Assessment Practices In Education Research Articles

Reflective portfolios: a learning and self-assessment tool

Recent studies have emphasized the growing relevance of portfolios in higher education, particularly as a tool that fosters reflective and formative assessment practices. This article presents a qualitative study conducted with a group of Education students, exploring the portfolio as the primary assessment method. The research investigates the conditions under which portfolios can serve as effective tools for both self and peer assessment, using reflective cognition (metacognition) to enhance learning. Classroom observations were combined with open-ended questionnaires, and data analysis was conducted using webQDA software to ensure rigor and objectivity in interpreting the findings. The study reveals that the use of portfolios not only fostered student agency and autonomy but also strengthened self-responsibility and promoted deeper engagement with the learning process. Furthermore, portfolios facilitated a more dynamic, transparent, and collaborative relationship between students and instructors, offering a structured yet flexible approach to assessment. By aligning with competency-based curricula, the portfolio enables a more personalized and meaningful evaluation of students' development, shifting away from traditional, static assessment models. This study contributes to the advancement of assessment practices in higher education, advocating for portfolios as a critical tool in promoting cognitive development, reflexive thinking, and an integrated approach to learning and assessment.

Why authenticity matters: a qualitative investigation of students’ perceptions of personal values in first-year assessments

ABSTRACT Authentic assessments in higher education typically imply the replication of real-world tasks. Psychological authenticity is the perceived alignment between an individual’s internal reference sources (i.e. personal values and beliefs) and their actions. Applying psychological authenticity logic to assessment tasks, we investigated students’ perceptions of scaffolded first-year assessment tasks on their health behaviour. In particular, we explored the meaning and value students associated with these tasks. One hundred students (86 female) completed an online open-text survey. Following our thematic analysis of the data, we constructed two higher-order themes. First, ‘the assessments were the catalyst for enabling self-reflection’ exemplified the opportunity students were afforded to reflect upon their current health behaviour. Second, ‘most changed for the better, but some stayed the same’ captured the dichotomy of student perceptions in completing the assessment tasks. Collectively, our findings offer new insights into authenticity in higher education assessment practices.

Evaluating Students' Academic Progress in the Role of Fuzzy Logic

This paper explores the role of fuzzy logic in the assessment of student performance in local high school, Badr, Libya, positing that it offers a more flexible and accurate alternative to traditional categorization methods of academic achievement. Conventional assessment tools, such as standardized test scores and GPAs, often yield a distorted and overly simplistic view of student performance. Utilizing a mixed-methods research design, this study compares the performance, attendance, and self-reported satisfaction of students assessed through fuzzy logic with those evaluated by traditional methods. The results demonstrate that students assessed using fuzzy logic achieved higher average scores and expressed greater satisfaction with the assessment process. Additionally, educators employing fuzzy logic provided more detailed and constructive feedback, enriching the learning experience. Thus, this research indicates that fuzzy logic can effectively mitigate the shortcomings of traditional assessment methods, enhancing the recognition of diverse student abilities. The findings advocate for the integration of fuzzy logic in educational assessment practices to promote inclusivity and improved learning outcomes.

Knowledge Mapping and Global Trends in the Field of the Objective Structured Clinical Examination: Bibliometric and Visual Analysis (2004-2023).

The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is a pivotal tool for assessing health care professionals and plays an integral role in medical education. This study aims to map the bibliometric landscape of OSCE research, highlighting trends and key influencers. A comprehensive literature search was conducted for materials related to OSCE from January 2004 to December 2023, using the Web of Science Core Collection database. Bibliometric analysis and visualization were performed with VOSviewer and CiteSpace software tools. Our analysis indicates a consistent increase in OSCE-related publications over the study period, with a notable surge after 2019, culminating in a peak of activity in 2021. The United States emerged as a significant contributor, responsible for 30.86% (1626/5268) of total publications and amassing 44,051 citations. Coauthorship network analysis highlighted robust collaborations, particularly between the United States and the United Kingdom. Leading journals in this domain-BMC Medical Education, Medical Education, Academic Medicine, and Medical Teacher-featured the highest volume of papers, while The Lancet garnered substantial citations, reflecting its high impact factor (to be verified for accuracy). Prominent authors in the field include Sondra Zabar, Debra Pugh, Timothy J Wood, and Susan Humphrey-Murto, with Ronaldo M Harden, Brian D Hodges, and George E Miller being the most cited. The analysis of key research terms revealed a focus on "education," "performance," "competence," and "skills," indicating these are central themes in OSCE research. The study underscores a dynamic expansion in OSCE research and international collaboration, spotlighting influential countries, institutions, authors, and journals. These elements are instrumental in steering the evolution of medical education assessment practices and suggest a trajectory for future research endeavors. Future work should consider the implications of these findings for medical education and the potential areas for further investigation, particularly in underrepresented regions or emerging competencies in health care training.

