Normative Implications of Assessment and Evaluation: A critical view

Abstract

Perspectives are compared on important yet problematic aspects of the learning process: assessment of student learning and evaluation of teaching. Both are positioned as technologies of quality and are critically examined using Ulrich's Critical Systems Heuristics (CSH). CSH consists of 12 critically normative questions that through examining sources of motivation, control, expertise and legitimacy encourage dialogue about the normative implications of assessment policy and practice to be better defined. The value of CSH as a practical means of improving dialogue between participants in the system and developing interventions that might result in fairer and more appropriate policies, strategies and practices for assessment and evaluation is discussed. The paper concludes that CSH may help bring multiple perspectives to the agenda for quality in higher education and may help to refocus debate on the purpose and values of systems.