Rethinking assessment in the age of AI is now essential for anyone in higher education or K-12. Assignments and homework, in particular, need re-evaluating.
From Product to Authentic Assessment
Product-based assessment should be reshaped through more authentic methods: case studies, peer-to-peer discussion in class, mind mapping, oral presentations, recorded videos and podcasts. We should also set critical thinking assignments in which the thinking is presented visibly and publicly, for instance in peer-to-peer interaction.
In courses centred on writing, essays, translation or commentary, assessment should be combined with other authentic activities, typically by pairing oral or visual artefacts with traditional techniques. Another innovative approach is to assess the process a student goes through to produce the work. A record of the prompts they used, for example, lets educators see the intellectual investment and reasoning behind the final submission.
What It Will Take
Implementing these changes demands significant pedagogical and philosophical shifts across the education sector, in K-12 and higher education alike. That may mean teaching assistants or tutors to maintain a workable student-to-teacher ratio, or reduced teaching loads so that faculty have the time to create authentic, high-quality learning environments.
The need for political will inside institutions is evident when we consider the realities of higher education today, especially in regions such as the GCC. Faculty development opportunities must be established, and class sizes and faculty workloads reconsidered to fit the new assessment methods, including training in innovative teaching strategies and smaller classes to strengthen engagement and learning outcomes. Adopting a new educational philosophy is imperative if these goals are to be met.
