University assessment and quality assurance

Strategies to improve university assessment for students and educators. Here, academics offer guidance on assessment design, covering formative, summative and diagnostic approaches, authentic assessment and how to give useful feedback. You will also find advice on exam preparation, ungrading, managing GenAI, preventing cheating and upholding academic integrity.

AI and assessment redesign: a four-step process

If GenAI tools have ushered in an era in which institutions can no longer assure the integrity of each individual assessment, the sector must focus on assuring the integrity of awards, write Samuel Doherty and Steven Warburton

Samuel Doherty , Steven Warburton

The University of Newcastle, Australia

AI can help fix student evaluations

With large language models to provide reports and analysis, educators can make use of generative AI to improve the process of student evaluations, writes Adnan Ajšić

Adnan Ajšić

American University of Sharjah

Adapt, evolve, elevate: ChatGPT is calling for interdisciplinary action

Our response to ChatGPT and its successors should be one that encourages open, interdisciplinary discourse and supports research investigating AI from every angle

Leanne Ramer

Simon Fraser University

In the cold, unforgiving environment of higher education, embrace the promise of spring

Just as the seasons transition from cold, harsh winters to vibrant springs, educators can navigate the challenges of higher education and find moments of growth and inspiration. John Sinclair shows how

John Sinclair

Colorado State University Global

Wooden blocks are linked together with an AI block in the centre

The three questions that will define the future of higher education

Generative AI is here to stay – how can higher education respond? Julia Chen poses three fundamental questions to explore a strategic vision for the sector

Julia Chen

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Going for gold: how to craft a winning TEF submission

Teaching excellence rests on clear principles and agile strategy, collaboration with students and a frank approach to educational gain, write Emily Pollinger and Julian Chaudhuri. Here, they share tips for maintaining and evidencing success

Emily Pollinger , Julian Chaudhuri

University of Bath

A group of people sitting round a laptop

Give educators the skills to bring assessment into the future

How can academics get to grips with the most cutting-edge of assessment tools? Matthew Courtney details how to educate STEM experts on modern assessment systems

Matthew Courtney

Nazarbayev University

A hand holds a paper cut out of a human brain

Let’s break down the barriers blocking neurodivergent people from higher education

How can we help neurodivergent students participate and thrive? Sourav Mukhopadhyay offers advice on making your classroom an inclusive environment for them

Sourav Mukhopadhyay

Nazarbayev University

Supporting students who stammer in higher education

Teaching and assessment approaches that benefit students who stammer are likely to help others in your class. Here, Deborah Johnston offers a 10-point guide to adopting an inclusive mindset and methods

Deborah Johnston

London South Bank University

A group of people put together a giant jigsaw

Entice students back to the classroom with community quizzes

In this post-pandemic landscape, how can we encourage students to turn up to in-person classes and teach them how to learn together? Mark Lechner believes community quizzes are the key

Mark Lechner

Simon Fraser University

Master the art of effective feedback

Providing constructive feedback gives students a launch pad for development. Ibham Veza and Imran Qureshi offer their advice

Ibham Veza, Imran Qureshi

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)

How to foster a civic mindset in the era of AI

Create spaces that allow small groups of people to see themselves in a broader context, encourage them to dream of what possibilities and opportunities could exist and then help them to take action

Robert Huish

Dalhousie University

Cut down your marking time by using whole-class feedback

Whole-class feedback offers three advantages – it’s time saving, it encourages self-regulation and will help identify any weaknesses in the rubric. Paul Moss shows how it’s done

Paul Moss

Adelaide University

A human hand writes in a notebook while a robot hand types on a computer

Can academics tell the difference between AI-generated and human-authored content?

A recent study asked students and academics to distinguish between scientific abstracts generated by ChatGPT and those written by humans. Omar Siddique analyses the results

Omar Siddique

Adelaide University

Four steps for integrating generative AI in learning and teaching

From class preparation to critical thinking and reflection, this four-step checklist will help university teachers support the ethical and informed use of artificial intelligence tools in the classroom

Zheng Feei Ma, Antony Hill

University of the West of England Bristol

Two yellow cups joined by a string on a blue background

Finger on the pulse: establish a culture of communication for better feedback

Why wait until the end of the course to hear from your students? Sasha Lanyon encourages a real-time, authentic approach to student evaluation

