Designing transparent assessment strategies for online learning in HE (English language)

These rubrics are two-dimensional, encompassing assessment criteria (one in each row) and performance levels (one in each column), and allow for different weightings for different components.

Assessment tasks are defined as any assessment activities or methods that usually occur at the end of the learning cycle and their main goal is to check student’s content knowledge (Carless, 2013). 

Challenge-based learning refers to the identification, analysis and design of a solution to a sociotechnical problem. The learning experience is based on multidisciplinary and collaborative work (with different stakeholders) to develop a solution, which is environmentally, socially and/or economically sustainable (Kohn Rådberg, Lundqvist, Malmqvist, & Hagvall Svensson, 2020).

COIL is based on the students’ use of digital technology to develop collaboration-based activities with international peers; thus, opening up the opportunity for a wider participation in academic mobility programs, which usually demand geographical displacement. 

A process during which learners are strongly encouraged to provide feedback about learning / teaching process to reflect about their learning success and concerns in order to adjust and improve pedagogical strategies as well as to ensure the overall quality of education. Also, students can be asked to provide feedback about their learning / teaching and assessment processes as a way to engage in self-reflective practices and aim to support self-regulated learning and development of metacognitive skills.

It is a pedagogical practice when teaching, learning and assessment activities are directly linked to the intended learning outcomes in order to facilitate student learning (Biggs and Tang, 2007).

Defined as the provision of prompt and opportune reviews or learning suggestions, based on specific tasks or assignments, constructive feedback involves the identification of problem areas, encouraging questioning, and the provision of possible suggestions and/or solutions. In digital settings this feedback can be measured and facilitated by the use of specific tools. (Ching, 2014; Chen, Hung & Fang, 2015)

Feedback is considered to be an inseparable part of teaching / learning and assessment processes. Feedback can be provided in different ways and different modes. Learning technologies can significantly contribute to feedback provisions and the collection process. In fact, The concept refers to a source of information that can be used for the purposes of improvement of learning / teaching and assessment (Wisniewski, et al., 2020). Feedback can be provided by any stakeholders involved (e.g., teachers, students, academic staff, etc.).

The concept of feedback agent refers to any entity (human or digital) that estimates and monitors what is happening in terms of learning. Agents can be teachers, peers, software, etc. (Wisniewski, et al., 2020).

The concept of feedback loop refers to a process when students submit their assignments for evaluation, then they receive feedback, after that they adjust their assignment accordingly, in such a way improving their learning. A key challenge for feedback practice involves promoting student uptake through the closing of feedback loops (Carless, 2018). Single-loop learning tackles an identified problem or task, whereas double-loop learning additionally re-evaluates how the problem or task is approached. 

It is an assessment strategy which combines a number of different assessment methods to collect evidence on student day-to-day learning activities and to inform teaching and learning. The most prevailing feature of formative assessment is feedback provision (Bennett, 2011). 

This type of rubrics is general in scope and addresses different assessment criteria (e.g., clarity, organisation, and mechanics) at the same time in a single scale of performance levels, based on an overall judgement of the student work.

It is becoming more and more relevant to assess the extent to which students construct new knowledge integrating it with prior knowledge. This can be achieved through the development of activities that imply reasoning, as well as analytical and critical thinking.

Learning outcomes can be described as statements or explanations of what a learner will know, understand and will be able to do because of engaging in and successfully completing a series of learning activities. By the definition, learning outcomes encompass the following elements: attitudes, behaviors, skills, and values. (Biggs and Tang, 2007). 

The idea of learning-oriented assessment relates to assessment strategy which puts the main weight on the prospective knowledge gained by assessment. The validation comes from the two-prong approach of reorienting the possibilities gained by a purposely created summative assessment in addition to constructing development from a series of assessments (Carless, 2015).

Peer assessment can be defined as an activity whereby students judge their peers’ performance or understanding (Alqassab & Panadero, 2022; Hoo, Deneen & Boud, 2022). Darvishi, Khosravi, Sadiq and Gašević (2022) also specify that it encompasses the specification of “the level, value, or quality of a product or performance of other equal-status learners” (Topping, 2009, p. 20). It can concern a wide range of student-generated outputs (e.g., oral presentations, essays, portfolios, etc.) and assume multiple formats, i.e.: i) online or in-person, ii) individual (1:1) or group-to-group, iii) open or blinded, etc.

