There has been a remarkable growth of interest in the assessment of student
learning and its relation to the process of learning in higher education over the
past ten years. This interest has been expressed in various ways – through large
scale research projects, international conferences, the development of principles
of assessment that supports learning, a growing awareness of the role of
feedback as an integral part of the learning process, and the publication of
exemplary assessment practices. At the same time, more limited attention has
been given to the underlying nature of assessment, to the concerns that arise
when assessment is construed as a measurement process, and to the role of
judgement in evaluating the quality of students’ work.
It is now timely to take stock of some of the critical