We need assessments to underpin, not just test, learning. The traditional exam is an old technology based on an out-of-date concept of how people learn. We have better ways to test students’ capacity to succeed in today’s world.
The pandemic exposed challenges in the way we assess knowledge. Many UK examinations required students to turn up in person and, during the pandemic, they couldn’t. Do traditional exams give us an accurate picture of students’ learning and understanding? I would argue they do not. It’s time to change the assessment landscape. Different disciplines should not be expected to show learning via traditional exams.
