Assessment Practices In Education Research Articles

Assessment Literacy, Current Assessment Practices and Future Training: Reflections of Teachers in Higher Education

The aim of this study is to explore assessment literacy, to analyse the current assessment practices of teachers in Higher Education (HE) and to understand the need for alternative assessment practices in light of teachers’ reflections. The research employed incidental sampling to select (n=58) HE teachers from a single multidisciplinary university in Maharashtra State, India. A comprehensive literature review on assessment literacy provided the theoretical foundation, and a specialized assessment tool was developed to assess the teachers' assessment literacy level, perspectives, and practices in assessment. Data were collected through voluntary participation and analysed using quantitative and qualitative techniques. The findings revealed that the majority of HE teachers (79%) demonstrated a moderate level of assessment literacy, while 16% exhibited low levels and only 5% showed high levels. Additionally, a discrepancy was observed between the preferred assessment types of teachers and learners, with learners emphasizing active participation and real-world applications, while teachers leaned toward traditional evaluation methods. Participants were found to be literate only in specific aspects such as meaning, basic forms of assessments, and the purpose of educational assessments. Furthermore, teachers minimally acknowledge and have a lesser preference for alternative assessment methods, such as article analysis, team projects, case studies, and discussions. Overall findings indicate teachers' lack of knowledge about assessment practices that involve evaluating student performance, fostering collaboration, assessing higher-order thinking skills, and utilizing assessment as a tool for learning and improvement. This research confirms the need for training to enhance teachers' assessment literacy, promoting the adoption of alternative assessment practices in higher education to optimize student learning experiences.

Assessment for and of learning in nonlinear movement education practices

ABSTRACT Background Principles such as instructional alignment and step-by-step progression are often seen as crucial features of good assessment practices in school physical education (PE). These features are problematic from nonlinear educational perspectives, which are based on the idea that movement learning cannot be expected to take place in the same manner for all students. Without some resolution of the contradiction between nonlinear pedagogies and principles of good assessment, the likelihood of physical educators fully embracing any kind of nonlinear approach to movement education remains doubtful. Purpose and research question Our purpose in this paper is to illustrate how assessment for and of learning (AfL and AoL) can look when implemented in nonlinear movement education practices. Methods Illustrations of AfL and AoL are drawn from an investigation in which one educator implements a nonlinear movement education module. The module focuses on juggling for students at high school (grade nine students aged approximately 15 years). The module provided students with 10 × 50-minute lessons to explore juggling. Data were generated through observations (film clips and field notes) and ethnographic-type interviews that were conducted with the students during the lessons. Findings In the context of the nonlinear movement education module, AfL became: Interacting with students in joint exploration; Introducing learning strategies; Encouraging students to clarify and verbalise the object of learning; Helping students identify critical aspects of the movement activity, and; Inviting students to consider alternative learning trajectories. The educator then evaluates the students’ learning experiences in the context of a group performance at the end of the module. This performance can be seen as an instance of holistic assessment within a nonlinear movement education practice. Conclusions The suggested holistic perspective on PE assessment could help educators to: circumvent dichotomies such as mind-body and theory-practice; approach students as active meaning-makers; re-frame students’ actions as emergent and context-dependent; and replace direct instruction with explorative teaching and learning methods. The major contribution of this study is that it shows how assessment for and of learning can be implemented in nonlinear movement education practices within a linear, goal-related and criterion-referenced, education system.

