Review Article: The roles of assessment in curriculum practice and enhancement of learning

Assessment is indispensable component of curriculum practice. In systems of education, one of the prime considerations of administrators, teachers, and students alike are the outcomes of learning, what ability students can demonstrate because of increase in their knowledge and changes in understanding because of experiences in school or college. Concern for how learning takes place in higher learning institutes and how instruction and assessment affect the quality of learning is desirable, for students need to acquire knowledge and competencies that can be transferable in the work place. Therefore, educators need to think carefully about the quality of curriculum practice and learning assessment in higher education. Much of current teaching and assessment in higher learning institutes seems to induce passive, reproductive form of learning that is contrary to the aims of instructors themselves. Most of the time instructors emphasize on factual knowledge, bind students too firmly within currently acceptable theoretical framework, and do the same while assessing learning. To the contrary, transferable skills valued by employers such as problem solving, communication skills, and working effectively with others are highly essential. Educators are suggesting that instructors will be more effective if assessment is integral to teaching and how learning activities are structured. Performance assessment, portfolios, authentic assessment and student self and peer assessment together with feedback and comments have been advocated as procedures that align assessment with current constructivist theories of learning and teaching. For instance, teachers are responsible for providing feedback that students need in order to re-learn and refine learning goals. Hence, this article reviews, roles of assessment in operating and experiencing the curriculum, importance of continuous assessment for enhancement of student learning, and the roles of feedback and comments for curriculum practice and learning enhancement.