Digital Artefact Creation

Overview

Students research a real-world problem in their field and create a professional infographic to communicate their findings to a specific target audience. This assessment combines research and analysis skills with visual design and digital communication.

Key features

• Lane 2: Non-secure assessment 
• Easily adapts across face-to-face and online teaching modes using accessible digital design platforms  
• Scope for students to participate as individuals, pairs or groups  
• Simulates authentic workplace scenarios with students explaining complex concepts to diverse stakeholders  
• Develops digital design skills and assesses conceptual understanding through the transformation of complex topics into portfolio-worthy outputs 
• Increases student engagement, particularly for individuals who may struggle with text-based evaluation methods 
• Storytelling approach to communicating research acknowledges the importance of illustrations and sounds in Indigenous Australians cultures, connecting academic work to Australian contexts, building sustainable communication practices, and ensuring messaging reaches broader audiences.  

How it works

Curtin snapshot   

Dom’s example assessment

About my unit: Faculty of Science and Engineering | 100-150 students | In-Person | Individual work 

For this assessment, my Earth Resources and Sustainability students act as community outreach officers and create visual case studies demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of energy strategies, their socio-economic and environmental implications, and the global context.

The case studies need to explain the topic in a compelling and easy-to-understand way. Students are required to use Adobe Express for this assessment and are encouraged to use media, interactive elements and engaging visuals to analyse and communicate complex data and findings effectively.

For their specific case study infographic, students must answer the following questions:

• What is it and why is it important for society/economy?
• Why is its present use/implementation unsustainable?
• What are the environmental/societal/economic implications?
• How can the activity/matter become more sustainable?
• What are the challenges to render the topic more sustainable? Is it actually viable, or would we have to look for an alternative?

My advice 

For this assessment to run effectively, I recommend breaking the task into clear stages and providing students with a thorough brief to clarify the purpose and target audience. Some students will be using Adobe Express for the first time, so provide ‘how-to’ resources and link to the digital tool required. I also encourage early testing on different devices or browsers to avoid technical issues.

Suggested marking criteria

Note: Marking criteria and weighting are suggested guidelines. Specific descriptions should be adapted to relevant content and learning objectives.