NEWS How can we develop the examination in higher education to promote students’ learning and development? This was the theme of a digital mini-conference organized by a national network for examination development in October. Umeå University was the initiator and leader of the conference with over 800 expressions of interest from 39 institutions in Sweden and Finland
Digitalt möte.
ImageJohnér Bildbyrå AB, PlattformIt was a conference that exceeded all expectations, we could not have imagined even half of this interest and participation. Such commitment shows that there is an opportunity to improve the examination in an institutional and national level.
The network for examination development in higher education consists of researchers and teachers from twelve institutions in Sweden, including Umeå University. The network is part of a four-year project aimed at improving and developing examination practices in higher education. The conference offered sessions on various aspects of examination, such as assessment and feedback, different forms of examination, and generative AI. Participants also had the opportunity to discuss and reflect on their own experiences and challenges with examination in higher education, something Oskar Gedda, university lecturer at UPL, Umeå University and one of the participants in the network and project leader highlights as a positive part of the conference.
“It was very inspiring to hear about other projects and to exchange experiences with colleagues from different disciplines and institutions. We also received good feedback on our own projects, which we will use in our continued work”
A session was led by Jonathan Wedman, researcher in behavioral measurements at Umeå University. He introduced the basics of assessment and gave practical tips on how to design and implement qualitative assessments. He also led the introductory webinar, which had almost 500 participants, which according to Oskar Gedda shows a tangible commitment to the subject.
“With the current topic of generative AI in higher education on the program, it was expected with a high interest in just AI, but it turned out that the interest was also great around the conference’s other sessions, when a priority of interest of the sessions among the 817 registered was made and the result was evenly distributed.”
A hope is that the conference can contribute to developing new and innovative forms of examination adapted to the changed conditions in higher education, such as digitization, internationalization, and sustainability. By involving the students in the examination, their motivation, commitment, and responsibility for their own learning can also be increased.
“We believe that the examination has great potential to promote quality in higher education. By collaborating with other institutions and networks, we can learn from each other and develop our examination competence.”
The conference was the first in a series of activities that the national network for examination development in higher education plans to carry out during the project. The goal is to keep the conversation about examination practice alive and to spread knowledge and good examples to the teaching staff. At present, a video synthesis of the sessions led by Erik Lindenius, lecturer in media and communication science at Umeå University, is being produced. The network also plans to follow up the conference with activities for NU2024, the national conference for the development of higher education, which will be held at Umeå University in June 2024. A report will also be published on the network’s website.
“We hope that the conference has opened up for continued cooperation and learning around examination in higher education. We also want to put Umeå on the map as an institution that is involved in the development of examination practices towards tomorrow’s higher education.”, says Oskar Gedda.