Multidimensional Assessment Performance Analysis: A Framework to Advance Multilingual Learners’ Scientific Equity in K-12 Contexts

Evaluating science learning through written assessments for Multilingual Learners (MLs) can offer a critical source of information for educators aiming to adopt culturally and linguistically sustaining practices. However, without careful planning and design, written assessments for MLs can yield unreliable data. This conceptual article addresses this challenge by first examining the complexities of the written language of science and its impact on student learning. It then explores current literature and presents the Multidimensional Assessment Performance Analysis (MAPA) framework, a multimodal model for analyzing writing answers in multilingual educational contexts. MAPA integrates Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) to evaluate language use and Topic Models to allocate students based on their cognitive reasoning and thinking patterns. The article concludes with recommendations for classroom teachers and researchers to enhance assessment practices in science education for MLs.

Impact of ChatGPT on Academic Integrity and Assessment Effectiveness for E-learning in Higher Education: The Need for Redesigning Assessment Practices

In recent years, there has been a growing trend of integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into e-learning in higher education. ChatGPT has emerged as one of the most widely utilised AI tools in students' studies. However, the emergence of ChatGPT has contributed to the development of education while simultaneously impacting the integrity of education and the effectiveness of traditional assessment methods. Whether the teacher's teaching goals are achieved or not, whether the students' learning is authentic and effective, and how to ensure the effectiveness of the assessment pose significant challenges to the educator or education sector in the context of artificial intelligence. Therefore, this paper aims to clarify the negative impact of ChatGPT on educational integrity and assessment effectiveness through a systematic literature review. Through the meticulous synthesis and analysis of diverse existing research, this paper finds that several scholars have already clarified the pressing need for redesigning the assessment method within the context of e-learning. However, further research has found that there are several theoretical countermeasures and suggestions for the redesign of assessment methods, but a systematic system of assessment methods has not yet been formed. And there is no reflective analysis of the practice of the redesigned assessment methods. Therefore, this paper will, through a systematic literature review and reflective summarisation of educational assessment practices, aim to investigate effective and responsible assessment methods to mitigate the impact of the rapid development and inappropriate use of ChatGPT on education.

Digital assessment and evaluation practices in teacher education: A study of institutions offering teacher education programs in Anambra state

This study investigates digital assessment and evaluation practices among lecturers in institutions offering teacher education programs in Anambra State, Nigeria. A quantitative research design was adopted, employing a structured questionnaire to collect data on lecturers’ demographics, utilization of digital assessment tools, perceived benefits and challenges, and factors influencing adoption. The questionnaire, validated for reliability using the Cronbach Alpha method (α = 0.88), was distributed to 110 lecturers selected through convenience sampling. Data analysis included t-tests to examine differences in digital assessment practices based on demographic variables. Ethical considerations were addressed, ensuring participants’ informed consent and confidentiality. The study sheds light on the current landscape of digital assessment practices in teacher education, offering insights for improving pedagogical approaches and enhancing educational outcomes in Anambra State.

How to Better Qualify ICT Graduates to Support Digital Education: A contribution from CALOHEE Tuning project qualifications framework

The Information and Communications Technology subject area is a broad multidisciplinary field of academic research and professional practice covering many topics ranging from electronics to system and network administration, to software development, cyber security, VR, AR, IoT and AI. Due to its nature, it cooperates closely with diverse areas, most notably eLearning and digital education. As contemporary educational institutions undergo a digital transformation, by which its processes are reengineered to take most of the possibilities offered by the emerging technologies, the contribution of the ICT field has become transversal and consequently of critical importance. The term ICT which refers to this wide multidisciplinary field differentiates from IT, which applies specifically to the management and use of computer systems to store, retrieve, transmit, and manipulate data. The continuous expansion of the field to new territories of practice such as education is requiring additional knowledge, skills and wider competences acquisition. In addition, high volatility of the job market creates the need for very adaptable professional profiles. As a result, there is a pressure from the job market for shorter and more job-oriented programmes, but also for competence frameworks which may serve as references for quality higher education and training. In this paper we present the Tuning Quality Reference Framework (QRF) for ICT which was developed as part of the CALOHEE Erasmus+ funded project. A multidisciplinary team with experts from 12 different countries (Portugal, Lithuania, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Greece, Turkey, Finland, Ireland and Romania) took part in the task. The QRF is built in a way to flexibly address all the mentioned complexity and continuously emerging new requirements including educational institutions and non-formal education organisations. The approach used also supports innovation in learning, teaching and assessment practices in ICT degrees, fostering open and digital education.

