Glossary

  • Bloom’s taxonomy is a classification system which Compass uses to categorise levels of sophistication in assessments.  Read more.
  • Canvas is a Learning Management System.  Compass mirrors its permissions and content in order to prevent duplication of data entry and to make sure that we have synchronised information.
  • Contributors are users with special permissions to create assessments, activities and access skills in the Compass database.  Read more.
  • Coordinators are academics with an administrative role for a paper.  The coordinator role in itself does not imply teaching duties.  If the person also teaches they should be listed as a teacher/lecturer as well.  Read more.
  • Directors are academics with an oversight role for a paper.  The director role in itself does not imply teaching duties.  If the person also teaches they should be listed as a teacher/lecturer as well.  Read more.
  • Graduate attributes are aspects of competence or ability that we expect all graduates to display on finishing their programme of study.  In professional degrees these may be mandated by an external accrediting body.  In others, local definitions may be used.  These are used to map the curriculum.  Read more.
  • Intended learning outcomes are statements written by teachers about what they want students to be capable of upon successful completion of a paper.  Read more.
  • LMS is an acronym for Learning Management System.  Compass currently integrates with Canvas from Instructure but please contact us for details of others which may be available.
  • Milestones are a way for programme planners to give extra information to the teachers in key papers throughout the programme.  They exists as way-points along a trajectory within a programme.  Read more.
  • Papers are the fundamental unit of teaching.  In other places they are referred to as courses, papers, lecture series etc.
  • Programmes are groups of papers which define a possible qualification outcome by defining core, elective and supplementary papers and the semesters/years/quarters in which they should be taken. Read more.
  • Reviewers are the users who are given access to reviews.  They may be internal or external to the university.  Read more.
  • Reviews are specially ring-fenced views of programme data, designed for simplify access for reviewers and external users.  They can be created by heads of departments, planners, and superusers.  Read more.
  • SOLO is a learning taxonomy which has been adapted into the STRIP taxonomy for use in Compass.  Read more.
  • Taxonomy is a fancy way of saying a classification system.  Compass uses Bloom’s and an adapted version of the SOLO taxonomy called STRIP.  Read more.
  • Trajectories are threads of student development which run throughout a programme.  They are punctuated by milestones.  Read more.