Reflection

Can assessment ever truly be flexible?

When designing flexible assessments, consider how to empower students by allowing them to develop their own research questions within course guidelines, fostering independent inquiry. If incorporating group work, carefully structure it to enhance online communication, collaboration, and co-creation skills, which are crucial in today’s digital landscape. Strive to create authentic tasks that seamlessly blend with your discipline’s content, increasing student motivation through real-world relevance. As you implement this flexible approach, be prepared to face challenges such as ensuring equitable assessment across different formats, managing increased grading complexity, and maintaining academic integrity. Address these issues proactively by developing clear rubrics, providing comprehensive guidelines, and leveraging appropriate technological tools to support both students and assessors throughout the process.

Pathways to go HyFlex

Consider and investigate your context and pathways to HyFlex assessment:

• How can you provide multiple options for students to present their knowledge (e.g., essays, video presentations, digital artefacts)?
• In what ways can you allow students to select which part of their knowledge to demonstrate while maintaining equivalence in learning outcomes?
• Which educational technologies (e.g., blogs, portfolios, rich media tools) could you use to support these flexible assessment options?