Abstract:
In the 21st century, the educational landscape has witnessed a transformative
shift towards learner-centricity, emphasizing active learner participation
throughout the learning and assessment processes. However, the role of
assessment, as a vital component of education, has often overlooked the active
involvement of learners, leading to untimely and inadequate feedback. This study
explored the perspectives of students across diverse academic programs to
investigate the relationship between assessment practices, learner engagement,
and feedback utility. The survey questionnaire was employed to gather insights
among 110 international students enrolled in Higher Education and explore their
perspectives on assessment feedback and their engagement in the assessment
procedures across their courses. Additionally, the study explored students'
insights into the relevance of the feedback they receive to their real-world career
prospects. The findings uncover that, despite the shift towards learner-centric
education, students across various disciplines often do not actively participate in
shaping assessment processes, with engineering students exhibiting even lower
engagement levels. Additionally, a significant proportion of engineering students
question the practicality of the feedback they receive. While the majority still
encounter traditional assessment methods, the study highlights the need for
innovative approaches aligned with modern education paradigms to enhance
student engagement and meaningful learning experiences. This research
underscores the importance of feedback and engagement in preparing 21st century graduates and provides recommendations for improving assessment
practices.
