Digital transformation has occurred across the education sector over the last two years. Whether as an acceleration of a planned strategy or an emergency response, changing assessment practice has been a priority. We have learned lessons about equity, about learning design and about interoperability. We have seen success stories and consistently high levels of student attainment. A move away from traditional unseen exams to other forms of assessment has seen many students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, perform better. Assessment is central to the educational process. Done well, it drives improvement, shapes student behaviour and provides accountability to employers and others. It can also be a source of dissatisfaction, frustration and anxiety. Does it assess the right things? Does it take place at the right points in the learning journey? Is it susceptible to cheating? Existing and emerging technologies are starting to play a role in changing assessment practice and could help address these issues.
This paper will discuss the outcomes from a recent Jisc review and survey of the UK higher education assessment and feedback landscape and how a principle informed approach can drive effective practice supported by the use of technology. Through consultation with higher education organisations, and a review of the current literature, a new set of principles for assessment and feedback have been developed. The principles offer an actionable way to improve learning teaching and assessment and can be applied to any aspect of learning design underpinned by the effective application of technology. We illustrate these principles in practice with examples from France, the Netherlands and the UK.
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