How can you ensure fair online assessments?

1 Align assessments with objectives

The first step to ensure fair online assessments is to align them with the learning objectives of your course or program. Learning objectives are statements that describe what your students should be able to do or know by the end of the course or program. They provide a clear and measurable framework for designing your assessments, as well as for communicating your expectations to your students. By aligning your assessments with your learning objectives, you can ensure that your assessments are relevant, appropriate, and consistent with the level and scope of your course or program.

2 Choose appropriate assessment methods

The next step to ensure fair online assessments is to choose the most appropriate assessment methods for your learning objectives and your online context. Assessment methods are the ways you collect evidence of your students' learning, such as quizzes, essays, projects, presentations, portfolios, etc. Different assessment methods have different strengths and limitations, and they may suit different types of learning objectives and online environments. For example, quizzes may be good for testing factual knowledge and recall, but they may not be suitable for assessing higher-order skills or creativity. Similarly, essays may be good for assessing critical thinking and writing skills, but they may not be feasible for large online classes or for students with limited access to technology. Therefore, you should consider the purpose, validity, reliability, feasibility, and diversity of your assessment methods, and select the ones that best match your learning objectives and your online context.

4 Implement effective assessment practices

The fourth step to ensure fair online assessments is to implement effective assessment practices for your assessment methods. Assessment practices are the procedures and policies that you follow to administer, monitor, and grade your assessments, such as timing, duration, format, instructions, security, moderation, etc. They help you to ensure the integrity, validity, and reliability of your assessments, as well as to prevent and detect academic misconduct. By implementing effective assessment practices, you can ensure that your students have equal opportunities to demonstrate their learning, that your assessments are aligned with your assessment criteria, and that your assessments are fair and consistent.

5 Provide timely and meaningful feedback

The fifth step to ensure fair online assessments is to provide timely and meaningful feedback to your students. Feedback is the information that you give to your students about their performance, strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. It helps your students to monitor their progress, to identify their gaps, and to enhance their learning. By providing timely and meaningful feedback, you can ensure that your students receive constructive and actionable guidance, that your feedback is aligned with your assessment criteria, and that your feedback supports your students' motivation and engagement.

6 Review and evaluate your assessments

The final step to ensure fair online assessments is to review and evaluate your assessments regularly. Reviewing and evaluating your assessments means collecting and analyzing data and evidence about the quality, effectiveness, and impact of your assessments, such as student performance, feedback, satisfaction, retention, etc. It helps you to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your assessments, to measure the achievement of your learning objectives, and to improve your assessment design and practice. By reviewing and evaluating your assessments regularly, you can ensure that your assessments are relevant, appropriate, and consistent with the changing needs and expectations of your students, your course, and your online context.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?