(See 2.1) Peer assessment can be defined as an activity whereby students judge their peers’ performance or understanding (Alqassab & Panadero, 2022; Hoo, Deneen & Boud, 2022). Darvishi, Khosravi, Sadiq, & Gašević (2022) also specify that it encompasses the specification of “the level, value, or quality of a product or performance of other equal-status learners” (Topping, 2009, p. 20). It can concern a wide range of student-generated outputs (e.g., oral presentations, essays, portfolios, etc.) and assume multiple formats, i.e.: i) online or in-person, ii) individual (1:1) or group-to-group, iii) open or blinded, etc.

The concept of peer feedback refers to a situation when feedback is given from one student to a fellow student, allowing students engage into learning process more actively, familiarize with assessment criteria, and develop feedback literacy skills (Boud, Cohen, and Sampson, 2001).

Portfolios can be defined as “ a purposeful collection of student work that exhibits the student’s efforts, progress, and achievements in one or more areas” (Paulson, Paulson, & Meyer, 1991, p. 60).  A portfolio is a powerful assessment tool, as it is based on the systematic and often multimodal collection of a student’s work. In addition to representing a wide array of competences, portfolios may also differ in appearance, style, or presentation, thus providing evidence of students’ achievements regarding pre-defined learning outcomes.

The concept of progress monitoring of measurement often refers to a process of collecting and analyzing data on student learning in educational settings (e.g., virtual learning environment) in order to make informed judgements on student’s learning. Additionally, this allows teachers to adapt instruction or take specific pedagogical measures and interventions to facilitate student learning and help them to reach the intended learning outcomes (Reister and Blanchard, 2020). To put it in other words, progress measurement / monitoring refers to a series of procedures in order to measure how much students have learnt and to what extent they have reached the intended learning outcomes over a period of time. Finally, it should be mentioned that both teachers and students themselves can monitor learning progress. 

A rubric is an assessment tool used for criteria-based assessment and considering performance levels. It can be used for marking any kind of students’ performance element, from class participation to assignments, and despite its format, from written to oral to visual.

The assessment of skills assessment allows for determining an individual’s strengths and weaknesses. Its main purpose is to identify the students’ gaps and adjust learning activities accordingly, but also to highlight the students’ strong points and capitalise them for the development of other learners.

Within the scope of digital assessment, student agency refers to students’ active and responsive involvement in both learning and assessment practices. As opposed to “lecturer driven, one-way transmission of feedback” (Pitt, Bearman, and Esterhazy, 2020), student agency implies that students are engaged in a dialogic process of looking for (rather than just receiving) feedback from different sources and at different times, crosscutting it with their own experience and context, and using it to make informed and independent choices regarding their learning. Described as reflective and action-oriented, it relies on formative and constructive feedback (upon which students can act on), moving beyond specific tasks.

The term reflection is used to refer to a process of evaluating a lived event to investigate, appraise, and explain and, by doing so, cast light on the education concerning repetition and exercise (Reid, 1993). One of the key goals of teachers is to encourage students to engage in reflection procedures as this may significantly contribute to facilitating learning and providing deep learning experience by allowing learners to become more independent and taking responsibility for their own learning (Sharma, 2010).

Summative assessment is “any assessment activity which results in a mark or grade which is subsequently used as judgement on a student performance. Ultimately judgements’ using summative assessment marks will be used to determine the classification of awards at the end of a course or programme” (Iron, 2008, p. 7).

Team-based learning involves a sequence of activities that include individual work, team work, and immediate feedback. It implies the student’s individual pre-class preparation, followed by a test, which is answered twice by the students, firstly in an individual setting (iRAT step) and then in a group setting (tRAT step)

Within the scope of digital assessment, transparency refers to the openness and sharing of explicit assessment criteria with students, ensuring that they understand overall learning outcomes and indicators, and how they are connected. In addition to supporting accountability, transparency reinforces students’ involvement with the teaching and learning process, as well as self-regulation, by clearly outlining goals, strategies and marking schemes, all of which are timely communicated and can be discussed with students.

Values determine the behaviour of individuals and refer to the beliefs that motivate them to act a certain way. In educational context, it is particularly relevant to develop and assess: i) personal values, which individuals consider to be most important and exhibit in their daily lives (e.g., creativity, humility, integrity, compassion, selflessness or friendship); ii) relationship values, which reflect in the individuals interaction with the other (e.g., trust, generosity, empathy and intercultural communication); and iii) societal (or global) values, which refer to how individuals relate to society (e.g., environmental awareness and accountability, fairness, dignity, individual rights, community and social responsibility). 

Moodle Activity module and plug-in designed for self- or peer evaluation, that allows facilitators to allocate and distribute tasks, define feedback strategies, facilitate grading and collect data (Irwin, 2019).