Assessment In Higher Education Research Articles

A scoping review of computational thinking assessments in higher education

A scoping review of computational thinking assessments in higher education

Student Learning Outcomes Assessment in Higher Education and in Academic Libraries: A Review of the Literature

Conducting effective assessment toward evaluating student learning outcomes (SLO) is a difficult and complex process for all higher education professionals. University-level conversations are increasingly centered on student learning outcomes as they pertain to issues such as students' skills competence, continuous improvement, retention, etc. In response to the increasing demand for units on campus (including academic libraries) to contribute to these conversations, an understanding of how to assess student learning outcomes becomes essential. This paper reviews recent academic literature pertaining to assessing student learning outcomes in higher education and academic libraries. The objective is to use both to create a starting point for academic librarians looking to embark on a SLO-based program of assessment at their academic libraries.

Assessment for Inclusion: rethinking inclusive assessment in higher education

ABSTRACT How could assessment inclusively consider the diversity of students? In higher education, the most common answer is: through individual assessment accommodations. Inclusive assessment design has also been promoted to foster accessibility for all students. However, both of these approaches have largely drawn on the procedural understanding of ‘inclusion’ as ‘enhanced academic outcomes’. In this conceptual study, a critical, socio-political approach to inclusive assessment is taken instead, considering assessment in its wider context of academic ableism. The rationale for Assessment for Inclusion (AfI) is formulated to harness assessment to promote the inclusion of marginalised students as fully accepted, agentic members of academic communities. Five practical principles for promoting AfI are introduced: rethinking accommodations, anti-ableist work, celebration of human diversity, student partnership, and interdependence. This study suggests that if mass higher education truly wishes to include students from increasingly diverse backgrounds, assessment needs to be rethought from the viewpoint of inclusion.

The challenges of distance assessment in higher education – a case study

The challenges of distance assessment in higher education – a case study

The challenges of distance assessment in higher education – a case study

The challenges of distance assessment in higher education – a case study

Evaluación Formativa en Educación Superior: Revisión sistemática

The objective of the article was the analysis of the formative evaluation to identify the learning in higher level students, in relation to the study of different articles produced in the last 5 years through the systematic review in the database of Socpus, Scielo and Dialnet. A synthesis of all the research selected from different national and international articles on formative assessment in higher education was developed. The methodology used was a systematic, documentary review and a synthesis of different investigations selected in articles. We worked with a sample of 13 scientific articles, and for this the prism flowchart was considered. It was observed in relation to the database that 20% corresponds to Scopus, 40% to Scielo and Dialnet 40% (figure 2). In relation to figure 03 to the languages of publication, 80% were found in Spanish, 10% in English and 10% in Portuguese in journals from different countries. Regarding the magazine publications of the last 5 years in the year 2017 10%, 2018 10%, 2019 40%, 2020 10% and 2021 0% of the total articles as mentioned in figure 4.

Traditional versus authentic assessments in higher education

Traditional versus authentic assessments in higher education

OER Impact Assessment: A framework for higher education institutions and beyond. Approaches to assess the impact of Open Educational Resources

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of approaches to and insights for impact assessment on open educational resources (OER) in higher education and building on this to sketch a framework for university focussed OER impact assessment. The authors describe the literature on impact assessment in the OER context and the existing contributions to OER impact assessment in higher education. Findings of the analysis are that there are few contributions on the effects of OER in general or of specific OER initiatives. Four contributions are presented in more detail. From these examples and the literature analysis, derivations, and challenges for OER impact assessment are drawn, such as the large diversity in OER purposes and the invisibility of the re-usage of OER. The contribution sketches a framework model for describing OER-relevant results, outcomes, and impact, and more specifically demonstrates how this can be done for exemplary OER-related objectives. This contribution is thus of relevance to funding bodies and institutions working in the context of higher education that wish to systematically evaluate and monitor statements about the effectiveness of OER activities according to the UNESCO (2019) OER recommendation.

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.

Designing theoretical assessments at nursing higher education institutions: A scoping review

Assessment in higher education remains one of the most reliable forms of assessing the effectiveness of the learning and teaching (L&T) process. Excellence in theory assessment design is, therefore, a pivotal element of the success of many Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) around the world. This scoping review aimed to establish current assessment best practices in nursing at HEIs. The five steps of Arksey and O’Malley’s framework guided this scoping review. Following a systematic search of various databases, including Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, ERIC, MEDLINE, PubMed, Sage Online Journals, SCOPUS, and Wiley Online Library for the period from 2010 to 2020, a rigorous screening process was undertaken by three independent reviewers. The search terms included assessment best practice and nursing education institution. Of the 652 articles screened, 12 studies met the inclusion criteria. Four quantitative, four qualitative, one mixed-method, and three studies that did not specify their design were included. The findings revealed that various factors influence how educators design assessments. Theoretical assessment design is a vital activity and requires collaboration between policymakers and HEIs to enhance the quality designing of assessments by educators through professional development.

