In week 8, we had a valuable discussion on the intersection of technology and assessment. Thanks to Eddy, Latoya, and Nysa for their insightful presentation and helpful resources. Assessment is a crucial part of learning as it serves multiple roles that enhance educational outcomes. It not only measures student performance but also supports continuous improvement and informs educational decision-making. It is believed that effective assessment practices can bridge the gap between theoretical understanding and practical application, thereby fostering a more engaging learning environment.  However, assessment often feels a lot less like a conversation than like a series of “objective” numbers and scores.

Technology has become very pervasive and involved in our everyday lives, and its introduction into education is transforming classroom practices and students’ learning. Thus leading to the development of more advanced educational technology tools to support human interaction as well as enhance teachers’ technical and pedagogical skills ( Global Education Monitoring Report, 2023).  The use of technologies for assessment makes assessment authentic and can be used as a fun way to introduce students to newer information, make them feel comfortable with getting and answering a question right or wrong without necessarily having to stop the lesson and provide them with immediate feedback.

As assessment technologies become increasingly integrated into education, it’s essential to use them effectively to enhance student learning while avoiding negative cultural and social consequences. This requires careful implementation and ongoing evaluation. For example, In the video “Supporting Role of Technology in Learning-oriented Assessment”, Dr Erik Voss explains how digital technology can support teachers’ pedagogical and assessment practices. He used a similar framework to the TPACK framework to narrate how pedagogical knowledge and assessment knowledge (learning-oriented Assessment knowledge), as well as content knowledge and technological knowledge, can be integrated to develop learning-oriented tasks within a specific project or classroom context. However, he emphasized that pedagogy must always drive technology, regardless of the context. In explaining how technology can be used to support content and assessment, he provided five steps that include:

• STEP 1: Start with your learning objectives/purpose for the assessment (CK)
• STEP 2: Select the content for the lesson (CK)
• STEP 3: Decide how the content will be taught and assessed (PA/K)
• STEP 4: Select appropriate technology to support pedagogy and assessment (TK)
• STEP 5: Implement and evaluate your plan (T{PA}CK)

Framework for using technoloy to support assessment (Dr Erick)

When choosing the specific technology that can help fulfil learning objectives and assessment intended to be used in the classroom, the article “10 Informative Facts About Online Assessment Tools” by Matthew Cullen provides information on the benefits of using technology assessment tools and why teachers should consider their basic features before choosing them. For instance, the author explains how using technology for assessment can support cost reduction, flexibility, and accessibility, providing features like remote proctoring, practice tests, streamlined question authoring, and data-driven analysis to improve testing accuracy.  According to Cullen, using online assessments also allows personalized options for students with disabilities and facilitates trial runs to ensure suitability for institutions. The use of technology for assessment can help teachers track and assess student performance in the classroom. It allows for continual evaluation of lessons and identification of knowledge gaps to support learning.

There are various educational technology tools out there that can be used to support both formative and summative assessment. For instance, there are formative tools like Socrative and Kahoot that offer immediate feedback to enhance student learning, while summative assessments, often conducted through LMS and e-portfolios, can provide insights into overall student achievement. While exploring the effective use of technology for assessment, Sembiring and Sembiring (2024) indicated that dynamic assessment tools like Kahoot and Quizizz can enhance student engagement and provide real-time feedback, enabling teachers to make immediate instructional adjustments. However, the authors emphasized the need to ensure equitable access to technology for all students in order to prevent learning disparities. In addition, Voss (2023) indicated that the use of generative AI and other assistive tools can support diverse learners, but the author argued that their implementation must consider fairness and validity in assessments.

While technology can enhance assessment practices, it’s crucial to use it judiciously to avoid exacerbating inequalities or compromising traditional learning methods. A balanced approach that integrates technology with sound pedagogical principles is essential to creating inclusive learning environments. To achieve this, teachers need to be adequately trained on technology-based assessments in order to effectively integrate these tools into their teaching practices (Onasanya et al., 2024). In addition, teachers can implement strategies that focus on aligning technology with learning goals and objectives, effective assessment practices, promoting authentic assessment, and effectively utilizing learning management systems (LMS). However, the rapid evolution of technologies like AI seems to be complicating traditional assessment methods, necessitating ongoing adaptation and reflection by educators (Soale & Collins, 2023).