4.1 Types of Assessment in Online Learning

In both professional and educational contexts, assessment is essential. In addition to measuring learning and performance, it also offers feedback, guarantees accountability, directs decision-making, authenticates credentials, inspires, encourages equity, permits benchmarking, and strengthens self-control. Setting and attaining goals for both individuals and organisations, encouraging ongoing improvement, and upholding high standards all depend on effective evaluation procedures.

Assessment has long been recognised by learning theories as a key component of the learning cycle. But there are several facets to the idea of learning assessment. “Assessment is the systematic collection of information about student learning, using the time, knowledge, expertise, and resources available, in order to inform decisions that affect student learning,” according to Walvoord (2010), for instance (p. 2). According to Angelo and Cross (1993), assessment is an interactive process that takes place between teachers and students to determine how successfully the former are educating the latter. Faculty members utilise the data to modify the learning environment, and students can use it to help them develop better study and learning habits. 

The traditional view of assessment defines its primary role as evaluating a student’s comprehension of factual knowledge, whereas a more contemporary definition sees assessment as activities designed primarily to foster student learning (Webber, 2012). 

Even though the phrases assessment and evaluation are sometimes used synonymously, it is crucial to distinguish between the two. Angelo and Cross (1993) identified some significant distinctions between assessment and evaluation. They contend that evaluation is distinct from grading. Assessment is process-oriented, continuous, diagnostic, and aimed at finding areas that require improvement in teaching and learning. Evaluation, on the other hand, determines grades based on whole performance, which includes things like effort, good behaviour, and attendance. The evaluation is final; it assigns a subjective overall grade or score and assesses the calibre of the knowledge gained.

This Lesson will provide you a grasp of the different types of assessments and their importance, enabling you to assess and improve student learning outcomes in an efficient and effective manner. We just address the assessment of learning in this Lesson; institutional assessment, course or programme evaluation, or both are not included. Within that, we limit our conversation to constructivist theory as it relates to higher education.