Smart Assessment and Inclusive Learning: Rethinking Quality in Distance Higher Education

Abstract

The growth of distance learning in Pakistan has brought to the fore a severe requirement of proper assessment practices that can guarantee quality of education and inclusively. The paper explores how the use of smart assessment practices can support perceived quality assurance and inclusive distance higher education learning. To gather data, a quantitative research design was used with the instruments being structured questionnaires filled by administrators (n=40), faculty members (n=110) and students (n=250) via a stratified random sampling method from AIOU and VU, Pakistan. The variables were measured using the instruments that included smart assessment practices, inclusive learning, and perceived quality assurance on a 5-point Likert scale. The major attributes were analyzed in terms of their relationships and descriptive statistics and correlation analyzed and regression performed. The results show that smart assessment practices have been found to have a strong relationship with perceived quality assurance and inclusion in learning, where the administrators have seen the most compatibility between policies and the students perceive variability in assessment experiences. The results of regression supported the hypothesis that the smart assessment practices are very strong predictors of perceived quality and inclusiveness with variable percentages of 47 and 43, respectively. The paper highlights the relevance of technology-enabled, outcome-focused, and learner-centered methods of assessment in enhancing the quality assurance and promoting fair learning in distance higher education. Policy implications, faculty development implications, and institutional practice implications have been discussed in an attempt to facilitate uniform application at Pakistani universities.

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