Assessment
Assessment approaches: exploring alternative options
These resources provide diverse approaches to assessment, from educators in Ireland and further afield, exploring topics such as active learning, academic integrity considerations and renewable assessments.
A related selection of OER are available on the topic of academic writing in our OER Index.
Books
Undoing the grade: why we grade, and how to stop
This book represents over 20 years of thinking and writing about grades. The work of ungrading is to ask hard questions, point to the fundamental inequities of grades, and push for structural change. Written by Jesse Stommel of the University of Denver, US.
Image credit: Book cover of Undoing the Grade by Jesse Stommel. CC BY NC 4.0
Date published: 2023 | License: CC BY NC 4.0
Collections
Teachers as learners: exploring the impact of accredited professional development on learning and assessment in Irish higher education
Compendia
Compendium of active learning and assessment for student engagement. Volume.2
This compendium features 44 submissions from academic practitioners in TUS on active learning and innovative assessment initiatives.
Date published: 2022 | License: CC BY 4.0
Guides
A guide to alternative assessments
This guide is designed to help instructors design and implement alternative assessments. Each of the 35 alternative assessments highlighted in this document contains a description, the benefits, challenges and solutions, examples, rubrics, and additional resources. Learn more about alternative assessment approaches at York University, Canada.
Date published: 2020 | License: CC BY-NC 4.0
Assess for success guides for staff and students
Maynooth University has developed on topics that staff had identified as priorities regarding assessment and feedback. Many of the guides have companion videos/animations which can be accessed in the relevant topic section. Staff guides were developed on the topics of: approaches to assessment; feedback and feedback literacy; designing authentic assessment; a principles based toolkit for effective assessment design; self and peer assessment; and using rubrics to promote learning. Student guides are also available.
Date published: 2022 | License: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Lesson plans
Academic integrity lessons: practical ideas for teaching, learning, and assessment
This OER provides 24 comprehensive lesson plans that focus on instilling skills and values related to academic integrity. It features lesson plans with a positive orientation to academic integrity, focusing on building skills and competencies, rather than focusing on consequences for committing academic misconduct. It was compiled by the University of Calgary with contributions from authors from Canada, the UK, Finland, and Qatar.
Date published: 2023 | License: CC BY NC SA 4.0
Posters
10 ways to ensure online assessment is accessible and inclusive
This poster was developed by the National Forum, in partnership with AHEAD, to support the Irish higher education community in the initial weeks of the move to online/remote teaching and learning in March 2020, but the principles remain relevant today.
Date published: 2020 | License: CC BY 4.0
Toolkits
Beyond the exam: an alternative online assessment toolkit
This resource was created to help reduce barriers educators experience in creating and adopting alternative assessment strategies. The toolkit contains a bank of exemplars, resources and instructions as well as a space for users to share back adapted or newly-designed assessment approaches that have proven successful for their learners and context. Published by McMaster University, Canada.
Date published: 2022 | License: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Course development toolkit: renewable assignments
This library guide provides a brief overview of renewable assignments and open pedagogy, including practical tips on how to make assignments more renewable, so that they have a life beyond the end of the students’ module. Published by Excelsior University, US.
Date published: 2024 | License: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Reflection
Any audio files created are accessible only to you.
Reflection H5P activity created by Maura Flynn. CC BY NC 4.0
