Standards-Based Assessment for an Era of Increasing Transparency

Abstract

Assessment becomes transparent in multiple ways; it is possible to report on what student can actually do, rather than how they stand vis-à-vis other (norm-referenced assessment). Outcomes can be compared across courses, institutions and countries. Students can progressively track their achievement and outcomes when these are explicit.

Introduction

Such as approach implies that it needs to be made clear what students should be able to do as a result of a particular episode of study (learning outcomes) and that assessment demonstrates and reports that students have met these requirements. This can be at odds with conventional marking and grading systems that aggregate information by subjects or course units and elide different outcomes.