The online testing and evaluation in the higher education

The aim of this secondary research paper is to evaluate, analyze, and synthesize the research results of the articles on the online assessment in higher education from the perspective of standards-based administration. As a literature review article, the research method is to search, select, and write a systematic narrative review of the literature from the main research topics and results of the collected articles. The selection of different topics from the existing online evaluation studies is based on the qualitative criteria. The main focus of the study is the topics on stakeholder's perceptions of the online testing and assessment, the validity and reliability of online exams, as well as the forms and methods of the online testing and assessment commonly applied in universities. The findings of the study help educational administrators and lecturers refer to the effective and appropriate online assessment forms in higher education and also know how to solve problems of the online evaluation to ensure that the assessment process is compatible with the training program, teaching content and methods, and learning outcomes in order to motivate learners and teachers to actively participate in and support the online evaluation.

Assessment in higher education: fields of issues

The axis of this analysis is designated by the situation of university assessment dangling between established practices and changes relating to integration of the European Higher Education Area, particularly the strategy of Lifewide Lifelong Learning. The yardstick for the analyses – methodologically embedded in critical hermeneutics – is pedagogical theory. In the picture of university assessment arising from reflections there dominates the logic of educational technology giving precedence to the systems functions of summative assessment over the formative one, with the latter being subjected to individual needs of learners.

Assessment of Theses in Design Education

This article explores and proposes a design concept of a co-creative process that aims to support the assessment and grading of theses in design education through automated criteria evaluation. The research is based on a concept-driven design approach that theoretically anchored and empirically informed the design concept. The research was achieved by grounding the concept in theoretical resources concerning pedagogical principles and assessment, existing tools and models for examiners in assessment processes, and current design practices for assessment in higher education. The main contribution of this article, namely the concept of grading by automated criteria evaluation (GRACE), aims to provide support and structure for examiners and students to collectively advance the design, implementation, and evaluation of the concept through the co-creation and evaluation of criteria in higher education. GRACE could supplement existing assessment practices of theses in design education by focusing on both explicit criteria and the development of students' design thinking and abilities.

Analysis of the Satisfaction Degree of Students at Spain’s Physiotherapy Universities in Relation to Online Teaching during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Student satisfaction is a crucial aspect in the quality assessment of higher education. The aim of the present study was to assess the degree of satisfaction among students in the Faculties of physiotherapy throughout Spain concerning online teaching during the State of Emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a quantitative study with a cross-sectional observational design. The online questionnaire DISFISCOVID was distributed to 24 physiotherapy faculties across Spain. A sample of 348 physiotherapy students from 14 Spanish universities completed the questionnaire. It showed high reliability evidence, achieving Cronbach’s alpha indices higher than 0.870, alongside a McDonald’s ωH of 0.876. On the whole, students were not satisfied with online learning during the State of Emergency, considering it unsuitable for their learning in either the theoretical or practical field of subjects in the degree of physiotherapy. In conclusion, the perception of physiotherapy students concerning the teaching they received, as far as practical contents and assessment methods are concerned, was not very satisfactory in those Faculties in which online learning platforms were not being used beforehand, and was more satisfactory when teaching was carried out in-person in the classroom.

Students’ experiences of fairness in summative assessment: A study in a higher education context

Given that assessment outcomes during higher education courses highly determine the recognition students receive from their instructors, classmates, and educational community, the scrutiny of fairness in assessments is critical to ensure positive student experiences and psychosocial outcomes. Despite the enormous influence of assessment on student learning, research on various dimensions of fairness in assessment in higher education is yet to receive adequate attention. This study has examined the postgraduate university students’ articulated experiences of fairness in summative assessments within the higher education context of Iran. Based on the participants’ qualitative responses, two themes were identified that constituted students’ perceptions of unfairness: ‘equity’ and ‘interactional fairness’. Furthermore, students reported suggestions to promote fairness of assessments in higher education contexts that included themes such as ‘the need for balancing power and collective knowledge in the assessment practices’ and ‘the need to create an advocacy body to defend the rights of students for fair assessments’. These findings highlight the attention to the factors driving students’ perceptions of unfairness and mechanisms for enhancing fair assessment practices within a university context.

Online assessment in higher education during Spanish confinement by COVID-19: The view of students

The purpose of this study is to describe how university students rate the evaluation systems and strategies that have been proposed for use in Higher Education during the period of COVID-19 confinement and online teaching as a result of the coronavirus crisis in Spain. For this purpose, we prepared a descriptive study by means of an online questionnaire, specifically designed on the basis of evaluation and qualification proposals made by REACU (Spain), ANECA (Spain), UNESCO, and the Spanish Ministry of Universities. The results obtained, after applying them to a sample of 1008 students from different universities in Spain, and covering most of the Autonomous Communities (17), indicate that students agree with and value the changes recommended by agencies and agree that the assessment should be flexible, diverse, formative and continuous. On the other hand, their experiences indicate that the Universities have not yet applied some of the suggested recommendations.

