Background: Undergraduate STEM instructors want to help students learn and retain knowledge for their future courses and careers. One promising evidence-based technique that is thought to increase long-term memory is spaced retrieval practice, or repeated testing over time. The beneficial effect of spacing has repeatedly been demonstrated in the…

This study explores how assessment criteria are applied in grading student work. It is found that explicit assessment criteria do not work as authoritative guidance as expected and that tacit criteria are more decisive in awarding a certain grade. Various sources that form idiosyncratic tacit criteria are identified. These sources, including…

We illustrate how to analyze complete generalizability theory (GT) designs using structural equation modeling software ("lavaan" in R), compare results to those obtained from numerous ANOVA-based packages, and apply those results in practical ways using data obtained from a large sample of respondents, who completed the Self-Perception…

Based on the academic performance grades of university students, various high-stakes decisions are made, including determinations of pass/fail status, the awarding of diplomas, and eligibility for placement in graduate education programs. According to the criteria used, the types of assessment are divided into two assessment, criterion-referenced…

This paper examines how assessment and grading practices have evolved post COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, more programs have begun implementing Competency-Based Education (CBE) in their practice. This article offers suggestions for higher education institutions and faculty considering implementation of CBE in their assessment practices.

The benefits of practice testing for long-term learning are well established in many contexts. However, little is known about learner characteristics that might moderate its effectiveness. The effects of practice tests might depend on individual prerequisites for learning, especially in real-world educational settings. We explored whether the…

This study aimed at exploring the understanding of concept inventories for classroom assessment by physics tutors and pre-service teachers in selected diploma teachers' training colleges in Tanzania. The study employed a qualitative research approach and a case study design. Eight physics tutors and 20 second-year pre-service physics teachers from…

The present study examined how information about different grading systems affects students' course expectations, particularly in ways that may have downstream consequences for learning and other academic outcomes. In an online experiment using a preregistered design, we prompted two samples of current and recent college students (N = 547) with a…

Most biology undergraduates learn about mutations in multiple classrooms throughout their college career. Understanding personalised genome test results, genome editing controversies, and the appearance of new variants of viruses or antibiotic resistant bacteria all require foundational knowledge about mutations. However, the abstract nature of…

Due to a lack of buy-in from multiple stakeholder groups, institutions of higher learning may struggle to reorient their entire course and program offerings to embrace the full breadth of competency-based education. One such way of overcoming these systematic issues to make incremental progress toward competency-based education is to consider…

This study detected patterns in teacher educators' and pre-service teachers' beliefs and practices regarding the degree project. Requirements in policy documents were also considered. The analysis centred on validity, teacher cognition and grounded theory. Conversations were conducted with instructors and students at three departments for teacher…

Clustering, a prevalent class of machine learning (ML) algorithms used in data mining and pattern-finding--has increasingly helped engineering education researchers and educators see and understand assessment patterns at scale. However, a challenge remains to make ML-enabled educational inferences that are useful and reliable for research or…

The institutions in education use various assessment methods to decide on the proficiency levels of students in a particular construct. This study investigated whether the decisions differed based on the type of assessment: norm-and criterion-referenced assessment. An achievement test with 20 multiple-choice items was administered to 107 students…

This paper reports an empirical study which investigates a disparity between student-teacher rated scores in a criterion-referenced assessment (CRA) of a critical thinking and writing module for engineering undergraduates. Using the rubric as a self-assessment tool, students rated their self-confidence level and performance in terms of the…

The objective structured practical examination (OSPE) is a reliable assessment of practical skills in anatomy teaching. It is often administered as low-stake assessments to track progress at multiple time points in anatomy curricula. Standard-setting OSPEs to derive a pass mark and to ensure assessment quality and rigor is a complex task. This…