scholars and practitioners helped shape the conversation on integrated assessment. Collectively, the projects provide practical frameworks and theoretical insights for enhancing the authenticity and validity of assessments across university pathway programs.