Reading Comprehension and Linguistic Abilities of Children with and without Specific Learning Difficulties: Theoretical and Educational Implications

The aim of the present study has been to investigate reading comprehension (RC) of children with specific learning difficulties (SLD), considering linguistic factors, such as receptive vocabulary, morphosyntax, and pragmatics (i.e., figurative language). Participants included 90 students (9–12 years old; Μyears = 10.8, SD = 0.95), 45 with SLD and 45 typically developing (TD) controls, matched on age, gender, and non-verbal cognitive ability. Results indicated that students with SLD had significantly lower performance on RC and across all linguistic measures compared to TD peers. Scores of the figurative language comprehension task predicted RC for TD children, whereas morphosyntactic ability emerged as a unique predictor of RC for SLD children. The two groups utilize distinct linguistic resources in their effort to extract meaning from written texts. The differentiated language profile of children with SLD suggests the implementation of differentiated educational assessment and intervention practices, which are discussed.

Authentic assessment in medical education: exploring AI integration and student-as-partners collaboration.

Traditional assessments often lack flexibility, personalized feedback, real-world applicability, and the ability to measure skills beyond rote memorization. These may not adequately accommodate diverse learning styles and preferences, nor do they always foster critical thinking or creativity. The inclusion of Artificial Intelligence (AI), especially Generative Pre-trained Transformers, in medical education marks a significant shift, offering both exciting opportunities and notable challenges for authentic assessment practices. Various fields, including anatomy, physiology, pharmacy, dentistry, and pathology, are anticipated to employ the metaverse for authentic assessments increasingly. This innovative approach will likely enable students to engage in immersive, project-based learning experiences, facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration and providing a platform for real-world application of knowledge and skills. This commentary paper explores how AI, authentic assessment, and Student-as-Partners (SaP) methodologies can work together to reshape assessment practices in medical education. The paper provides practical insights into effectively utilizing AI tools to create authentic assessments, offering educators actionable guidance to enhance their teaching practices. It also addresses the challenges and ethical considerations inherent in implementing AI-driven assessments, emphasizing the need for responsible and inclusive practices within medical education. Advocating for a collaborative approach between AI and SaP methodologies, the commentary proposes a robust plan to ensure ethical use while upholding academic integrity. Through navigating emerging assessment paradigms and promoting genuine evaluation of medical knowledge and proficiency, this collaborative effort aims to elevate the quality of medical education and better prepare learners for the complexities of clinical practice.

Teaching Students to Read: A Call to Action for Social Justice in School Psychology

Although the accurate diagnosis and effective instruction for reading disorders through multi-tiered systems of support is one of the most foundational components of school psychology training and practice, there are significant opportunities for innovation, renewed excitement, and social justice. In this article, we identify reading assessments, interventions, and systems-level policies shown to be effective through rigorous, empirical research. These effective practices are not well known by school psychologists or commonly implemented in schools. We propose four areas to better align school psychology training and practice with the most cutting-edge reading research to improve student outcomes in the future: (a) building knowledge of reading development, (b) increasing the commitment to school-based careers, (c) implementing more instructionally-useful reading screening and special education assessment practices (including using the hybrid model of identification), and (d) promoting evidence-based reading instruction and intervention. Throughout each of these four areas, we highlight the need for multi-disciplinary collaboration.

Assessment Practice in EFL Classroom: Purpose, Methods and Scoring

This research aims to describe teacher purposes, investigate teacher methods, and explain teacher scoring practices in EFL classrooms. The study employs a descriptive quantitative design, collecting data through checklist and observational analyses using Google Forms. The subjects comprise EFL teachers from senior high schools and vocational schools in the Pinrang region. Results reveal that teachers utilize multifaceted assessment practices for interconnected purposes: monitoring student progress, providing feedback, motivating learning, guiding instruction, facilitating differentiation, ensuring accountability, and reporting outcomes transparently. This underscores assessment's vital role in enhancing learning environments and informing teaching decisions. EFL teachers evaluate language proficiency across skills through varied assessments, including instructor-made tests, student tasks, and standardized exams. This approach enables comprehensive insights into students' abilities while addressing individual needs. Scoring practices demonstrate a commitment to fairness, consistency, and comprehensiveness, utilizing rubrics, clear instructions, and balanced evaluation of cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains. The findings highlight educators' strategic use of assessment purposes and methods to continually improve teaching and learning processes, supporting students' language development. This research contributes to understanding EFL assessment practices in Indonesian secondary education, offering insights for teacher training and educational policy development.