Sasha Lanyon

Adelaide University

All’s fair in large-class grading

When courses have so many students that multiple tutors are required for marking, consistency with assessment grading is a key concern. Here, Temesgen Kifle offers ways to support tutors to give fair grades and feedback

Temesgen Kifle

The University of Queensland

Writing responsibly: how to use reflective practices to navigate ChatGPT

Reflective writing exercises can mitigate the influence of artificial intelligence on students’ learning, while also enriching understanding and giving students a chance to express themselves, writes Mario Carrera

Mariano Carrera

King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok

A pawn looks in the mirror and sees a queen

How consensus grading can help build a generation of critical thinkers

Instead of punitive testing and high-stakes exams, consensus grading helps students learn how to critique their own work. James Thompson encourages a real-time reflective approach to assessment

James Thompson

Adelaide University

How hard can it be? Testing the dependability of AI detection tools

Students are using artificial intelligence to write essays and other assessment tasks, but can they fool the AI detection tools? Daniel Lee and Edward Palmer put a few to the test

Daniel Lee, Edward Palmer

Adelaide University

Will ChatGPT change our definitions of cheating?

We can’t yet know if we have a full taxonomy of ChatGPT-enhanced mischief, or whether certain uses should be classed as mischief at all, writes Tom Muir

Tom Muir

Oslo Metropolitan University

Cartoon of a detective with a magnifying glass analysing a piece of paper being held by a robot

Can we detect AI-written content?

A look at common features of large language model-created writing and its implications for how we might assess students’ knowledge and skills in the future

Cesare Giulio Ardito

The University of Manchester

Large lecture room full of students and a lecturer

Effective assessment methods for large enrolment classes

Tips on how to assess students in large classes effectively, including how to use specialist technology to increase efficiency

Stephanie Foster

Colorado State University

Artificial intelligence represented by a digital image of a human head

Artificial intelligence and academic integrity: striking a balance

A look at how universities can encourage the ethical and transparent use of artificial intelligence tools to support learning while guarding against misconduct

Georgina Chami

The University of the West Indies

When it comes to professional development, let’s not forget part-time lecturers

What could universities do to better support the professional development of part-time teaching staff? Martin W. Andrews and Ruth Lang investigate

Martin W. Andrews, Ruth Lang

The University of Portsmouth, Royal College of Art, London School of Architecture

Mastering generative AI: crafting reusable prompts for effective learning design

Richard McInnes and Ajay Kulkarni discuss how to get consistent quality and replicable results when using generative AI to support course design and development

Richard McInnes, Ajay Kulkarni

Adelaide University

Goodbye memorisation, hello open-book test

Claudia Janeth Hernández Cardona offers practical advice on using open-book tests in our student evaluations

Claudia Janeth Hernández Cardona

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Student carrying out an assessment exercise

These are the best practices and most common mistakes in learning assessment

Cecilia Tagliapietra Ovies says that, while there is no single formula for learning assessment, there are certain basic principles institutions can follow to help ensure success

Cecilia Tagliapietra Ovies

CETYS Universidad

Should we trust students in the age of generative AI?

A look at how institutions can shape their policies relating to generative AI such as ChatGPT to build trust among students and guide them in its responsible use

Loïc Plé

IÉSEG School of Management

How to design and build microcredentials in four steps

A team from Tecnológico de Monterrey explains how to plan, design, deliver and measure microcredentials at your university

Verónica Alejandra Pérez Aguirre , Laura Patricia Aldape , Karla Margarita Banda Martínez

Tecnológico de Monterrey

University students sitting a written in-person exam

Help your students to become assessment literate

Practical suggestions to address a staff-student disconnect relating to the purpose and practice of assessment and to enhance assessment literacy on your courses

Eleanor Aspey, Gillian Ulph

The University of Manchester

How can generative AI intersect with Bloom’s taxonomy?

