Despite the frequent use of the term assessment-as-learning in research and practice, there is a lack of consensus about its definition and unique characteristics that differentiate it from other assessment approaches. Such a vague conceptualisation is a constraint for communication and advancement of research in this field. This chapter first reviews the attempts to conceptualise assessment-as-learning in higher education and school education, and then proposes a new definition of assessment-as-learning, drawing insights from both sectors, as well as the associated implications. Then, the concept of assessment-as-learning is contrasted with and distinguished from other relevant concepts, such as assessment-for-learning, self and peer assessment, sustainable assessment, and self-regulated learning. Finally, the critique of assessment-as-learning as encouraging instrumentalism is analysed and discussed.

Assessment Futures is based on the proposition that assessment in higher education has been so distorted by concerns about certification and justification that the core purposes at the heart of higher education and, necessarily, assessment have been obscured. Whatever else it does, assessment must support learning. Assessment must foster the kinds of attitudes and dispositions, as well as the knowledge and skills, learners need for the variety of tasks they will be confronted with throughout their lives. This means that our conception of assessment needs to move beyond that of testing what has been taught, or measuring learning outcomes, to encompass one that builds the capacity of students to be effective assessors for themselves and for others.

Building the capacity of students to be effective assessors for themselves and others is the raison d’être of Assessment Futures. It provides ways of thinking about assessment activities within this new frame. This is not meant to imply that what we have been doing already is not useful and worthwhile, but that we need to see assessment through a new lens, and that the use of such a lens may lead us to making some alterations to what we do. Assessment Futures is not about new techniques or assessment methods, but about ensuring that what we do in assessment is always subordinated to the main goal of higher education, which is to develop educated citizens who can face the many challenges of a complex and changing society.

A key skill to be mastered by graduates today is the ability to assess the quality of their own work, and the work of others. This book demonstrates how the higher education system might move away from a culture of unhelpful grades and rigid marking schemes, to focus instead on forms of feedback and assessment that develop the critical skills of its students.

Tracing the historical and sociocultural development of evaluative judgement, and bringing together evidence and practice design from a range of disciplines, this book demystifies the concept of evaluative judgement and shows how it might be integrated and encouraged in a range of pedagogical contexts. Contributors develop various understandings of this often poorly understood concept and draw on their experience to showcase a toolbox of strategies including peer learning, self-regulated learning, self-assessment and the use of technologies.

A key text for those working with students in the higher education system, Developing Evaluative Judgement in Higher Education will give readers the knowledge and confidence required to promote these much-needed skills when working with individual students and groups.

When considering how to assess student learning in a course, most instructors would agree that the ideal assessment would be one that not only assesses students’ learning; it also teaches students and improves their skills and understanding of course content. One fundamental aspect of such assessments is that they are authentic.

An authentic assignment is one that requires application of what students have learned to a new situation, and that demands judgment to determine what information and skills are relevant and how they should be used. Authentic assignments often focus on messy, complex real-world situations and their accompanying constraints; they can involve a real-world audience of stakeholders or “clients” as well.

We all know the image: Stressed, fearful students trickle into a silent exam hall, all tired from cramming from the night before. But as Eric Mazur notes, stress is not conducive to deep and meaningful learning. In fact, the stress of exam culture often means that students only study for tests and then forget what they learned soon after. To flip this script, Mazur and his teaching team have instituted two stage exams. In the first stage, students work individually; but in the second stage, they share answers with each other, discussing and debating until they find the right answer. This not only forces students to deeply engage with the material, justifying themselves and learning from others; but it also decreases stress and celebrates learning.