The assessment strategy: An elusive curriculum structure

Abstract

The unprecedented scale of curriculum development in response to national imperatives has prompted questions on curriculum approaches and strategies. The focus of this article is on how four departments conceived assessment during the recurriculation of diploma qualifications. The findings suggest that assessment is approached from a technicist perspective and compliance with principles of good assessment practice. In response to the findings, the purpose and structure of an assessment strategy as an over-arching mechanism to inform and guide assessment practices at programme level are explored. It is argued that a collaborative, programme-specific assessment strategy creates an opportunity for synergy to achieve the purpose of the qualification and for holistic graduate development.

Self-assessment: A learner-centred approach towards transforming traditional practices and building self-directed learners

“…It can thus be deduced that lack of involvement in self-assessments diminishes students' accountability and, in turn, their cognitive and reflective intelligence. Literature suggests that students' voices remain largely silent in assessments (Scholtz 2016). Self-assessment is an alternative approach for asserting students' voices in the teaching-learning situation (Bourke 2016).…”

“…Literature on assessments is growing in South Africa. Scholars are beginning to argue for constructivist and learner-centred assessment approaches that place students at the centre of the teaching, learning and assessment processes (Westraadt 2017;Scholtz 2016) and promote SDL. Results of this study will potentially extend north-south engagements on assessments in higher education, which will, hopefully, assist with adding or creating new knowledge in this area.…”