Assessment Of Student Learning Research Articles

Design of an Expert System for Student Learning Assessment

An expert system has been designed to assess student learning in a manner that aligns with each student's ability level independently, based on modern measurement theory. This approach effectively measures students' actual knowledge levels and is essential for developing assessment tools, which are a cornerstone of education. The expert system records student’s data and interactions, determining the questions to be used to measure their cognitive level based on the obtained responses. Application results demonstrated the impact of the expert system for this type of measurement, providing ability estimates for students comparable to those from traditional tests.

Development of a Virtual Pediatric Holistic Comfort Care Clinic.

Guided by the tenets of Kolcaba's holistic comfort theory, we developed, implemented, and evaluated a simulated online pediatric advanced practice health center. The Pediatric Comfy Care Clinic (PCCC) was created to enhance person-centered diagnostic reasoning and holistic advanced management skills for family nurse practitioner students. Our interprofessional team used a standardized approach to online design and development while integrating essential holistic comfort theory concepts for student engagement and assessment of learning. We explored outcomes of pre- and postclinic quizzes and student reflection data using mixed methods. Significant differences (P<.001) were noted in all postpractice quizzes in each affiliated PCCC module with variable student outcomes on graded clinic encounters. Important student perspectives on teaching and learning in the virtual clinic were noted. A comfort theory-driven, simulated, and digitally enhanced virtual clinic is feasible and valuable with important implications for holistic advanced practice.

AI hype in the classroom

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools, especially generative tools based on large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, raise critical concerns for academic integrity, for ensuring genuine assessment of student learning, and for equity. Public understanding of these tools is clouded by hype about their capabilities, as they are often treated as knowledgeable and even sentient, and thus suitable for any human task. Of particular concern for instructors is how, and how much, students rely on these tools to complete their coursework. We address some of these issues in our classrooms by reporting on a recent pedagogical initiative within the Department of Linguistics at the University of Toronto during Summer 2023. As part of the initiative, we highlight the crucial role that linguistics can play in these discussions, by shifting the focus to LLMs as objects of study that are directly relevant to the linguistics classroom and to educate students on what linguistic tasks they are and are not good at. We offer strategies and sample assignment questions to help instructors deflate AI hype and facilitate greater AI literacy by demystifying the technology.

Teaching Performance of Students of the Faculty of Education, Sohag University: "An Evaluative Study in Light of Teacher Preparation Standards"

This study aimed to evaluate the teaching performance of student teachers at the Faculty of Education, Sohag University, based on teacher preparation standards. The research employed a descriptive-analytical approach and developed a checklist comprising 64 sub-skills categorized under seven main standards: lesson planning, classroom management and student interaction, use of teaching strategies, integration of educational tools and technologies, personal traits and interpersonal skills, mastery of subject matter, and student learning assessment. The performance of 50 student teachers from scientific and literary disciplines was assessed using an observation checklist. The results revealed that teaching performance was moderate across six standards and good in the "personal traits and interpersonal skills" standard. Statistically significant differences (p ≤ 0.01) were found in favor of scientific students compared to their literary counterparts. The study emphasized the need to enhance student teachers' skills to improve the quality of teaching performance.

Flexible Assessment of Student Learning Using VARK Framework.

Flexible Assessment of Student Learning Using VARK Framework.

Asynchronous Literature Research Module for Undergraduate Engineering Research Program

This case study presents the development of an asynchronous online module for an engineering undergraduate research program. It includes an overview of the development of the literature research module in Qualtrics and its transition to the campus LMS, Canvas. Assessment of student learning is described. The benefits to librarians of this mode of instruction are also discussed. While aligning with the growing body of literature on asynchronous library instruction, this study demonstrates application of that modality through innovative instruction for a STEM extra-curricular program. It provides insights for instruction librarians looking to transition to asynchronous teaching.

Understanding the interconnection between assessment of student learning and generative artificial intelligence

Understanding the interconnection between assessment of student learning and generative artificial intelligence

How Do Course-Based Assessments Change in The Shift to Emergency Remote Teaching? Sustainable Assessment Strategies Through an Authenticity Lens

The shift from face-to-face (F2F) to emergency remote teaching (ERT) in response to COVID-19 has presented concerns for assessment in student learning. This study presents the comparison of a health science curriculum in F2F and ERT settings regarding assessments (count, type, authenticity) using our Authentic Assessment Tool and institutionally standardized course syllabi. Five hundred and seventeen assessments in 61 courses in ERT were inventoried (count, type) and subsequently categorized as 1 (low), 2 (moderate), or 3 (high) on core authenticity characteristics: realism, cognitive challenge, evaluative judgement criteria and feedback. These data were compared to a recent curriculum-wide F2F scan (457 assessments in 62 courses). Results show in the shift to ERT, the total number of both tests and assignments increased with a greater proportion of marks comprised of assignments (44% ERT versus 37% F2F). Curriculum-wide authenticity scores were similar (1.8 ± 0.4 ERT versus 1.8 ± 0.6 F2F), although this trend was because nearly an equal proportion of courses increased and decreased authenticity. The largest number of courses (n=30) making improvements on individual characteristics of authenticity did so regarding the dimension feedback. This work presents modest yet actionable items to achieve authenticity for consideration in assessment design as institutions begin to produce and consider policies regarding course structure and assessment design in the post-COVID educational context.

