Essentials of contemporary assessment
Overview
Traditional assessments often focus on producing a final grade. But what if they could do so much more for your students?
This module invites you to explore how modern assessment methods can become powerful catalysts for student growth, rather than just tools for measuring achievement. You’ll discover how assessments can also actively support their progress as they engage with tasks, and help them develop the capacity to reflect on and shape their own learning journey.
Through guided activities, you’ll learn practical strategies to clarify the purposes of assessment, make thoughtful choices that suit the realities of your teaching environment, and reimagine one of your own assessments from a fresh perspective. Along the way, you’ll find ways to both support student learning and empower student agency while navigating real-world constraints.
By the end of the module, you’ll leave with the confidence and tools to create assessment experiences that go beyond measuring outcomes, helping students grow as autonomous learners.
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of this module, you will be able to:
- Distinguish between assessment as learning, assessment for learning, and assessment of learning approaches.
- Analyse contextual factors that influence assessment decisions.
- Critically evaluate existing assessments and identify opportunities for integrating multiple assessment purposes.
Assessment
- Assessment Task: Select an assessment from your own practice to analyse and critique, considering its different purposes and your specific teaching context.
Module details
- Online mode of delivery
- Self-paced, allowing you to engage with the content at a time and pace that suits your schedule