How curriculum and assessment design generate credible evidence of learning.

This six-episode season of The Thought Bubble explores how higher education can credibly assure learning in an AI-enabled world. Drawing on OES’s Connected Assurance Framework, the series brings together academic leaders, learning designers and policy experts to examine how learning is designed, supported and evidenced over time. Focused on quality, equity and trust, it offers a practical, sector-facing conversation on building defensible evidence of student capability.

Episode 3 explores how curriculum and assessment design function as the foundation of assurance.

Hosted by Amanda Ford (Associate Director of Gen AI, OES), this episode features OES' Dr Lucy Elliott, Jesse Keenan and David Robertson, who bring practical experience in learning design and program architecture.

The conversation focuses on how well-designed programs generate defensible evidence of learning through scaffolded, cumulative assessment, rather than relying on single high-stakes tasks.

It also explores the trade-offs institutions are navigating, including balancing authenticity with workload, maintaining perceptions of rigour, and reducing reliance on detection-led approaches.

A central idea is that pedagogical coherence enables stronger, more credible assurance, and underpins both relational and technological dimensions of the Connected Assurance Framework.

This episode discusses the Connected Assurance Framework, which underpins the entire season. This framework is discussed in OES's positioning paper on Assurance of Learning which can be found here: https://oes.edu.au/assuranceoflearning/

Published by OES (Online Education Services) – www.oes.edu.au
Recorded in Melbourne, Australia.

How curriculum and assessment design generate credible evidence of learning.
This six-episode season of The Thought Bubble explores how higher education can credibly assure learning in an AI-enabled world. Drawing on OES&rsquo;s Connected Assurance Framework, the series brings together academic leaders, learning designers and policy experts to examine how learning is designed, supported and evidenced over time. Focused on quality, equity and trust, it offers a practical, sector-facing conversation on building defensible evidence of student capability.
<hr>
Episode 3 explores how curriculum and assessment design function as the foundation of assurance.
Hosted by Amanda Ford (Associate Director of Gen AI, OES), this episode features OES' Dr Lucy Elliott, Jesse Keenan and David Robertson, who bring practical experience in learning design and program architecture.
The conversation focuses on how well-designed programs generate defensible evidence of learning through scaffolded, cumulative assessment, rather than relying on single high-stakes tasks.
It also explores the trade-offs institutions are navigating, including balancing authenticity with workload, maintaining perceptions of rigour, and reducing reliance on detection-led approaches.
A central idea is that pedagogical coherence enables stronger, more credible assurance, and underpins both relational and technological dimensions of the Connected Assurance Framework.
This episode discusses the <a href="https://oes.edu.au/assuranceoflearning/">Connected Assurance Framework</a>, which underpins the entire season. This framework is discussed in OES's positioning paper on Assurance of Learning which can be found here: <a href="https://oes.edu.au/assuranceoflearning/">https://oes.edu.au/assuranceoflearning/</a>
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Published by OES (Online Education Services) &ndash; <a href="http://www.oes.edu.au">www.oes.edu.au</a> Recorded in Melbourne, Australia.

The Thought Bubble is OES’ flagship podcast for higher education, bringing together university leaders, policy experts and industry practitioners to explore the ideas shaping the future of learning.

Each season focuses on a critical shift in the sector, combining expert perspectives with practical insight into how institutions can respond, adapt and lead.

From artificial intelligence and student experience to learning design and quality assurance, The Thought Bubble goes beyond trends to examine how higher education is evolving in practice.

Tune into our higher ed podcast for insights on strategic shifts in Australian higher education, shaping the future of academia.

The Thought Bubble is OES&rsquo; flagship podcast for higher education, bringing together university leaders, policy&nbsp;experts&nbsp;and industry practitioners to explore the ideas shaping the future of learning.
Each season focuses on a critical shift in the sector, combining expert perspectives with practical insight into how institutions can respond,&nbsp;adapt&nbsp;and lead.
From artificial intelligence and student experience to learning design and quality assurance, The Thought Bubble goes beyond trends to examine how higher education is evolving in practice.
Tune into our higher ed podcast for insights on strategic shifts in Australian higher education, shaping the future of academia.

Through expert interviews and industry perspectives, season one of OES' The Thought Bubble podcast it explores how universities are responding to technological acceleration, changing workforce expectations and new models of delivery.

The Thought Bubble by OES

As Higher Education is catapulted into the digital era, many in the sector are scrambling to catch–up with the needs of our rapidly changing world. This podcast from OES shares insightful interviews with experts from around the world, examining emerging technologies and the ways in which they’re transforming how we teach, learn, evaluate, and experience Higher Education. Hosted by OES Executive Director, Claire Sadler.

Find out more about what we do: https://oes.edu.au/

As Higher Education is catapulted into the digital era, many in the sector are scrambling to catch–up with the needs of our rapidly changing world. This podcast from OES shares insightful interviews with experts from around the world, examining emerging technologies and the ways in which they’re transforming how we teach, learn, evaluate, and experience Higher Education. Hosted by OES Executive Director, Claire Sadler.
Find out more about what we do: <a href="https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Foes.edu.au%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7Cjhansen%40oes.edu.au%7C3b5735c2a8894838f2c208da84bacd37%7C57d289898c4541189cde8a03712e508d%7C0%7C0%7C637968235112317827%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=gTmeEN6oxcIVWyhedqRXtg%2FwbQM%2FtVZB7gtG51bMSvc%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://oes.edu.au/</a>

The Thought Bubble

OES learning design and program experts talk through how curriculum and assessment design generate credible evidence of learning.

Episode 3: Design as integrity infrastructure – Pedagogical assurance in practice

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/bd83cac2-c86b-4c95-b314-aefb00235aaa/clips/e22f1474-7274-4dd7-98ed-b42e006f8cbe/transcript