As assessment practices continue to evolve across higher education, assessment security has become an increasingly important part of ensuring academic integrity and assurance of learning. Recent updates to CourseLoop now make it easier for Subject Coordinators to record not just whether an assessment is secure, but how that security is maintained. These changes build on the new standardised assessment types and support a more consistent approach to assessment design across UTS.
Why assessment security matters
A secure assessment gives us confidence that the work submitted is genuinely the student’s own. This means being able to verify who completed the task and ensuring the assessment conditions prevent impersonation, plagiarism, or other forms of misconduct. Security measures such as supervision, real-time interaction, or structured observation play a key role in protecting academic integrity and helping students trust the assessment process.time interaction
What’s new in CourseLoop
CourseLoop now includes an additional step when creating or updating an assessment: Subject Coordinators can indicate whether the assessment is secure and, if so, select the security method from a set list. This ensures a shared language and clear expectations across subjects and faculties.
The following options now appear in the security type dropdown menu:
| Dropdown item | Descriptor |
| Invigilation | Task completed under real-time supervision |
| Interaction | Work is discussed or defended in real-time |
| Observation | Skills and/or knowledge demonstrated in real-time |
| Supervision | Work monitored over time through an ongoing relationship (e.g., Honours, capstone project) |
| Other | Space to specify a different method of security as free text |
These categories sit alongside the updated assessment types introduced in CourseLoop earlier in the year, helping bring consistency to the way assessments are named, described and secured across UTS subjects.
Making the most of these changes
At present, it’s not compulsory to use this field. Over time, it will gradually be populated as secure assessments are identified through the CxT (curriculum transformation) process. For Subject Coordinators who want to use the fields now, make sure to include clear, descriptive information about the type of security in both CourseLoop and the assessment brief in Canvas. This helps students understand what the security process involves and what is expected of them which is particularly important when real-time interaction or observation is required.
For group assessments, it’s also important to explain how security applies to individual contributions so that all students understand their responsibilities.
Where a subject includes secure assessments identified through the CxT process, these must now be clearly marked in CourseLoop with the relevant security type selected.
Supporting integrity and transparency
These new CourseLoop features represent an important step in giving students and staff greater clarity around how assessments work and how the authenticity of student assessment work is assured. Making security more visible strengthens trust, supports good academic practice, and helps ensure students’ achievements are a true reflection of their learning. To learn more about assessment security, take a look at the recently released Assessment and Feedback Guidelines.