Assessment Practice In Higher Education Research Articles

Revolution, evolution, or regression – the transformation of assessments through times of pandemic and AI

In this paper we will discuss the tensions between, revolution, evolution and regression that are shaping assessment practice in higher education. The two major influences on shaping assessment in higher education in recent years have been: (1) the pandemic that pressurised universities to embrace online practice, sometimes temporarily. When the post pandemic pushback restored ‘tried and tested’ face to face practices in exam centres and traditional assessment spaces (e.g. labs), it revealed the potential for adopting online tools and practices and the value of enhancing digital competences for staff and students; and (2) Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a disruptor, which since the autumn of 2022 continues to influence approaches and attitudes to assessment. Institutional concerns for impact on reputation and the focus on integrity and student conduct is shaping the assessment landscape as are the technological and pedagogical opportunities and risks presented by proctoring software and generative AI. We claim that elements of revolution, evolution and regression can be traced in the developing landscape of assessment redesign and technology mediated assessment. The paper will synthesise the outcomes of two projects, at the Centre for Online and Distance Education, University of London: (a) the longitudinal evaluation of assessment practises between 2020 and 2023 and (b) a project that looked at perceptions of academic integrity in the current climate of AI threats and opportunities.

Exploring teachers' (future) digital assessment practices in higher education: Instrument and model development

AbstractDigital technologies are increasingly used in assessment. On the one hand, this use offers opportunities for teachers to practice assessment more effectively, and on the other hand, it brings challenges to the design of pedagogically sound and responsible digital assessment. There is a lack of validated instruments and models that explain, assess and support teachers' critical pedagogical practice of digital assessment. This explorative work first develops and validates a survey instrument to examine teachers' digital assessment practices. Secondly, we build a model to investigate to what extent teachers' pedagogical digital assessment knowledge is a foundation for the future of digital assessment (ie, authentic, accessible, automated, continuous and responsible). A total of 219 university teachers at a large European university participated in the survey study. Factor exploratory analysis and structural equation modelling were used to validate the reliability and validity of items and internal causal relations of factors. The results show the survey is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing teachers' digital assessment practice in higher education. Teachers' pedagogical knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge of digital assessment is critical, while teachers' technological pedagogical knowledge seems to have a more limited impact on the future of digital assessment.Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Digital technologies are increasingly used in assessment in higher education. Teachers are the key stakeholders in the assessment for learning. There is a limited transformative nature of digital assessment practices. What this paper adds A validated instrument to assess teachers' pedagogical practice of digital assessment in higher education. Teachers' pedagogical and pedagogical content knowledge of digital assessment is critical to the future of digital assessment. Teachers' technological pedagogical knowledge of digital assessment has a more limited impact on the future of digital assessment. Implications for practice and policy Teachers need to be supported in developing pedagogical digital assessment practices in higher education. Based on this study's outcomes, educators, institutions and policymakers can inform the design and implementation of effective and responsible digital assessment practices. The design and implementation of responsible digital assessments will enhance the quality of higher education in the digital age.

Determinants of Lecturers Assessment Practice in Higher Education in Somalia

This research investigated the determinants of lecturers' assessment practices in higher education institutions in Mogadishu, Somalia. The factors that determined the lecturer’s assessment practice were design, interpretation, application, and administration mechanisms. A quantitative research design was conducted. The questionnaire was used, Cronbach's alpha value is.917. This shows that the scale's internal consistency and reliability for this sample are quite excellent. r =.636, P = 0.000,.05., the findings revealed a significant, favorable, and robust relationship between design and lecturers' assessment practices. Also, the correlation table shows a good connection between assessment, interpretation, application, and lecturers' assessment practice. (Explained) (r =.575, p = 0.000,.05) (R =.516, p =.000, 0.05) there is a strong positive relationship between assessment design, interpretation, and application to lecturers’ assessment practice. I recommend that the administration of public and private higher education institutions focus on in-service training on how to upgrade the skills of lecturers toward assessment practice.

A framework for understanding assessment practice in higher education

A source of contestation in higher education curricula is the multiplicity of demands they serve and purposes they seek to fulfil. In this paper, we see this contestation as actively shaping assessment theory and practice, resulting in paradoxes of valorisation and vilification of everyday assessment practices. We address the plethora of contestations in higher education assessment through the disruption of dichotomies in assessment discourse by re-querying assessment autonomy, logic and the basis of success. To this end, we apply Legitimation Code Theory to construct a new holistic framework for assessment inquiry, contributing to both extant and developing assessment theory by proposing a single sociological framework to analyse assessment practice cross-discipline, institution and geographical boundaries.

Is continuous assessment inclusive? An analysis of factors influencing student grades

This paper reports a series of studies that assessed the performance of students on continuous assessment components from two courses in an undergraduate psychology programme. Data were collected from two consecutive cohorts of students (total N = 576) and the grades of students were compared based on additional learning needs (ALN; ALN versus No ALN), whether or not the students had requested an extension to a deadline, and whether or not students had missed any of the tests that made up the continuous assessment component. Results showed no significant differences in attainment between students with and without ALN, supporting the argument that continuous assessment does not differentially impact students who already require additional support. Students who were granted deadline extensions achieved significantly lower scores, but only on the course with content that built week on week. Students who missed one or more tests achieved significantly lower scores even if the grade was calculated ignoring the questions that a student had not attempted. The implications of these findings for assessment practice in higher education are discussed.