Hurdles to Learning Assessment Quality: Their Detrimental Effects on Student Learning

The study investigated hurdles to the quality of student learning assessment by examining issues related to assessment procedures and practices, learners and learning, learning resources and test constructs, and test admin and feedback. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from two Ethiopian universities using two types of questionnaires. The results have shown that learning assessment practices and procedures were inundated with a number of hurdles. Among them were academic dishonesty, a dearth of giving timely feedback, assessment procedures’ failure to direct learners to higher-order learning outcomes, test construct underrepresentation and irrelevance, and learners’ temptation to work for good grades rather than for acquiring the required competencies. These were the major hurdles that had detrimental effects on student learning at the universities. It has, therefore, been recommended that universities and their communities should ensure meaningful and useful assessment of student learning by putting in place effective and quality assessment that constitutes deep learning guided by effective feedback towards the achievement of learning outcomes (LOs).

Sosialisasi Pemanfaatan Canva dan Quizziz dalam Pembelajaran

Quality basic education is inextricably linked to teacher competence. Competence is a person's ability or capability to perform a task based on his abilities. However, following the Covid-19 pandemic, many schools, including instructors, are struggling to adapt to the New Normal Era. One of these is elementary School No. 11 Dauh Puri, one of Denpasar's public elementary schools. Most teachers are elderly, and professional skill is required to design instructional media in a creative manner. One of the issues of Elementary School 11 Dauh Puri is teacher competence. Teachers lack the necessary expertise in science and technology to create engaging learning materials, particularly for foreign languages, that spark student interest. One of the methods proposed for improving teacher abilities is to provide training in the use of Canva as learning materials as well as the usage of Quizziz for assessment or evaluation of student learning. Teachers appreciate community service, which includes the use of Canva and Quizziz to create teaching materials. Despite the fact that she had official training, the teacher feels helped.

Technological Tools in the Assessment of Meaningful Student Learning

Technological Tools in the Assessment of Meaningful Student Learning

Creating and enacting culturally responsive assessment for First Nations students in higher education settings

In this article, we argue that current assessment practices in higher education require urgent examination and should be re-imagined in culturally responsive ways to ensure fairness for all. From sociocultural and social justice perspectives, we highlight examples of cultural and linguistic bias in assessment that disadvantages many First Nations students. Incorporating a constructivist viewpoint, we argue that assessment practices must keep pace with culturally responsive pedagogical practices to improve assessment validity for First Nations students and to maintain constructive alignment between learning, teaching, and assessment. Based on qualitative interviews with stakeholders in the On Country Teacher Education program, we describe how university lecturers changed their approaches to assessment and modified their assessment tasks to enact and create culturally responsive assessments. These practices, whilst beneficial for First Nations students, are viewed as being ‘responsive’ rather than ‘proactive’. Recommendations include shifting to a ‘proactive’ stance by evaluating the validity of student learning outcomes and assessment design from the onset.

Continuous Improvement of an Exit Exam Tool for the Effective Assessment of Student Learning in Engineering Education

Continuous Improvement of an Exit Exam Tool for the Effective Assessment of Student Learning in Engineering Education

COMPARISON OF NATIONAL CURRICULUM 2006 AND SINGLE NATIONAL CURRICULUM

This study aimed to compare and find the differences between National Curriculum (NC) 2006 and the Single Nation Curriculum (SNC) 2020 of English textbook of grade 5 by using Nichols curriculum model. The main objective was to find out drawbacks in the previous document and highlighted new dimensions and perspectives added to SNC. This was a qualitative research. Interpretive paradigm was used, in which phenomenological method was adopted and content analysis was done to compare the both curricula of English. For this purpose, a rubric was developed to analyze the key differences between NC 2006 and SNC 2020 which had five components; in terms of content, student learning outcomes, suggested activities, assessments, and projects. This study highlighted the importance of curriculum revision efforts and their successful implementation in achieving national and societal goals. The results showed that the curriculum had undergone significant changes and updated with a focus on improving the teaching and learning process, developing language skills, and incorporating advanced technological methods. Additionally, assessment and evaluation tools and methods had been added, and teacher training had been given more attention and elaboration in the SNC compared to the 2006 curriculum.

Assessing Student Learning Within the Chinese Context

Čínská společnost obecně přijala funkci zkoušek jako spravedlivého ukazatele studijních úspěchů studentů. Přestože byly státní/veřejné zkoušky s vysokým počtem bodů vždy kritizovány za vysoký tlak, který na studenty vyvíjejí, a za možnost pokřivení podstaty výuky na „výuku na zkoušku“, stále hrají klíčovou roli při usměrňování učení čínských studentů, určování jejich budoucí kariéry a hodnocení efektivity školy. Tento článek nejprve předkládá stručný přehled čínského systému orientačního hodnocení založeného na zkouškách a poté na příkladu dvou národních zkoušek vymezuje hodnocení výuky studentů v kontextu angličtiny jako cizího jazyka (EFL) v Číně. Článek tvrdí, že: (1) veřejné zkoušky plní dvojí funkci hodnocení, a to výběr a výuku, a (2) nové důrazy v reformách hodnocení studentů se zaměřují na to, aby se zkoušky staly lepším měřítkem výsledků učení studentů a aby efektivněji sloužily výuce. Poslední část článku nastiňuje hlavní změny hodnocení žáků v současné školské praxi.

