Perspectives: Why do we assess in higher education?

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From the course by Erasmus University Rotterdam

Assessment in Higher Education: Professional Development for Teachers

18 ratings

Erasmus University Rotterdam

Assessment in Higher Education: Professional Development for Teachers

18 ratings

Are you a teacher in higher education wanting to get the best out of your students and assessments? Then on behalf of Risbo, Erasmus University Rotterdam, we would like to welcome you to this MOOC on Assessment in Higher Education. In this MOOC we will guide you through the different phases of preparing, creating and evaluating the assessments in your course. After participating in this MOOC, you will be able to: 1. Design an assessment that is constructively aligned (content, level, methods) with the course objectives and activities 2. Apply the quality criteria with respect to validity, reliability and transparency for construction of assessments and assessment items 3. Analyze the assessment output and results, assess the quality of the assessment and make decisions about students’ grades accordingly 4. Formulate future improvements for an assessment For the assignments, you will be working with your own teaching materials. For example you will create your own assessment plan for your course. Next to that you will become part of a learning community with teachers from all over the world. We are offering you instructional videos, interviews, animations and checklists. In addition to these, there will be course activities, such as assessments, and discussion prompts. By participating in this MOOC, you will find answers to the following questions: • What is the role of assessment? • How can you select the right methods of assessment for your course? • What is constructive alignment? • How can an assessment plan and matrix help you in the construction of assessments? • Is it possible to make an absolute reliable and valid assessment? • How can the formulation of good assessment questions have an impact on that? • What is the role of feedback? • How can rubrics help with providing feedback? • What are the things to consider when performing an exam or item analysis? What aspects should you look out for? • How do you draw conclusions from an exam analysis and make plans for future improvements? • If good students fail on certain questions, what does this say about the question… or about your teaching? Are you ready for enhancing your teaching skills? Then take this journey with us.

From the lesson

The role of assessment in higher education

In the first week of this course you’ll get insight in some basic but fundamental questions about assessment. Why do we assess in higher education? What are possible positive and negative effects of assessment? And in what way can we make an effort in choosing the most appropriate assessment method(s). Some leading experts on assessment are introduced to you and might enlighten your thoughts. Additionally, you will be introduced to the Utility formula, which will assist you in making purposeful assessment choices.

Perspectives: Why do we assess in higher education?6:55

Perspectives: What influence do grades have in assessment systems?9:00

Perspectives: How can assessment help in engaging students?11:04

Perspectives: Is the quality and reliability of our assessments robust enough to make high stake decisions?9:40

Perspectives: Is group assessment a desirable option in higher education?9:45

Meet the Instructors

Marit Nieuwenhuys
Educational Advisor
Risbo
Remy Fermont
Educational Advisor
Risbo
Mandy Hollander
Educational Advisor
Risbo
Kris Stabel
Educational Advisor
Risbo
Sanne van Herpen
Educational Advisor
Risbo
Berry Nijveld
Educational Advisor
Risbo

We interviewed four assessment experts in higher education,

and we asked them their opinion about several elements and assessment.

The first question we asked our experts was,

why do we assess higher education?

Assessment is so important because it drives the students' learning,

and learners will do anything to pass the assessment.

So, basically, there's a very fundamental driving force from the assessment to learning.

Unfortunately, that is not always a positive thing because what we see a lot,

learning approaches that are not so desirable.

For example, many assessment practices

is a series of hurdles and simply learners move from hurdle to hurdle.

They are very important because they create a kind of moment for reflection for students.

Students have been working on a certain task,

they want to accumulate any kind of knowledge,

and then at the set moment in time,

they have the opportunity to show what they know or to show what they want to know.

And, of course, apart from that,

there is a formal reason when we build courses.

We build these courses according to certain intended learning outcomes.

We want to accomplish something.

An assessment, in any way,

is particularly needed to determine to

what extent we succeeded in realizing these intended learning outcomes.

I think the most important function is that students have a stage or

an opportunity given by the assessment to show what

they are capable of with the material they have learned for.

So showtime.

Yes, show us what you learned.

I think that assessments and exams,

they serve multiple purposes,

actually, I think in higher education.

First of all, assessments and exams,

they show to students what level of competency

they should acquire within a given course or a given program actually.

So it gives them a head start or a view on

what they should acquire in the long run or in the short run actually.

Further on, assessment programs also define the sort of pace in

which students should study to acquire this level of knowledge and skills actually.

So a very well-thought-out assessment program is important

for them to study in a pace that is both attainable but

also as quick as possible because

it's getting more and more important that you study within a given timeframe.

Studies increasingly costly, so students should

be aware and should be guided along their curriculum perfectly.

So these are the two main goals I think assessment serve,

and the third one is the more I think generally accepted one is

that assessments make sure there is evidence of learning, of achievement,

which is very important for the stakeholders in society as a whole,

in education in general,

being governments providing funds,

being parents providing money,

being peer students in having evidence of achievement.

So these are the three main things I think

the assessments and exam serve in higher education.

It's stimulating reflection on

previous accomplishment with a clear view of what has to be done next.

So that also creates,

in the educational career of students,

a certain kind of closure at that moment but a really good kind of assessment,

particularly during courses when you have for

example an assessment somewhere halfway to course,

a good one shows to students what they have to do next.

Well, traditionally, there are two types of functions of assessment.

They are called the summative approach to

assessment and the formative approach to assessment.

Summative, meaning you finish off an education program by assessment and it counts,

whereas formative assessment is more feedback-oriented and often doesn't count.

I'm very much in favor in mingling both functions.

I'm very much in favor of providing more formative assessment in summative exams.

And if we look at the type of information that we have in the assessment systems,

then one might conclude that that is pretty reductionistic.

There's not much information in the system.

At the end of the bachelor program,

you have to show that you have achieved

the intended learning outcomes of the study you have been doing.

Yes, that's why we need assessment.

Yes, and also needed for the students

to know if they're on track and if they have gained

intended learning outcomes because

when we don't offer assessments we know from experience,

they don't study and then the deepening of knowledge and insights stays out.

In this particular time in history, let me put it this way,

it's simply very important at least in higher education in the Netherlands to study in

an efficient and effective way within a limited timeframe

just because of money restrictions and other kinds of restrictions.

So it's very important to guide students to show them what the pace of study should be,

and exams are very well suited vehicle to do just this thing.

Of course, there are all kinds of ideas of

personalized learning and all kinds of these ideas of

individual learning in which students can choose for

themselves when they study, when they do exams,

but in my opinion,

in this time in history,

given regular higher education as we have it,

so not the distance courses,

not the self-paced courses,

it is this function is very important.

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