How can you innovate assessment and evaluation in higher education?

1 Align with learning outcomes

The first step to innovate your assessment and evaluation is to align them with your intended learning outcomes. Learning outcomes are statements that describe what students should be able to do, know, or value as a result of your course or program. They provide a clear and measurable framework for designing, delivering, and evaluating your learning activities and assessments. By aligning your assessment and evaluation with your learning outcomes, you can ensure that you are assessing what you are teaching, and that your students are learning what you expect them to learn.

2 Diversify your methods

The second step to innovate your assessment and evaluation is to diversify your methods. By using a variety of assessment and evaluation methods, you can capture different aspects of student learning, cater to different learning styles and preferences, and reduce the risk of plagiarism and cheating. For instance, portfolios are a collection of student work that demonstrate their learning progress, achievements, and reflections over time. Additionally, rubrics are a set of criteria and levels that describe the quality and performance of student work. Peer and self-assessment involve students reviewing and providing feedback on their own or their peers' work based on predefined criteria or standards. Finally, authentic assessment requires students to apply their knowledge and skills to real-world or simulated situations such as case studies, projects, or presentations.

3 Incorporate technology

The third step to innovate your assessment and evaluation is to incorporate technology. Technology can offer many benefits and opportunities, such as making assessment and evaluation more accessible and inclusive for students with diverse needs, backgrounds, and locations. It can also automate some aspects of assessment and evaluation, like scoring, feedback, and analytics, which can save time and resources for instructors and students. Additionally, technology can enhance assessment and evaluation by adding interactivity, creativity, and collaboration through gamification, multimedia, or social media.

4 Involve students

The fourth step to innovate your assessment and evaluation is to involve students. By doing so, you can increase their motivation, ownership, and responsibility for their learning. Co-creation is a process where students collaborate with instructors and peers to create or modify assessment and evaluation tasks, criteria, or rubrics. Negotiation is a process where students negotiate with instructors and peers on the choice, weight, or timing of assessment and evaluation tasks, criteria, or rubrics. Additionally, feedback is a process where students provide and receive constructive feedback on their assessment and evaluation performance, using various sources and modes such as instructor, peer, self or technology. Involving students in the design, implementation, and review of assessment and evaluation can be beneficial to all parties involved.

5 Experiment and evaluate

The fifth step to innovate your assessment and evaluation is to experiment and evaluate. A continuous cycle of trying out new ideas, collecting data, reflecting on the results, and making improvements is necessary for innovation. To do this, you can pilot test a new or modified assessment and evaluation method with a small group of students or colleagues before implementing it on a larger scale. Additionally, you can conduct systematic inquiry into your own assessment and evaluation practice using data collection and analysis methods such as surveys, interviews, observations, or documents. Lastly, you can share your assessment and evaluation innovations and findings with the wider academic community through publications, presentations, or networks.