Double standards: when an undergraduate dissertation becomes the object of two different assessment approaches

Abstract

Within a transnational educational programme, students residing in the Czech Republic obtain baccalaureate degrees from an accredited American college. The college has a distinctive approach towards learning, co‐creation of knowledge and the use of mentors. Part of the degree assessment is an undergraduate dissertation, which serves as a capstone experience. The Czech partner instituted a policy whereby students could obtain a second local degree by, among other things, using the same dissertation. This study examines the situation confronting mentors from the American college. It considers assessment as an integral component of a constellation of educational assumptions and pedagogic values: a paradigm. It analyses the competing/conflicting, paradigms involved and discusses ways in which educational practice was reconsidered and changed to allow a single work product to be authentically and meaningfully assessed under both approaches.

Keywords:

• assessment
• paradigms
• comparison
• capstone
• external
• examiner
• transnational education

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the editor, Dr Susan Martin, for her assistance and two anonymous referees who shared valuable insights, constructive criticism and excellent suggestions for improvement during the review process.