Assessment programs to enhance learning

Abstract

Background: Assessment is an essential part of the educational system. Usually, assessment is used to measure students’ knowledge, but it can also be used to drive students’ learning and behaviors. Assessment programs should be constructed in a well-balanced way allowing not only measuring students’ knowledge but also changing students’ behavior.

Objectives: In this paper, we will discuss different strategies that can be used to change students’ behaviors which may improve their learning.

Main findings: Assessment as well as the learning material should be congruent with the objectives. Based on the literature, we summarize findings that would address key points to allow assessment for learning instead of learning.

Conclusions: When constructing an assessment program, choices have to be made that depend on aspects like logistics, financial, organizational, managerial, educational culture, and cooperation of individual and key faculty members. It is important to realize that whatever decisions you make, students will always adapt their behavior to the way you construct your assessment program.

Keywords:

• Programmatic assessment
• Progress test
• Assessment drives learning