Physical education teachers’ assessment practices in health education

ABSTRACT Background This article focuses on the assessment of health education (HE) in physical education (PE). PE is one of the school disciplines that can contribute substantially to educational actions in HE (Kirk, D. 2018. “Physical Education-as-Health Promotion: Recent Developments and Futures Issues.” Education and Health 36 (3): 70–75). However, studies conducted on PE teachers’ practices indicate that assessment in HE is challenging, even though it is mandatory in Quebec schools (Bezeau, D., S. Turcotte, S. Beaudoin, and J. Grenier. 2020. “Health Education Assessment Practices Used by Physical Education and Health Teachers in a Collaborative Action Research.” Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy 25 (4): 379–393). Few studies have focused on the assessment practices of PE teachers in HE, resulting in a limited amount of empirical data being currently available (Georgakis, S., and R. Wilson. 2012. “Australian Physical Education and School Sport: An Exploration Into Contemporary Assessment.” Asian Journal of Exercise & Sports Science 9 (1): 37–52). A well-planned assessment in which pupils are involved promotes their learning and makes them accountable for their own health (Leirhaug, P. E., and C. Annerstedt. 2016. “Assessing with new Eyes? Assessment for Learning in Norwegian Physical Education.” Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy 21 (6): 616–631). It is necessary to investigate PE teachers’ assessment practices in HE to improve the current scientific knowledge on the subject and to better understand the main challenges they face. Objectives This article addresses three research objectives that aim to determine: 1) assessment practices as reported by PE teachers who assess in HE, 2) the reasons given by PE teachers who do not assess in HE for not doing so, and 3) the perceived contribution of PE teachers to the development of pupils’ autonomy in health and well-being. Method 223 elementary school (pupils: 5–11 years old) PE teachers from Quebec (Canada) answered a questionnaire including five closed-ended and two open-ended questions specific to assessment practices in HE. A quantitative analysis of the data from the five open-ended questions was carried out using descriptive statistics in addition to a Kruskall-Wallis rank analysis (Howell, D. C. 2008. Méthodes statistiques en sciences humaines. De Boeck) with a Mann–Whitney post-hoc test (α < .05; Siegel, S., and N. J. Castellan Jr. 1988. Nonparametric Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences (2nd ed.). Mcgrawhill). These analyses were conducted using five independent variables: 1) gender, 2) teaching experience, 3) number of schools where they teach, 4) contract status, and 5) socioeconomic background of the school. Also, the Goodman-Kruskall's G coefficient was used to analyze statistical associations between items. A qualitative analysis of the data from the two open-ended questions was carried out following (L’Écuyer, R. 1990. Méthodologie de l’analyse développementale de contenu : méthode GPS et concept de soi. Presses de l’Université du Québec) steps of inductive content analysis. Findings A large majority of the participants claimed to assess in HE (84.9%). They also mentioned respecting the official programs (87.7%), building tools to assess in HE (87.4%), assessing pupils’ progress (84.4%) and having an impact on their pupils’ autonomy in matters of health (74.9%). Those participants who worked in multiple schools assessed more in the short term (U = 2426, p = .028). Finally, those who did not assess HE (15.1%) mentioned a lack of feasibility and a lack of resources. Conclusion This study contributes to the scientific literature by focusing on an area for which there are few empirical studies and which represents a challenge for practical settings. The results show that a large majority of PE teachers assess in HE, while some face challenges that lead them to not assess this competency at all, even though it is mandatory. Based on these findings, we believe it is important to work with PE teachers to lessen the impact of these challenges on their assessment practices to help pupils’ learning.

Building up formative assessment practices through action research: A study in early childhood teacher education

ABSTRACT Despite the developments and examples of effective practice, it is asserted that early childhood teachers encounter difficulties while utilizing formative assessment in their classrooms and the debate about how to achieve this continues. It is widely acknowledged that preservice teachers need research-based professional support to have sufficient competence in assessment when they graduate. In this study, collaborative action research for building preservice early childhood teachers’ formative assessment capabilities was examined. This qualitative study took place over one academic year. Observation notes, reflective journals, and interviews were used to gather data about preservice teachers’ experiences of formative assessment. The findings suggested that action research could be an important underpinning professional learning approach to support formative assessment practices in initial early childhood teacher education. More widely, action research is critically recommended in teacher learning and practice that involves systematic reflection, data-driven decision-making, and modification of practices.

