The Future of Assessments

Given the emerging but urgent need to rethink assessments in higher education, especially during this COVID pandemic, QTL_net organized a Teaching and Learning webinar on the Future of Assessment for AKU faculty on Tuesday, July 27th, 2021. The webinar aimed to unpack the future of assessment and discuss some of the best practices to make assessment smarter, fairer and more effective as well as address the common challenges around assessing students’ learning. 64 faculty members and academic support staff participated in the webinar across AKU Pakistan, East Africa, and the UK. The webinar was facilitated by Dr Karin Watson, who is a Scientific Education Academy Fellow and Education-Focused Champion at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney. Karin is also the Deputy Director of UNSW Education Focused Programmes and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK). 

The webinar engaged the faculty in exploring the types of, and challenges presented by assessments, discussing case studies on assessments, online systems and grading, academic integrity, and technology assessment. Dr Watson, challenged participants to consider alternative assessment strategies and avoid the One -Size –Fits – All approach to assessing students. She encouraged participants to rethink automated essay grading using machine learning logarithms, feedback literacy, 24-hour take-home exams, and student collaboration on examinations.