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Articles on Assessment

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Many people are wondering if COVID-19 could spell the end of university admission testing. Young people at the Autonomous University of Barcelona on July 7, 2020. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

University admissions tests like the SAT are under scrutiny especially in the age of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically accelerated a growing shift to test-optional admissions policies or scrapping entrance tests altogether.
Large-scale literacy testing has not kept pace with how literacy is practiced in classooms, assessed by teachers and mandated by curriculum. tim gouw/unsplash

Testing literacy today requires more than a pencil and paper

Are current forms of standardized literacy tests really measuring children’s capacity to read and interact with our rapidly-changing world?
Skills of well-being have been forgotten partly due to a combination of educational reforms and societal pressures. Unsplash/Oscar Chevillard

Unrealistic striving for academic excellence has a cost

A specialist in educational psychology says there are incremental risks associated with students developing an obsessive behaviour toward performance.
New research shows the relationship between contract cheating and assessment design is not simply cause and effect. www.shutterstock.com

Doing away with essays won’t necessarily stop students cheating

Authentic assessment is perceived as being harder to outsource, and has been adopted by many Australian university teachers. But that doesn’t mean students won’t still cheat on them.
Many classroom assessment strategies have a positive impact on student learning but, because they are not standardized, can also contribute to the problem of grade inflation. (Shutterstock)

Educators must commit now to tackle grade inflation

Recent news that at least one Ontario university adjusts for grade inflation during the undergraduate application process is a call to action – for long-term educational change.
Trends in education suggest an increased focus on the assessment and teaching of thinking skills in the future. Shutterstock

How NAPLAN could assess creativity and critical thinking

To assess problem-solving, creative and critical thinking skills on NAPLAN would fit with broader movements in education internationally, but there are some questions to address first.
It’s exam time. Research suggests that while some students will be pleasantly surprised by how they did on exams, a larger group will falsely believe they did much better on their exams than they did. (Shutterstock)

Student grades: How confidence can hinder success

Research shows that many students are excessively optimistic about course grades. Those with a stronger sense of personal control are also less likely to receive the grades they expect.
Does your daughter forget or misplace things all the time? Is she the classroom helper? Assessment scales for ADHD have tended to use data from boys so the signs of ADHD in girls may not be what you expect. (Shutterstock)

Fourteen signs your daughter may have ADHD

Assessment scales for ADHD have been developed using mostly male research samples. As a result, the behaviours indicating ADHD in girls may not be what you expect.
English language minority students can struggle to express themselves authentically in online courses if they are new to the conventions of Western discourse and written academic style. (Shutterstock)

Online learning punishes minority students, but video chats can help

The discourse and structure of online learning can exclude English language minority students. Techniques such as video chats, “safe houses” and content-focused grading can support their success.

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