FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION AMID COVID-19: HAS IT FAVOURED FORMAL OR INFORMAL ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES OR BOTH

Abstract

For instructors or assessors to meaningfully ascertain how well students have achieved learning targets while instruction is ongoing, they must adopt specific formal or informal assessment techniques or both. This study reviewed and analysed documents to determine whether formative assessment techniques in higher education have supported formal or informal assessment techniques or both, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a qualitative content analysis, 15 out of 23 samples of published documents on formative assessment techniques in higher education were purposively selected and examined. Findings revealed that formative assessment techniques in higher education amidst COVID-19 have largely supported formal assessment techniques (mainly paper and pencil tests), although some informal assessment techniques (oral presentations and discussion forums) have also been used. We imply from the findings that formative assessment in institutions of higher learning amid COVID-19 has followed responsive-evaluation or feedback assessment techniques as compared to assessment conversations and dialogues. The study recommended that instructors in higher educational institutions should plan and refocus their formative assessment such that it will involve a blend of both informal and formal techniques, and this should be done by embracing and adapting to technologically enhanced assessment and learning.