Factors affecting lecturers' assessment practices in Somalia higher education

Factors affecting lecturers' assessment practices in Somalia higher education

Assessment Practices of U.S. College Instructors in Response to the COVID‐19 Pandemic: Implications for a Post‐Pandemic Era

Assessment UpdateVolume 35, Issue 3 p. 10-13 Article Assessment Practices of U.S. College Instructors in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for a Post-Pandemic Era Teresa M. Ober, Teresa M. OberSearch for more papers by this authorXiangyu Xu, Xiangyu XuSearch for more papers by this authorEmily Kane, Emily KaneSearch for more papers by this authorMaxwell Hong, Maxwell HongSearch for more papers by this authorYing Cheng, Ying ChengSearch for more papers by this author Teresa M. Ober, Teresa M. OberSearch for more papers by this authorXiangyu Xu, Xiangyu XuSearch for more papers by this authorEmily Kane, Emily KaneSearch for more papers by this authorMaxwell Hong, Maxwell HongSearch for more papers by this authorYing Cheng, Ying ChengSearch for more papers by this author First published: 29 May 2023 https://doi.org/10.1002/au.30349Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article. References College Crisis Initiative. (2021). COVID-19 Data Dashboard. Retrieved October 20, 2021, from https://bit.ly/3TxIwLI. Hickey, D. T., and T. Harris. 2021. “Reimagining Online Grading, Assessment, and Testing Using Situated Cognition.” Distance Education, 42(2), 290– 309. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3nfdKLq. Lederman, D. 2021, September 16. “Detailing Last Fall's Online Enrollment Surge.” Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3Z8isYR. Ober, T. M., X. Xu, E. Kane, M. Hong, and Y. Cheng. 2022. “Classroom-based Assessment Practices of U.S. College Faculty in Response to Emergency Teaching Circumstances during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Supplemental Materials to Educational Assessment Practices of College Instructors During COVID-19. Open Science Framework Repository. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3JxTfBi. Ober, T. and A. Cheng. 2022, December 16, (under review). Educational Assessment Practices of College Instructors During COVID-19. Open Science Framework Repository. Retrieved from https://osf.io/5hrpw/ (view only). Tesar, M. 2021. “Future Studies: Reimagining Our Educational Futures in the Post-COVID-19 World.” Policy Futures in Education, 19(1), 1– 6. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/404pvDj. World Health Organization [WHO]. 2020 (July 31, 2020). “ Rolling Updates on Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3Ty18va. Volume35, Issue3May/June 2023Pages 10-13 ReferencesRelatedInformation

Competency-Based Assessment Practices in Higher Education: Lessons from the Pandemics

This article reports on a research project on university teaching and learning in the context of pandemics. Sixteen university professors and fifteen bachelor’s degree students were interviewed regarding “emergency e-assessment practices” during the first lockdown semester at a Spanish institution. The research aimed to understand their perception of how generic competencies were being assessed. Data were generated in semi-structured individual interviews. The main findings are: (a) generic competencies are not explicitly considered in e-assessment practices; (b) online assessment practices follow mainly a summative purpose; (c) digital technologies are not considered for the instructional design; (d) both instructors and students lack assessment literacy. Furthermore, there are difficulties in reaching a shared understanding regarding what competency-based assessment means and its implications for daily praxis. The results underline the challenge of using digital technologies for fostering and assessing generic competencies, as well as the need for assessment literacy on both sides, teachers and students.

ASSESSMENT REFORMS IN THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION: PERSPECTIVES OF HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS

The fourth industrial revolution has transformed the nature of jobs by the vast introduction of breakthrough technologies and triggered a change in education assessment practices. Going to university is one of the ways for learners to gain relevant skills to get the right job. Universities provide students with access to skills and knowledge to be useful in their communities and expand their capabilities. This study explored the students’ perspectives on changing nature of assessment in higher education. Students shared perspectives on the current assessment method, the relevance of assessment and how they would like to be assessed in the future. A total of 111 students studying under ICCR scholarship in Gujarat state participated in the study by filling out the questionnaire survey form. Results demonstrate that to date the prominent assessment method is pen and paper, however, the students found it useful when assessed progressively using research, project /experiential learning, coaching and mentorship and incubation in comparison to pen and paper-based assessment. Based upon study findings, the study proposes curricula change and the adoption of new assessment practices that can reflect the need of the fourth industrial revolution.