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.

Language Teachers’ Adaptability to Digital Transformation: Online Assessment Practices in Vietnam Higher Education

Language Teachers’ Adaptability to Digital Transformation: Online Assessment Practices in Vietnam Higher Education

Exploring Algerian EFL University Instructors’ Understanding and Practices of Learning-Oriented Assessment

The quality of assessment practices in higher education profoundly influences students’ learning experiences and academic outcomes. A recent trend gaining popularity is Learning-Oriented Assessment, which tailors assessment practices to enhance student learning. This study explores Algerian EFL University teachers’ comprehension of Learning Oriented Assessment and the extent to which their practices align with it. Through an online mixed questionnaire administered to 56 EFL teachers from different Algerian universities including Batna 2 University, M’sila University, University of Constantine 1 and Eloued University, the research uncovered a range of assessment practices. While some educators embrace some principles of Learning Oriented Assessment, others adhere to conventional assessment methods. Teachers also reported significant factors influencing their assessment choices, including class size and resource constraints. Given the recent shifts, proficiency in contemporary assessment methodologies is imperative for effective teaching and learning. By exploring how EFL instructors in Algeria view assessment, their practices, and the challenges they face, this paper highlights the need for pedagogical innovation in assessment and its practical application in the context of higher education.

Exploring Sustainability Assessment Practices in Higher Education: A Comprehensive Review through Content and Bibliometric Analyses

The drastically increasing significance of sustainability development has motivated higher education institutions (HEIs) to make efforts to achieve sustainability development goals (SDGs). This has led to the inevitable need to track and assess these efforts. This review is centered on the meticulous collection and analysis of pertinent papers within the context of HEIs, subsequently organizing and consolidating them into distinct sustainability domains by utilizing the PRISMA methodology. A collection of 83 pre-existing articles and publications retrieved from the Scopus database is employed for an in-depth exploration of the current research. This study employs both bibliometric and content analyses to explore distribution and citation dynamics and identifies six primary thematic concentrations within the field. The key findings highlight a significant increase in the importance of sustainability, emphasizing the critical need for HEIs to integrate SDGs across all departments. Additionally, the development of cross-institutional evaluation tools tailored to various sustainability aspects is underscored. These tools elucidate key competencies and broaden the application of educational sustainability in both research and curriculum development. The study also identifies a need for future research to explore how effectively these assessment methodologies drive tangible sustainability outcomes within HEIs. It suggests that developing more nuanced and adaptable evaluation tools could better meet the diverse needs of institutions globally. Additionally, the findings support HEIs’ and stakeholders’ decision making by identifying potential challenges in the implementation and assessment of sustainability.

Implementation of Formative Assessment ‘for’ Learning: A Review

Background: Assessment is fundamental to medical education, driving student learning and ensuring that key objectives are met. Formative assessment, in particular, serves as both an instructional strategy and an assessment tool, aiding in the consolidation of learning. Objective: The objective of this narrative review was to examine the implementation of formative assessment in medical education, with a focus on its role in fostering deep learning, enhancing learning outcomes, and preparing students for real-world clinical challenges. Methods: This narrative review synthesized existing evidence on formative assessment in medical education. The authors employed a systematic approach to identify relevant literature using search strings such as "formative assessment in medical education" and "assessment for learning." Databases searched included PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library. Inclusion criteria were studies examining formative assessment practices in medical education, while exclusion criteria included studies focusing solely on summative assessment or unrelated to medical education. Results: The findings highlighted the effectiveness of formative assessment in promoting deep learning, providing feedback, and addressing learning difficulties. Bloom's concept of mastery learning underscored the importance of diagnosing learning difficulties through formative evaluations. Consistent low scores on assessments were attributed to various factors, which were effectively addressed through weekly formative assessments. The review emphasized the need for formative assessment in medical education, balanced with summative assessment, while acknowledging challenges related to faculty training, resource limitations, and cultural emphasis on summative assessment. Conclusion: Balanced implementation of formative and summative assessments in medical education enhances learning outcomes, promotes intrinsic motivation, and ensures that future healthcare professionals are well-prepared, ultimately contributing to improved healthcare outcomes and patient experiences.

