Planning assessment and demonstration of competence

Planning of assessment is based on clarification of and focus on the course, study module and degree competence objectives. It is important to plan competence objectives and assessments simultaneously as far as possible (see alignment in teaching). In the planning of assessment, it is good to consider how students can bring forward their competence and how competence can be assessed. If an examination is used as an assessment method, what competence can be verified through the examination and what sort of examination supports the achievement of competence objectives? It is also good to consider if the achievement of competence objectives requires several different assessment methods, such as self-assessment.

The study mode has to be chosen in such a way that it supports the achievement of competence objectives as much as possible. Learning of the study mode may also be one of the competence objectives. For example, if the course is completed with an extensive essay, it is a possibility for students to learn the essay structure, objectives and academic conventions, such as marking references.

Read more in the Digital toolkit.

Guiding questions for planning assessment

What will be assessed?

  • How will the assessment support achieving the learning outcomes?
  • What kind of competences will be assessed: explicit knowledge and remembering, applied knowledge or the process in which the knowledge was generated?
  • What generic skills are being assessed?
  • What can be assessed in the digital environment?

Why and when are they assessed?

  • Is the flow of performance accumulated throughout the course (formative assessment) or only at the end (summative assessment)?
  • Does the assessment provide the student with information about his or her learning, and can he or she change his or her learning strategy during the course?
  • What kind of output flow can be produced in the digital environment?

How is the assessment carried out?

  • Will peer assessment and peer learning be used, or will the assignments only be seen and assessed by the teacher?
  • Is it necessary to obtain such performance from the students that demonstrates explicit content knowledge and remembering?
  • Is invigilating and controlling the time and place of the study attainment necessary?
  • Or is it possible to choose a completion method that attests to the student’s ability to apply the knowledge and materials?
  • What tools are available in the digital environment?
  • How do the assessment methods affect the students’ and teachers’ workload?