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The rapid transition to online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic has necessitated re-evaluating assessment practices in higher education. This research article presents an assessment model to inform policymakers and practitioners of innovative approaches to address the challenges effectively. Using an action design research methodology, this study delves into the problem of online assessments in Private Higher Education Institutions (PHEIs). By considering the contextual factors of load shedding, unavailability of Wi-Fi, the requirement for cheat-proof evaluations, and the paramount importance of addressing learning outcomes, the study sought to design a model that enables effective assessments in a post-Covid world. The designed artifact contributes to the growing body of knowledge on assessment practices in higher education by providing practical insights and recommendations for adapting to the unique challenges faced post-Covid. The model can guide policymakers and practitioners in developing a framework to address innovative assessment designs in the future.

The post-Covid continuation of online classes and assessments in higher education at many institutions has necessitated re-evaluating assessment practices. This research article presents a scoping literature review on the challenges and innovative opportunities regarding assessments in higher education. The contextual factors of load-shedding, unavailability of Wi-Fi, the requirement for cheat-proof online assessment, and questions with ungoogleable answers or answers that ChatGPT could not provide underlined the importance of this topic. Thirty articles were analysed using the qualitative software tool, Atlas.ti. According to the literature, the main challenge is cheating with online assessments, and the best solution provided is oral presentations students’ work. This complex issue needs further research on combining contextual challenges, the credibility of assessments and the enhancement of 4IR workplace skills in one assessment model to support assessments in higher education.

Traditionally, research has shown poor uptake and acceptance of non-traditional assessments. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, necessitated a drastic shift towards online assessments and negated the practicality of traditional assessments. The acceptance of online assessments by university students enrolled in historically disadvantaged higher education institutions is currently underresearched. To address this gap, the Technological Acceptance Model (TAM) is employed as a theoretical framework to examine the acceptance of online assessments and identify barriers to their adoption. The study used a quantitative research design and data were collected through an online questionnaire distributed via ®Microsoft Teams, the university’s Learning Management System (LMS). Descriptive and inferential data analysis was conducted using a combination of Microsoft Excel and JASP version 0.16.1.0. A total of 83 second and third-year students registered with the Department of Community Extension participated in the study. The results showed that 42% (n=35) of students found online assessments difficult to complete. Anxiety during the assessment was prevalent in 57% (n=47) of the students. Forty percent (n=50) of the students indicated that online assessments improved academic performance. The percentage of students that still preferred face-to-face invigilated tests over online assessments was also 40% (n=33). The results indicate that online assessments were accepted by students in historically disadvantaged institutions. However, results emphasised the need for the implementation of effective measures to maintain academic integrity, mitigate technical challenges and the provision of training and support to reduce anxiety among students caused by assessments.

Traditionally, research has shown poor uptake and acceptance of non-traditional assessments. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, necessitated a drastic shift towards online assessments and negated the practicality of traditional assessments. The acceptance of online assessments by university students enrolled in historically disadvantaged higher education institutions is currently underresearched. To address this gap, the Technological Acceptance Model (TAM) is employed as a theoretical framework to examine the acceptance of online assessments and identify barriers to their adoption. The study used a quantitative research design and data were collected through an online questionnaire distributed via ®Microsoft Teams, the university’s Learning Management System (LMS). Descriptive and inferential data analysis was conducted using a combination of Microsoft Excel and JASP version 0.16.1.0. A total of 83 second and third-year students registered with the Department of Community Extension participated in the study. The results showed that 42% (n=35) of students found online assessments difficult to complete. Anxiety during the assessment was prevalent in 57% (n=47) of the students. Forty percent (n=50) of the students indicated that online assessments improved academic performance. The percentage of students that still preferred face-to-face invigilated tests over online assessments was also 40% (n=33). The results indicate that online assessments were accepted by students in historically disadvantaged institutions. However, results emphasised the need for the implementation of effective measures to maintain academic integrity, mitigate technical challenges and the provision of training and support to reduce anxiety among students caused by assessments.

Online and direct learning (blended learning) requires support for optimizing student competency achievements as well as alternative choices of assessment model that are objective, practical, and effective in measuring student learning outcomes in a valid way. This best practice writing uses a qualitative descriptive approach with the aim of, firstly, to describe the use of math learning video content on youtube social media accounts to support the optimization of student competency achievements. Second, describe the online assessment model in mathematics subjects based on the moodle application. Third, describe the ease of application of learning and assessment in terms of practicality for teacher and accessibility for students. The research data collection technique uses documentation and observations of the learning and assessment system that has been used so far as well as and interviews with vice principal for curriculum, teachers, and students. The results of the study indicate that the use of youtube content in the form of math learning videos can support the optimization of student competency achievements. While the online mathematical assessment model based on the moodle application with the multiple-choice model could display random questions well, namely random questions from the question bank, random number of questions, and random answer options. Making video content in an easy and practical way using the powerpoint and active presenter application then uploading it to youtube social media account. While the online assessment model is also easy and practical to use in all subjects with the help of the examview application and can be apllied to daily assessments, midterm assessments, end-of-semester assessment, and school exams.