Midterm conversations as co-creation of equitable and inclusive formative assessment

Although assessment of student learning remains a thorny area for co-creation in education, a growing number of researchers and practitioners advocate and enact partnership in formative and summative assessment as part of equity work. In this case study, we join these efforts in reflecting on students’ and our own experiences of the midterm conversation that we use as a key formative assessment structure and process across three co-facilitated courses. The midterm conversation—a partnership among students and instructors as co-teachers—is embedded in course design and curriculum with the goal of advancing, informing, and sustaining our pedagogical commitments. This case illustrates how we practice assessment as dialogue and as emergent understanding. This practice is based on an expectation of diverse learning goals and outcomes and on trust in students’ capacities to direct their learning with reference to their own interests and standards for their work.

From a final exam to continuous assessment on a large Bachelor level engineering course

ABSTRACT A typical practice of assessment in engineering studies, especially on large Bachelor level courses, is a final exam at the end of the course. This practice is problematic both in terms of learning and teaching, as it does not provide feedback on learning experience or student progress before the course is completed. This study examines the gradual process of moving from a final exam towards continuous assessment that integrates the practices of summative and formative assessment. The aim is to understand how the changes affect student performance on the course over a period of four years. The changes were implemented on a large Bachelor level engineering course. The impact of adding practices of continuous assessment was analyzed in relation to the course pass rate, grade distribution, and student feedback. The results show that replacing the final exam with weekly homework improved student performance. Some of the identified differences are statistically significant. Student feedback implies that moving towards continuous assessment had a positive impact on the learning experience. The results support increased use of continuous assessment in the assessment of student learning on large Bachelor level engineering courses.

How does assessment shape student identities? An integrative review

ABSTRACT Assessment of student learning is commonly understood as a seemingly objective measurement of learning outcomes. It is seen as fair that assessment targets students’ abilities – not their identities or personalities. This idea fails to acknowledge how assessment transforms its object, the students, often in unintended ways. While higher education research has largely emphasised the impact of assessment on student learning, the ontological question of how assessment shapes students has remained marginal. This is despite assessment being a part of the fabric of life in higher education: examinations, assignments, grades, rubrics, rankings, and metrics characterise the student experience. The present study addresses this knowledge gap by reviewing empirical studies on how assessment shapes student identities through a theory-driven integrative review of 32 articles (2007–2023). First, these studies are summarised to understand how they conceptualise ‘identities’, what kinds of assessment practices they depict, and what the reported influences on student identities are. Second, a conceptual synthesis provides a metatheory on how assessment transforms student identities in higher education. This theorisation suggests that assessment shapes students through the ontological mechanisms of (1) gatekeeping, (2) legitimisation, (3) concretisation, (4) socialisation and (5) individualisation. Moreover, the theorisation considers students’ own agency over their identity development. Overall, this study emphasises the crucial, hitherto overlooked role of assessment in shaping students’ professional and personal identities in higher education. This study proposes a research agenda to better understand student identity formation in and through assessment.

DeBERTa with hats makes Automated Essay Scoring system better

Automated Essay Scoring (AES) is a rapidly growing field that applies natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning techniques to the analysis and evaluation of academic essays. By automating the process of evaluating essay quality, AES not only greatly reduces the workload of human graders but also ensures consistency and objectivity in the evaluation process. AES systems can evaluate essays based on multiple criteria, including organization, coherence, and content. With the advent of deep learning, AES has shown significant improvements in accuracy and reliability. AES systems have numerous applications in education, particularly in large-scale assessment and feedback loops. In this article, we delve into the use of an improved Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) architecture with disentangled attention mechanism known as DeBERTa for student question-based summarization. This is one of the downstream tasks within AES, which is of great significance for student learning assessment. The organic combination of DeBERTa-v3 and diverse hats like Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LGBM) algorithm and Extreme Gradient Boosting algorithm (XGBoost) has proven to be highly effective in achieving excellent results in this task, indicating their significant potential in real-world AES systems.

Exploring learning outcomes and psycho-emotional experiences of undergraduate students in digital literacy training and support using Web-based assessment platforms

Integrating Web-based platforms into student learning assessment has gained increasing attention among researchers and instructors. However, limited research addresses the practical challenges of involving undergraduates in creating of Web-based assessment platforms. This study investigates the effects of this process on students’ learning outcomes and their psycho-emotional experiences, focusing on motivation and engagement. A comparative study involving 156 students revealed that those using the Kahoot! platform achieved significantly better learning outcomes and displayed higher motivation and emotional engagement than those using Google Forms. This also highlights the role of interface design in improving Web-based assessment platforms, with implications for user interface design.