Like in a video game, AI allows us to jump multiple levels, but that doesn’t mean the much-used framework becomes obsolete – we might just need a new approach

Christine Rivers, Anna Holland

University of Surrey

Online teachers need professional development, too

Teacher presence significantly influences students’ engagement, satisfaction and learning. So educators need professional development focused on adjusting their classroom teaching skills to online learning environments

Jay Cohen, Andrew Vincent

La Trobe University, Australian Catholic University

A robot teacher in front of a blackboard

ChatGPT and generative AI: 25 applications in teaching and assessment

In the second part of their series looking at 100 ways to use ChatGPT in higher education, Seb Dianati and Suman Laudari share 25 prompts for such AI tools to assist with teaching and assessment

Seb Dianati, Suman Laudari

Charles Darwin University

Campus webinar: Artificial intelligence and academic integrity

Academics from Campus+ partner institutions discuss the impact that generative AI such as ChatGPT is having, and will have, on academic integrity

Jenny Davis, Christine Slade, Benjamin Liu , Daniel Zhengkui Wang

Australian National University, The University of Queensland , The University of Auckland, Singapore Institute of Technology

The dark side of AI’s promised efficiencies

Artificial intelligence can use data and algorithms in a way that prioritises rationality over values such as fairness and quality of education, writes Vern Glaser

Vern Glaser

University of Alberta

Sensitive marking and the end of the line for the academic essay

Rather than flagging essays by students with specific learning difficulties for “sensitive” marking, why are universities not rethinking the way they assess to make it more equitable for all students?

Andrew Read, Donna Hurford

University of Southern Denmark, Independent consultant

Three innovative authentic assessments to encourage soft skill mastery

Students on hard skills-intensive courses such as computer science need to develop effective communication and other soft skills. Bernardo Pereira Nunes offers three assessments to help

Bernardo Pereira Nunes

Australian National University

A multiple choice quiz can be useful for formative assessment

The myriad advantages of using formative assessment

G.K. Suraishkumar looks at ways to assess students’ learning more effectively through formative assessments and argues for basing grades entirely on this method

G K Suraishkumar

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras

A row of students each concentrating on an individual assignment

Are ‘quick wins’ possible in assessment and feedback? Yes, and here’s how

It takes coordination, communication and credibility to implement quick improvements in assessment and feedback, as a team from the University of Exeter explains

Beverley Hawkins, Eleanor Hodgson , Oli Young

The University of Exeter

Four directions for assessment redesign in the age of generative AI

The rise of generative AI has led universities to rethink how learning is quantified. Julia Chen offers four options for assessment redesign that can be applied across disciplines

Julia Chen

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

It’s time to radicalise the writing proficiency exam

Written exams should generate writing that vibrates with personality, exploration of ideas and an urge to communicate, says Tyler Thier

Tyler Thier

Hofstra University

A young researcher collects a water sample from a pond

Questions to test students’ understanding of research methods

How to craft questions for closed book examinations on undergraduate research methods

Adrian Man-Ho Lam

The University of Hong Kong

Assessment tasks that minimise students’ motivation to cheat

Academic dishonesty occurs for reasons that include students’ fear of missing deadlines, being overwhelmed and lack of language skills. Here are ways to reframe assessment

Temesgen Kifle

The University of Queensland

Written feedback for students – keep it clear, constructive and to the point

James Derounian offers tips for giving compassionate feedback that will enable students to understand where their work went right and wrong

James Derounian

De Montfort University

A student raising a hand with a question in class

Want to know how your class is going? Ask your students

A guide to what, when and how to ask your students for feedback on your course in order to inform improvements to your teaching

Stephanie Foster, Kalpana Gupta

The University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado State University

Female Asian students studying for an exam

Exam skills instruction: fostering a sense of self-efficacy

Practice, regular feedback and opportunities to experience mastery can help students develop sound exam technique and improve their performance, writes Cheong Fan

Cheong Fan

Macau University of Science and Technology

A university tutor gives students feedback

What students told us ‘good’ feedback means to them

Asking students what they need from our feedback and responding to their answers makes them active partners in their learning process

David Waller, Kaye Chan, Geetanjali Saluja

University of Technology Sydney

Three The Thinker statues around a laptop

Is critical thinking the answer to generative AI?

Designing assessment that tests critical thinking has value and practicality, so the challenge is figuring out questions that flummox the AI without creating wildly difficult problems for students, write Luke Zaphir and Jason M. Lodge

Luke Zaphir , Jason M. Lodge

The University of Queensland

How to give meaningful feedback to university students

A simple feedback strategy centred on a pedagogy of care

Lucy Gill-Simmen shares the template she’s designed to give meaningful feedback and opportunities for student development

Lucy Gill-Simmen

Royal Holloway, University of London

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