With the operationalisation of lockdowns and restrictions on public gatherings, education systems across the entire globe were confronted with an urgent need to reconsider alternative forms of teaching, learning and assessment. Some institutions in developing countries were especially hard-hit by the shift owing to inadequacies in training and infrastructure because unlike their more developed counterparts who had already made inroads into adopting online technologies, some institutions in the developing world had no such technologies in place. As such, the shift to online learning was rushed and somewhat a “learning on the job” experience for students and educators. While remote online teaching, learning and assessment are novel experiences for many higher education institutions, developing countries are incessantly presented with many challenges, particularly when safeguarding academic integrity. Invigilated assessments, which are often considered more secure, are not an option given the current situation, thus detecting any cheating would be significantly challenging. As a result, this study examined assessment security in the digital domain and critically evaluated the practices to safeguard academic integrity in developing countries across three Southern African universities, including associated challenges. Underpinned by the pragmatist paradigm, the study employed a mixed-methods research approach that utilised in-depth qualitative and quantitative data from university managers, lecturers and students to investigate how academic integrity is safeguarded in the advent of online learning. Our findings revealed that although the transition to online learning and assessment was abrupt, higher education institutions have generated creative strategies to secure and ensure the continuity of learning and assessment. Such strategies include administering several versions of the same examination, as well as the use of “text-matching” software to detect the originality of work done by students. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that to guarantee the authenticity of online assessment, institutions must ensure that assessment practices relate to real-world needs and the context in which students can apply acquired knowledge.

With the operationalisation of lockdowns and restrictions on public gatherings, education systems across the entire globe were confronted with an urgent need to reconsider alternative forms of teaching, learning and assessment. Some institutions in developing countries were especially hard-hit by the shift owing to inadequacies in training and infrastructure because unlike their more developed counterparts who had already made inroads into adopting online technologies, some institutions in the developing world had no such technologies in place. As such, the shift to online learning was rushed and somewhat a “learning on the job” experience for students and educators. While remote online teaching, learning and assessment are novel experiences for many higher education institutions, developing countries are incessantly presented with many challenges, particularly when safeguarding academic integrity. Invigilated assessments, which are often considered more secure, are not an option given the current situation, thus detecting any cheating would be significantly challenging. As a result, this study examined assessment security in the digital domain and critically evaluated the practices to safeguard academic integrity in developing countries across three Southern African universities, including associated challenges. Underpinned by the pragmatist paradigm, the study employed a mixed-methods research approach that utilised in-depth qualitative and quantitative data from university managers, lecturers and students to investigate how academic integrity is safeguarded in the advent of online learning. Our findings revealed that although the transition to online learning and assessment was abrupt, higher education institutions have generated creative strategies to secure and ensure the continuity of learning and assessment. Such strategies include administering several versions of the same examination, as well as the use of “text-matching” software to detect the originality of work done by students. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that to guarantee the authenticity of online assessment, institutions must ensure that assessment practices relate to real-world needs and the context in which students can apply acquired knowledge.

Abstract Background Computer-aided learning management systems (LMSs) are widely used in higher education and are viewed as beneficial when transitioning from conventional face-to-face teaching to fully online courses. While LMSs have unique tools for transferring and assessing knowledge, their ability to engage and assess learners needs further investigation. This paper focuses on a study examining the LMS “Moodle” to ascertain the effectiveness of “Moodle quizzes” to improve, assess and distinguish knowledge in a civil engineering course at an Australian university. The course has a database comprising 62 formative and 61 summative quiz questions with embedded text, images, audio and video. This study investigates the use of these quiz questions with four course cohorts and 169 students. The quizzes assessed competencies of students during various stages of a study period through automated marking. The suitability of questions to assess and distinguish student knowledge levels was determined using a psychometric analysis based on facility index (FI) and the discrimination index (DI) statistics embedded within the Moodle quizzes. Results This study highlights strategies used to set and review quiz questions for formative and summative assessments. Results indicated that students were engaged and satisfied in the formative assessment because they viewed the interactive videos between 2 and 6 times and 65% of students attempted all the formative questions. The FI indicated student pass rate for the summative questions and DI indicated the difficulty of these questions, while the combination of FI and DI results separated students with different knowledge levels. Using these Moodle statistics provided information to make effective decisions on how to improve the summative quizzes. Conclusion The multimodal quizzes were effective in teaching and assessing a theoretical engineering course and provided efficient methods to replace conventional assessments. The FI and DI indexes are useful statistical tools in redesigning appropriate sets of questions. Time-poor academics will benefit from using these easily attainable Moodle statistics to inform decisions while revising the quizzes and making assessments more autonomous.

This article provides a brief background on the evolution of the two testing consortia and the perspective of one principal with the transition to online testing in an elementary school.