COVID-19 catalysing assessment transformation: A case of the online open book examination

Under COVID-19 lockdown conditions, the imposition of social distancing and restricted mobility, disrupted the traditional way of assessment in higher education. The closed book examination, conducted under proctored conditions, had to be substituted for the online open book examination (OOBE), posing challenges to both conventional and Open Distance Learning (ODL) institutions. The OOBE became a new experience to lecturers and students. Considering COVID-19 as a potential catalyst for educational transformation, the experiences gained in this format of assessment presents a valuable frame of reference for future learning. The aim is to extract lessons from this innovative learning experience to inform future assessment practices. The study is set in the context of a B.Ed. (Hons) compulsory module, offered at an Open Distance Learning (ODL) institution in South Africa. It is guided by the research question: “what were students’ experiences of their first online, open-book final examination and what are the implications for policy, practice and research?” This is a qualitative study, using as data, student emails on their experiences of the OOBE. The results show that the OOBE is an innovative assessment practice in higher education, in need of deeper understanding and (re)training. We conclude that the OOBE offers transformational opportunities in higher education assessment practices, to replace the traditional closed-book examination. We make recommendations to assist lecturers and students in approaching the OOBE in future.

Using scaffolding strategies to improve formative assessment practice in higher education

Despite the increasing popularity of formative assessment as an instructional tool, teachers find it difficult to implement formative assessment strategies in their practice. To address this we developed a training programme based on formative assessment and scaffolding literature. A quasi-experimental design was utilised to examine the programme’s usefulness; 8 teachers in higher education received the training and eight teachers did not. A questionnaire (N = 260) was administered before and after the training to determine students’ perceptions of their teachers’ adaptive behaviour. The trained teachers also participated in an interview about the usefulness of the training. Although no significant interaction effects between time and group were found, results over time reveal that both trained and untrained teachers showed more adaptive behaviour by providing more challenge when needed. Both groups of teachers also showed more non-adaptive behaviour since they gave more support and challenge than needed and became less supportive when students needed support. Results between groups indicate that trained teachers showed more adaptive behaviour than untrained teachers. Interview results indicate that teachers reviewed the training positively and reported scaffolding theory as a useful addition. Teachers requested more time and support to implement newly learned strategies in daily practice.

Lecturers’ views of assessment design, marking and feedback in higher education: a case for professionalisation?

Research on professional assessment practice in higher education does not always take account of lecturers’ perceptions and experiences, or their disciplinary context. This questionnaire study was designed to explore lecturers’ views about three inter-related elements of professional assessment practice: assessment design, marking and feedback. It consisted of two questionnaires: the Assessment Design Inventory (ADI), previously published, and the Assessment, Marking and Feedback Inventory (AMFI) which was newly developed for this study. The two main purposes of the research were to: i) establish the validity of these two questionnaires as research tools, ii) explore the existence of professional practice in assessment and analyse any perceived hindrances as well as possible effects of participants’ subject discipline. 356 lecturers from two UK universities, with a range of teaching experience and representing soft and hard disciplines, took part. Results indicated that the ADI and the AMFI were robust instruments. Findings showed evidence of assessment professionalism, but also some areas where it was lacking, together with a perceived need for formal training. Participants recognised that there were certain hindrances in putting their pedagogical beliefs into practice. The implications of this study are discussed in terms of advancing the sector’s understanding of assessment professionalism.

Disciplinary approaches to assessment

Change in assessment practice in higher education tends to lag behind pedagogical change. Thinking about assessment practice is, in part, related to disciplinary thinking. In this study, 27 faculty members from a broad range of disciplines were interviewed about their conceptions of assessment to help understand the distinctions and priorities of four main categories of disciplines. We uncover why university instructors may be resistant to changes in assessment practice if they perceive them not to support their disciplinary priorities.

Using PeerWise to develop a contributing student pedagogy for postgraduate psychology

<p class="abstract">The importance of the role of peer and self-assessment in developing formative and sustainable assessment practice in higher education is increasingly becoming evident. PeerWise is an online software tool that engages students in contributing to their own and others’ learning by authoring, answering and providing feedback on multiple choice questions. Using a mixed methods approach, 20 students responded to discussion questions and an online survey about their perceptions of using PeerWise compared to online quizzes as part of the blended delivery of a postgraduate psychology unit. Students considered both authoring and answering questions in PeerWise to equally benefit their learning. Answering questions in PeerWise was perceived to be more helpful for learning than questions on a Moodle quiz. This advantage was evident across more complex cognitive skills, understanding, applying, evaluating and creating information, although only significant for facilitating understanding. PeerWise and online quizzes were seen to be equally helpful in facilitating recall. Despite the perceived benefits of PeerWise, students preferred quiz questions to be set by an expert if used as recognition of progress. Introducing PeerWise was effective in promoting engagement with peers; however, refinements to the model should focus on increasing student confidence in their own and peers’ capabilities.</p>