Creating Affinity Spaces through Instagram to Enhance Students’ Virtual Learning Exchanges in a Green Dentistry Project

Infusing Instagram® into higher education teaching, learning and assessment practices proliferates the literature as an ally for students to have meaningful learning experiences. There is limited evidence, however, of its use in transforming dental education practices, specifically collaborative online learning of eco-dentistry practices. The purpose of this paper is to assess the Dental Technology (n=23) and Dentistry (n=10) students’ opinions about and reflections on their experiences of using Instagram® in a Green Dentistry Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Virtual Exchange Project (VEP). An interpretive research paradigm and a descriptive case study research design within a qualitative framework were used. Students’ open-ended responses to the challenges and benefits of using Instagram® and their reflective reports of their COIL VEP experiences were thematically analyzed. Three main themes emerged namely, familiarity with using Instagram®; educational benefits of using Instagram®; and lack of supportive infrastructure. Using Instagram® to create affinity spaces for students to experience meaningful learning in a COIL VEP can intensify their focus, amplify their attention, and exemplify the application of theoretical concepts to professional-based practice. These findings suggest that Instagram® used in COIL VEPs requires a rethink of the curriculum and delivery, particularly supporting the principles of preserving the confidentiality and privacy of patients online. There is limited evidence of globally distributed teams learning about eco-friendly dentistry through a COIL VEP. This nuanced internationalizing at home, pedagogical and assessment approach enables students to co-create and share disciplinary knowledge while improving their interpersonal and intercultural skills.

Contextualizing assessment feedback in translation education: A corpus-assisted ecological approach.

Despite its powerful influence on student learning, assessment feedback has received relatively less attention in translation education. The mainstream assessment practices in translation education have relied mainly on a static approach to translation competence. The consequences of a static approach include a partial representation of translation competence development and a deficit view of students and their learning. Alternatively, this paper argues for an ecological approach to contextualize assessment feedback in translation education. The ecological approach emphasizes the spatial and temporal context for translation assessment. While detailed contextual information is essential to the ecological assessment approach, assessing translation performance across tasks and time is a considerable challenge. In response to such a challenge, this conceptual paper proposes a corpus-assisted approach to translation assessment. It discusses how a longitudinal student translation corpus can be developed to assist ecological assessment feedback on translation performance. A project in progress based on a translation education program is reported as a case in point for illustrative purposes. The paper has suggested ways forward for future assessment feedback practice and research in translation education.

An examination of the impact of COVID-19 on assessment practices in higher education

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a rapid pivot to online learning across many higher education institutions globally. This paper investigates to what extent assessment strategies changed as a result of this pivot. It explores the case of Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) in Ireland and finds that 95% of respondents altered their assessment practices in some way. Beyond identifying changing practice, the paper also develops a TARC (Typology of Assessment Responses to COVID-19) model which shows four categories of responses. Reactors are those academics who simply moved their assessments online. Adaptive Responders modified assessments slightly for the online environment. While Opportunists are those who used the opportunity of the pandemic to implement strategies they had been considering, the Committed Innovators engage in innovation in teaching and assessment strategies on an ongoing basis and, thus, they continued to do what they always did. The key factors that were considered in the decision-making about how to alter assessment strategies were pedagogical, practical considerations and the availability of support.

Applying Foucault to Participatory Assessment in Higher Education: A Case Study in South Africa

Assessment policy reform has led to the adoption of a “participatory” framework of assessment in South African higher education. Using a Foucauldian theoretical lens, this article explores the relation between participatory assessment practices in higher education and social control. Empirical evidence is drawn from assessment practices observed in certain lectures in a South African university and interviews with lecturers. Data is analysed through a Foucauldian lens that forges a connection between disciplinary power, control and regulation. The article then describes the technologies of disciplinary power that play out within the participatory assessment practices and demonstrates what these technologies of power do to assessors and students when they become involved in them. The article argues that participatory assessment in some respects epitomises progressive educational themes, yet, when studied with an eye towards power, it reveals deep contradictions and paradoxes.

