These are some of the questions posed by keynote speaker, Francisco J. Marmolejo, Higher Education President & Education Advisor at The Qatar Foundation, Doha at the 2024 ECS Annual Lecture on 19 June.
In his presentation Dr Marmolejo, who addressed the topic of assessment as a global theme, suggested that today's methods do not take into consideration different learners needs. He argued that current methods can lead to surface level learning, memorising information to pass an exam rather that digesting and retaining information to create and adapt knowledge.
Dr Marmolejo challenged the audience to think about the goal of assessment, asking if it is about measuring performance or rather "to enable the success of the students?” He proposed that a key goal should be “to develop competencies and skills not only for professional life but also as individuals and citizens of our communities.”
An additional consideration, according to Marmolejo, is to reflect on how assessment adapts to a rapidly changing environment from advancing technology, such as AI, to unpredictable world events such as the pandemic. Not only that but assessment methods must cater to the diversity of individual leaners needs.
He concluded with a positive take-away, that assessment can be used as a tool to evidence the value of HE in a world that is becoming increasingly skeptical about the University as an institution.