New challenges in assessment

Changed circumstances have given rise to new issues requiring new responses to the enduring questions mentioned earlier. James, McKinnis & Devlin (2002) outlined 5 assessment issues in higher education that need to be brought to the fore in today's climate. These related to online assessment, large classes, plagiarism, group work, and the needs of students unfamiliar with assessment practices in Australian higher education. More recently, in a conference keynote address, Parker (2004) reiterated these challenges and suggested the need to move from an 'instruction paradigm' where the emphasis is on 'provision of instruction' to a 'learning paradigm' which emphasizes student learning. In another keynote address, Parry (2004) outlined ten challenges ahead that institutions need to address to be effective in a knowledge-based society. These related to flexibility, more timely, technology-mediated assessment, group work and authenticity. She went on to propose a model emphasizing the need to embed more assessment in communities of practice that link discipline knowledge with the world of work, and to suggest that some of the challenges can only be met by harnessing the potential offered by new Internet technologies.

Focusing on the issue of online assessment, research literature clearly articulates the potential that the online environment offers for learning. (See, for example, Anderson & Elloumi, 2004; James, McKinnis & Devlin 2002; Morgan & O'Reilly 1999; Reeves 2000). These authors suggest that online assessment tasks can be more varied and interesting and can include quizzes, debates, role-plays, simulations, portfolios and tests of various kinds. Formative assessment approaches, which allow students to learn from rather than for assessment, are seen to be easier to deliver and manage. The issue of 'who' assesses can be reconsidered because the online environment offers potential for students' work to be assessed not only by the teacher but also by peers, themselves, the computer, or external reviewers when appropriate. These authors point out that a broader range of skills can be assessed efficiently when operating online because delivery mechanisms can be timely and can provide feedback more quickly through features such as selective release.

However, in spite of the need for change and the potential offered by new online technologies, the nature of academic culture has been an inhibitor to change. James (2004) suggested that possible reasons for this include the general conservatism of both staff and students, the strong culture of testing, the risk of negative results in student evaluations of teaching, workload constraints, and conceptions of the role of assessment. He further suggested that academics can have successful careers without necessarily having to change their assessment practices. In light of this, our research aimed to document cases that illustrate change in assessment practice and identify factors that appear to be necessary in order for change to occur.

اخر الاخبار

اخبار العتبة العباسية المقدسة

بالصور.. ملايين الزائرين تحيي ليلة زيارة الأربعين عند العتبتين المقدستين

الموكب الثقافي العام ينظم أنشطة فكرية وجلسات حوارية لزائري الأربعين

فريق موسوعة أحيوا أمرنا يجري حوارات توثيقية دولية مع زائري الأربعين

معهد القرآن النسوي يقيم ختمات قرآنية لزائرات الأربعين في الهندية

المزيد

الآخبار الصحية

حجم جزء محدد من الجسم يعكس الصحة العامة ومخاطر الأمراض

تفشي عدوى بكتيرية بفرنسا يحتمل ارتباطها بنوع من الجبن الطري

دراسة حديثة تكشف ما تفعله الشاشات بـ"قلوب الأطفال" !

متلازمة المبنى المريض.. هكذا يتحول تكييف الهواء إلى خطر صحي ؟؟

المزيد

الآخبار التكنلوجية

كيف تتعامل مع حرارة الطقس أثناء القيادة؟

لماذا يجب عليك إيقاف تكييف السيارة قبل إطفاء المحرك؟

دراسة تكشف سببا محتملا وراء زيادة خطر إصابة الأطفال بالتوحد

تشيلي.. العثور على متحجرة حيوان ثديي صغير من زمن الديناصورات

المزيد

مواضيع ذات صلة

The assessment process

From University to Workplace: Assessing Experiential Learning Discussion

Task form

Inadequacies of the basic assessment

Basic assessment

The Impact of Innovative Assessment Practices on Students Learning Conclusions

Students concerns about innovative assessment

Course Evaluation Course Evaluation

Final Triple Jump Exercise

Self and Peer Evaluation

Clinical reasoning exercises

Evaluation of Students Test and Retest