David Carless: Excellence in university assessment: learning from award-winning practice

The concept of ‘‘learning-oriented assessment’’ was coined by David Carless in 2003, which aims to promote a way of thinking that all assessment could target the development of productive student learning processes, regardless of their formative or summative nature. Since the introduction of the term, David Carless has devoted himself to the research of learning-oriented assessment and has published a series of relevant papers in a number of prestigious international journals. His recent book, ‘‘Excellence in University Assessment: learning from award-winning practice,’’ accounts for an ethnographical project on exploring the potential for learning-oriented assessment at the tertiary phase. Five awardwinning male teachers who teach different disciplines and some of their students were invited to participate in classroom observations and semi-structural interviews to conceptualize and exemplify a framework of learning-oriented assessment and to reveal the complexity of implementing learning-oriented assessment in classrooms. The book provides a student-centered perspective of assessment supported by classroom research evidence from multiple disciplines and informs the assessment practice in higher education by sharing good assessment practices of excellent university teachers. Carless’s book is a fascinating read for university leaders, staff developers, teachers, and researchers who are enthusiastic about assessment. ‘‘The art of compromise’’—the metaphor of good assessment—would arouse the reader’s interest at the very beginning of the book. Carless (2015, p. 44) believes that ‘‘enhancing student learning should be a primary aim for all assessment’’ when making compromise among competing priorities. Carless thinks that assessment would enhance student learning when assessment tasks support student learning, when students develop their evaluative expertise through activities that engage them in understanding quality and standards in their disciplines, and when feedback is forward-looking and feasible. These

Investigating the curriculum through assessment practice in higher education: the value of a ‘learning cultures’ approach

It is widely acknowledged that the curriculum and knowledge in higher education (HE) are especially visible through (and often constructed by) assessment practices. If this is the case, it matters greatly what perspectives and theoretical tools are brought to bear on the task of understanding these practices. Having briefly set out three perspectives on assessment in HE (the technical, humanist and interactionist), this paper introduces a ‘learning cultures’ perspective, drawing upon the work of Bourdieu, developed as part of a recent research project on English Further Education. The application of this perspective in HE is introduced through a vignette outlining a recent assessment episode and notes on how it may be explored. The paper argues that whilst some contemporary work on HE assessment incorporates elements of a cultural perspective, there are potential practical benefits to a more thoroughgoing adoption of a ‘learning cultures’ approach.

Examining increased flexibility in assessment formats

There have been calls in the literature for changes to assessment practices in higher education, to increase flexibility and give learners more control over the assessment process. This article explores the possibilities of allowing student choice in the format used to present their work, as a starting point for changing assessment, based on recent studies and current examples of flexible assessment practice in higher education. The benefits of this flexible assessment format approach are highlighted, along with a discussion of classic assessment considerations such as validity, reliability and marking concerns. The role of technology in facilitating assessment method choice is considered, in terms of new opportunities for providing student choice in the way they evidence their learning and present their work. Considerations for implementing flexible assessment choices into the curriculum are presented, along with a call that further research into such practice is needed to develop a comprehensive set of practical recommendations and best practice for the implementation of flexible assessment choice into the curriculum. The article should be of interest to curriculum developers and academics considering implementing changes to the assessment process to increase student ownership and control.

Assessment practice in enterprise education

PurposeThis paper aims to introduce current debates on assessment practice in higher education and to explore educational research on assessment.Design/methodology/approachThe paper progresses by exploring a number of outcomes and highlights their role in helping one to understand the potential reasons for engaging in enterprise education. The paper then applies this outcomes framework to assessment practice. It does so by reporting a series of focus groups undertaken at the International Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE) Conference in 2005.FindingsThe focus groups engaged over 40 entrepreneurship and small business academics in a brainstorming exercise, which explored forms of assessment that could be used to meet particular outcomes in enterprise education. These results are presented according to different potential entrepreneurial outcomes.Originality/valueThe concluding part of the paper categorises these practices to develop and present the views of the participants and it provides a detailed analysis of assessment practice in enterprise education.

Improving lecturers' assessment practice in higher education: a problem-based approach

This article reports on a project based on the authors' concerns about assessment practice in higher education in the United Kingdom. These concerns stem from their experience as university lecturers, and from knowledge of research evidence and policy issues relating to assessment in higher education. Given the complex nature of higher education, improvement rather than mere change in assessment procedures will require the full participation of people who possess intimate day-to-day contextual knowledge, including an understanding of those aspects of the situation which are not easily measurable or even readily observable. The article details (a) a Popperian problem-based approach to action research designed to facilitate improvements in higher education assessment practice, and (b) how this methodology was adopted, tested and developed at the University of Sunderland. The authors’ aim is to encourage colleagues in other higher education institutions to adopt and further test this methodology in subsequent research.[1]