Assessment from a disciplinary approach: design and implementation in three undergraduate programmes

Abstract

The role of the academic discipline is a major factor in the assessment design and implementation in higher education. Unfortunately, a clear understanding of how teachers from different disciplines approach assessment is still missing; this information can lead to teacher training programmes that are better designed and more focussed. The present study compared assessment design and implementation in three programmes (sport science, mathematics, and medicine) each representing a discipline from 4 Spanish universities. Using a mixed-methods approach, data from syllabi (N = 385) and semi-structured interviews with teachers (N = 19) were analysed. The results showed different approaches to assessment design and implementation in each programme in two main axes: summative or formative purposes of assessment, and content-based or authentic assessment. Implications for further research are discussed.