Extending Shay’s double truth: toward a nuanced view of subjectivity and objectivity in assessment practices

ABSTRACT In her early work, Suellen Shay argues that higher education tends to valorise objective notions of reality while downplaying the subjectivity of individuals. In Shay’s view, this one-sided approach leads to a deficiency in the preparation of students for the holistic reality of the world they will experience beyond university. Taking Shay’s provocation as a starting point, this paper explores a framework for both the design and analysis of educational assessment practices, with the aim of accounting for both objectivity and subjectivity in serving as legitimate bases for educational experiences. We follow Shay in adopting concepts from Legitimation Code Theory to achieve this, and, drawing on our own experiences and prior work, discuss how this framework may be applied.

Maintaining quality assessment practices in Norwegian higher education after the two-evaluator law

In May 2021, the Norwegian parliament voted unanimously to again require the use of two evaluators to assess all student work given a grade on the A-F scale in higher education. This revision of the law regulating higher education marks a return to a rule that had been rescinded with the Quality Reform of 2001, and has the potential to lead to a cascade of negative consequences for the quality of practices in STEM higher education. We first provide an overview of the problem, and then offer practical, constructive, and evidence-based suggestions for how instructors can meet these requirements while still offering students opportunities to gain formative feedback, to engage in deep and meaningful learning, and be assessed in ways that are aligned with the intended learning outcomes of the course. These recommendations are certainly not exclusive to a STEM learning context, but two of us (CJ and SC) are STEM educators and bring that perspective to this work.

The assessment challenge of social and collaborative learning in higher education

There is a general tension between the individualised nature of current assessment practices in higher education and a collaborative approach to learning. This results in many dilemmas for educators as they try to balance academic integrity concerns and student preferences with social or collaborative assessment practices, including peer assessment, group assignments and direct assessment of teamwork or collaboration. This paper argues that focussing on singular assessment tasks or experiences tends to lead to marginal effects. Rather, we suggest that the collaborative must be normalised within course structures: experiences of groupwork, peer learning and other forms of working with others should be commonplace and expected. We look to curricula to provide students with assessable tasks from many rich collaborative experiences, avoid issues of perceived and actual inequity and allow for risk and possible failure. We suggest that grading as presently enacted inhibits collaborative processes and that trust needs to be recognised as central and core to collaborative approaches. The challenges of assessing social and collaborative learning require holistic course wide attention that communicates to both students and colleagues that learning necessarily goes beyond the individual.

Types of exams used in medical education in Norway.

No overview exists of the types of exams used in medical education in Norway. In this study, we have identified these and analysed the reasons why directors of studies choose a particular type of exam. The aim has been to form an overview and to frame the reasoning behind assessment practices in Norwegian undergraduate medical education in an international and research-based perspective. We gathered information about the types of exams used in the four undergraduate medical education programmes in Norway. We also conducted semi-structured interviews with a director of studies at each university. The strengths and weaknesses of the types of exams used were discussed in the interviews. The number of exams, the types of exams and their position in the study programme varied considerably across the four study programmes. Multiple-choice exams were the most common, supplemented with various oral exams and practical assessments. Arguments for choosing the various types of exam were largely related to the need for standardisation, objectivity and resource availability. Assessment seems to be largely intended to measure and control, while the opportunities to foster learning that examination affords are not well exploited. Systems thinking in relation to the different intentions of the types of assessment, which is touched on in international guidelines, seems to be a low priority.

Fair assessment as an aspect of effective teaching: teachers’ and students’ perceptions of and positioning within assessment practices in Indonesian vocational higher education

ABSTRACT Ensuring teacher effectiveness within higher education contexts continues to shape institutional policy discourse and practice. However, there is limited research exploring how assessment practices correspond with teachers’ and students’ perceptions of teacher effectiveness, particularly in vocational higher education settings. Acknowledging the complexities of assessing vocational competence and the dearth of literature exploring teacher and student views on vocational assessment practices, this study interrogates the perceptions of 13 teachers and 15 students from five Indonesian vocational higher education institutions to better understand what constitutes fair assessment as an aspect of effective teaching. This study examines how teachers and students are positioned within the assessment process and the existing opportunities to make decisions regarding assessment design and processes. It shows (i) discrepancies in teachers’ and students’ perceptions of student positionality within assessment processes; (ii) blurry lines between ideas of ‘assessment contract’ and ‘assessment practice’; and (iii) contested views on student learning processes and attitudes as attributes of vocational competence. The study illuminates the tensions between students’ and teachers’ positionality within assessment practices, highlighting the need for increased student participation while maintaining teachers’ desire to make assessment decisions.

