Rethinking university assessment

Williams, Peter

Abstract

Developments in globalisation and new technologies are making significant impacts in higher education. Universities in a global market are increasingly concerned to reorient their degree programmes to meet the vocational needs of the Knowledge Economy. A growing adoption of technology enhanced learning, through blended and networked learning, has the potential to transform higher education practice – but assessment methods have been slow to change. This paper argues the case for universities to align assessment methods to meet the needs of 21st Century knowledge workers. It identifies skills and dispositions associated with graduate occupations in the Knowledge Economy, informing a new conceptual model for assessment. Radical recommendations are made to faculty staff and university policymakers: instead of centring assessment on the personal, academic achievements of individuals at the end of a degree course, the focus should instead be on the quality of the collective, applied achievements of students operating in project teams.

Citation

Williams, P. (in press). Rethinking university assessment. International Journal of Technology and Inclusive Education, 3(1), 257-264. https://doi.org/10.20533/ijtie.2047.0533.2014.0033

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 25, 2014
• Online Publication Date: Jun 1, 2014
• Deposit Date: Oct 26, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 26, 2016
• Journal: International journal of technology and inclusive education
• Print ISSN: 2047-0533
• Publisher: Infonomics Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 3
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 257-264
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.20533/ijtie.2047.0533.2014.0033
• Keywords: University assessment, Knowledge economy
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/444634
• Publisher URL: http://infonomics-society.org/ijtie/published-papers/volume-3-2014/
• Additional Information: This is the author's accepted manuscript of an article published in: International journal of technology and inclusive education, 2014 v.3 issue 1.
• Contract Date: Oct 26, 2016