Learner’s Assessment Preferences in Higher Education: A Comparison Study of High-Achievers and Low-Achievers

Although assessments are a staple feature in education, student voices tend to be undervalued throughout the process. While students are a major stakeholder, this study adopted a mixed-methods strategy to examine the views of tertiary students on assessment types with regards to their preferences, self-rated performance and perceived effectiveness. Quantitative data were drawn from 434 students across 7 colleges and universities, while qualitative data were collected from 18 follow-up interviews. The results showed that both low-achievers and high-achievers favoured multiple-choice assessments because they believed their performance to be most effective. This preference was confirmed despite the fact that these students were habituated to written assessments in examinations or essays. Additionally, the students deemed oral presentations, whether individually or in groups, as unreliable, unfair and ineffective in assessing performance. Thus, this article seeks to highlight the importance of considering student needs when selecting the most appropriate form of assessment and when designing assessment tasks to enhance student learning.