An Analysis of Student Assessment Practices in Higher Education of Nepal

Student assessment is an integral part of the teaching-learning process of the formal education system. It is collecting, evaluating, analyzing, and documenting students' progress using various assessment devices, tools, and strategies. Various assessment practices in higher education, such as oral test, paper-pencil test, practical test, project work, group work, and other non-testing devices, but paper-pencil test seems to be the most commonly used tools in Nepali higher education. Most of Nepal's universities do not seem to have adopted assessment tools other than the traditional paper-pencil test. So, the assessment in higher education has now become an issue of discussion and debate. This paper attempts to analyze student assessment practices and their problems in higher education in Nepal. For this purpose, data were collected from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data were collected from the media's teachers' opinions, cases, and issues coverage. Secondary data were collected from the reviews of both archive and digital documents. The major findings of this paper indicate that there are so many problems in the assessment system. As a result of the inappropriate assessment system, higher education quality has been deteriorating day by day compared to developed countries. It is mainly due to lack of accountability (examiner, examinee, and exam authority), time allocation, lack of digital technology to assess student progress, lack of item analysis, and lack of the alternative use of the paper-pencil test. The present assessment system is not liable for ensuring the quality of higher education. This paper explores some issues related to assessment practice which could be the starting point for the assessment reform.

Fairness in assessment practices in online education: Iranian University English teachers’ perceptions

Although fairness in assessment practices (APs) in traditional classes has gained noticeable attention in recent years, it has remained unexplored in online education (OE). Thus, this study explores Iranian university English teachers’ perceptions of fair APs in OE. For this purpose, 21 university English teachers from Lorestan University and Ayatollah Borujerdi University, Iran, were selected using a purposive sampling method. They were invited to express their conceptions of fair APs by completing a reflective written statement questionnaire. The collected data were subjected to a thematic coding analysis. The results yielded three overarching categories: distributive justice (i.e., equality should be considered, equity is of paramount importance, and assessment practices should be tied with students’ needs), procedural justice (i.e., voices of students should be heard, both consistency and flexibility are required, and assessment procedures should be transparent), and interactional justice (i.e., interpersonal justice is crucial and informational justice should be considered). The study concludes by proposing a range of implications for different testing stakeholders.

Outcomes-based Education Assessment Practices of UEP Collegiate Faculty Members: Basis for a Training Design

It has been a lament of many educators that despite the mandate of the CHED, HEIs have not yet maximally embraced Outcomes-based Assessment (OBA). Educators are still experiencing confusion on the real OBA, hence, the difficulty in shifting from the traditional way of assessment to the real outcomes-based assessment. A descriptive research design was conducted to determine the assessment approaches utilized by UEP faculty members in terms of assessment for learning, assessment of learning, and assessment as learning; found out the perspectives of the respondents on the OBE framework; found out the different assessment tools used by the respondents; and identified the problems/concerns regarding assessment met by the respondents, data of which were used as inputs in the design of a training to enhance faculty members’ assessment practices. The study utilized four-part survey instrument and employed means and percentages to analyze the data. The faculty members “very much practiced” assessment of learning and assessment for learning while they “much practice” assessment as learning. Majority of the respondents had correct perspectives in majority of the items on OBE. However, they had misconceptions on outcomes-based assessment as a norm-referenced kind of testing and that grading is done in every step of the way of the OBE curriculum. On the assessment tools, majority of the faculty members “always” practice the use of teacher-made tests, “often” use some performance based assessment while many alternative assessment format are seldom used. The specific problems encountered by the faculty members were categorized into three: limited facilities and materials, lack of knowledge on OBE and OBA, and, difficulty in the teaching-learning process. Problems met in implementing the Outcomes-based Education framework center on three areas: lack of basic knowledge of OBE and OBA, lack of facilities, and difficulty in the teaching-learning process. Based on the findings of the study, the researchers came up with a training design which will address the concerns of the respondents on assessment in the Outcomes-based Education Framework.