Mapping out the landscape of literature on assessment in engineering education

ABSTRACT Over recent decades, literature on assessment in higher education has intensified generating a wealth of frameworks to inform practice. Generic frameworks for assessment practice are sometimes perceived as missing subject-specific considerations. This literature review proposes to (a) map the current landscape of assessment in engineering education and to (b) help drive the field forwards by identifying elements of assessment that require discipline-specific consideration as a foundation to formulate good practice. Sources were identified using a broad set of keywords related to assessment in engineering education. Inclusion criteria considered papers about university-level education and were published, in English, between 2012 and 2018. The review establishes that much literature has focused on design, accreditation and marking with much less literature on key concerns in practice such as workplace assessment, student engagement and programme level design. Based on the results, recommendations are made for research areas where greater focus is needed to advance further engineering specific insights.

Digital University Teaching and Learning in Management—The Gini from the COVID-19 Bottle and Its Empirical Representations in Germany

Digitalization of teaching, learning, and assessment in higher education has gained increasing attention in research in the recent years. While previous research investigated issues of effectiveness, course attendance, and course evaluation from a long-term perspective, the current COVID-19 pandemic forced higher education institutions to digitalize teaching, learning, and assessment in a very short time. In this context, we investigate the effects of the digitalization of three courses from operations research and management science in the summer term 2020, namely two large lectures and tutorials for undergraduate, and a seminar for graduate students. To that end, student performance, course and exam attendance rates, and course evaluations are compared to the setting of the same courses in the previous year 2019 with a traditional, non-digitalized setting. Next to the quantitative data, qualitative statements from the course evaluations and students’ expectations expressed during the term are investigated. Findings indicate that the lecturers’ understanding of learning behavior has to develop further as interaction is required in any format, on-site or digital. Absenteeism and procrastination are important risk areas especially in digital management education. Instruments would have to be adapted to digital settings, but with care and relating to course specifics (including digital evaluation). Digital education does not make learning per se easier or harder, but we observed that the students’ understanding and performance gap increased in digital teaching times. As an outlook, we propose the longitudinal investigation of the ongoing digitalization during the COVID-19 pandemic, and going beyond, investigate opportunities of the current crisis situation for implementing the long-term transition to digital education in higher institution institutions.

Evaluation of a formative peer assessment in research methods teaching using an online platform: A mixed methods pre-post study

BackgroundIn higher education settings, there are increasing calls to shift away from traditional summative assessment practices, such end of term written tests, to explore methods of assessing learning in alternative ways. Peer assessment has been advocated as a means of formative assessment to enhance student engagement, empowering students to take responsibility for their own learning. While there is accumulating evidence for the value of peer assessment in higher education, one cannot assume peer feedback will translate appropriately to all settings and educational contexts. ObjectivesThis study evaluated the implementation of formative online peer assessment in a nursing and midwifery research methods module. We explored students' expectations, experiences, and ultimately the acceptability of this approach. DesignA quantitative descriptive study. SettingIreland. MethodsAn online survey to collate expectations and experiences of engagement in peer assessment. Scales were drawn from previous research and non-parametric tests explored changes in perceptions over time. Qualitative content analysis explored patterns evident in open-text responses. ResultsThe response rate was 28% (n = 74) at baseline and 31% at follow-up (n = 81). Peer assessment was a new experience for 95% of respondents. Students initially expressed apprehension, perceiving the task as daunting, and doubting their ability to provide feedback to peers. However, through providing instruction and tools to support students in the activity, high levels of satisfaction with the process and the experience were reported. Significant differences in perceptions of peer assessment were evident over time, including an enhanced belief that respondents had the requisite skills to appraise the work of their peers. ConclusionsIn sum, nursing and midwifery students agreed that peer assessment was a valuable learning experience as part of research methods training and critical skills development.

Cognitive Strategies and Textual Genres in the Teaching and Evaluation of Advanced Reading Comprehension (ARC).

In the last decade, published data on the performance of Colombian students have concerned educators and researchers, making critical reading one of the priorities of Colombian education. That is why this article presents the results of a study carried out in a Latin American university in which the perceptions of students and professors are analyzed regarding the strategies and textual genres used to work and cross-evaluate the advanced reading comprehension (ARC). This study is materialized in the application of an ad hoc online questionnaire, in its two versions (students and teachers), designed through Survey Monkey. For this, it has the participation of 182 teachers and 2,775 students. There are several trends in the use of specific textual strategies and typologies to work and evaluate ARC, by both, depending on the department of assignment. The evidence found is provided and evaluated considering the implications for cross-curricular instruction and assessment in higher education in Latin America, including study limitations and prospects for overcoming them.