Optimizing Arabic Language Assessment through Anates Analysis

This study evaluates the quality of Arabic Language questions in a Mid-Semester Summative Assessment using the Anates V4.0.9 program. Employing a descriptive quantitative approach, 20 multiple-choice questions were administered to 30 class 10 students at SMA Muhammadiyah 2 Sidoarjo. Results indicate an 80% validity rate, with a reliability coefficient of 0.87, suggesting consistency. The questions demonstrate a medium level of difficulty and an 80% discriminating power, effectively distinguishing between students' understanding levels. These findings underscore the importance of rigorous assessment practices in Arabic Language education, aiding educators in enhancing assessment quality and improving student learning outcomes. Highligh: Assessment: Anates V4.0.9 Program for Arabic Language Questions Analysis. Student Understanding: 80% Question Discrimination Highlights Assessment Precision. Educational Insights: Enhancing Arabic Language Assessment for Optimal Learning Outcomes. keywoard: Arabic Language Assessment, Validity, Reliability, Difficulty Level, Distinguishing Power

Navigating the Portfolio Landscape: Examining Lecturers’ and Students’ Perspectives on Portfolio Assessment Practices

This study examined the perceptions of lecturers and students regarding portfolio assessment practices, their overall attitudes towards this assessment method, and the alignment and divergence between their perceptions. Employing a survey research design, the study was conducted at the University of Education, Winneba, in the Central Region of Ghana, involving 52 final-year science education students and five of their lecturers. Students were selected using stratified random sampling, while lecturers were chosen purposefully. Data collection instruments comprised five-point Likert scale questionnaires administered to both groups, ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. Descriptive analysis, including mean, frequencies, and percentages, was utilised for data analysis. Results indicated that lecturers generally perceive a clear purpose for portfolio assessment practices (mean score = 4.20) and emphasise integrating them into every educational programme (mean score = 4.40), while students express lower levels of satisfaction with these aspects (mean scores = 2.15, 2.42, respectively). Additionally, lecturers exhibit moderate attitudes towards portfolio assessment (60.0%), while students predominantly demonstrate low attitudes (59.6%). Alignment between lecturers and students is evident in some areas, such as the importance of communicating objectives and providing feedback to students and the importance of this assessment in diagnosing students’ strengths and weaknesses, but discrepancies arise regarding the guidance of students during the practices. The study concluded that understanding and addressing the differences in perceptions and attitudes between lecturers and students is crucial for promoting a shared understanding and acceptance of portfolio assessment practices. In order to close gaps and foster meaningful engagement, it is then recommended that institutions prioritise efforts to improve communication, collaboration, and support for both lecturers and students to enhance the effectiveness of portfolio assessment practices in higher education.

Recognizing dominant cultures around assessment and educational change in physics programs

Leaders, policymakers, and researchers have called attention to the need to improve critical aspects of physics programs, from teaching and pedagogy to making physics more diverse and equitable. As such programmatic changes are challenging and require a second-order change to be effective, many physics faculty responsible for carrying them out are not equipped with the necessary experience and support to do so. This can result in a significant waste of resources and time. Moreover, while there is a robust body of literature in higher education focusing on institutional and cultural change, there is a limited understanding of the baseline of the culture of physics programs (where physics programs are starting from), a critical aspect that shapes the change effort. Dr. David Craig and Dr. Joel Corbo with the support of the American Physical Society and the American Association of Physics Teachers developed the Departmental Action Leadership Institutes (DALIs) to meet the needs of the physics community by supporting physics faculty to effectively design and implement departmental change focusing on areas needing improvement. In this research project, we developed case studies of five DALI-active physics programs from two DALI cohorts. We use a cultural dynamics lens to document facets of the dominant culture around how physics faculty approach and pursue change work. We see evidence of DALI participants’ growing awareness of taken-for-granted assumptions about educational change processes and assessment practices within their departmental cultures and coming to recognize and value alternative ways of collaborating and enacting change in their local contexts. We found that physics faculty typically approach change work in a rushed and way ignoring the use of formal evidence. In particular, we found that any data collection efforts are the primary responsibility of a single person, rarely becoming the focus of joint attention. Whenever data did receive joint attention, it was approached in a cursory way without meaningfully informing collective change efforts. This study lays the foundation to explore critical aspects of the dominant physics culture that may constrain enacting particular forms of programmatic change. In future work, we document the cultural shifts made by these DALI-active departments around change work. Published by the American Physical Society 2024