Evaluating the validity of the university lecturers’ formative assessment using digital technology

Abstract

Formative Assessment (FA) aided by digital technology, has become a significant research topic for improving the quality of university teaching in 21st century. There is limited discussion in the literature, however, on how to measure its validity, validate FA and align learning with the community demands for 21st century learning. In addition, there is little written about how lecturers use FA with technology in their teaching, and to what extent they validate their FA. Given these issues, there is a need to develop a framework for evaluating and improving FA for use in the digital environment that characterises contemporary teaching in higher education.

Based on the literature on the teachers’ assessment behaviour in FA, this thesis develops a model of FA assessment behaviour that consists of three key elements: the purpose of the assessment; the standard of the performance to achieve the purpose; and the actions to realise the purpose. This model of assessment behaviour, together with the conceptual framework for FA and Toulmin’s argument-based framework for validation adapted from the literature, collectively guide the research design, methodological procedures and data analysis in this thesis to: further our understanding of what purposes underpin lecturers’ design and employment of FA with digital technology and how students respond to this FA; explore how the lecturers can validate their judgment in FA with digital technology, with a focus on enhancing validity of the FA to meet the 21st century educational goals; and develop a framework (measurement rubric) on how to measure the validity of lecturers’ FA.

In conclusion, the research outcome encompasses a systematic review of FA with digital technology over the past two decades, a model of assessment behaviour, and measurement rubric to assess validity of the lecturers’ FA, etc. The limitations and implications for possible future research issues such as validity of purpose-setting are also discussed.