Assessment in Higher Institutions: Do Students and Lecturers Share Similar Preference?

Abstract

This paper aims to understand the assessment preference of Gen Z, a student cohort currently being served in higher learning institutions. It tends to investigate the formative assessment activities preferred by Gen Z, followed by the range of marks for each activity. It also tries to discover their preference for the proportion of mark for formative assessment as compared to final examination. Data was collected from 420 diploma students and 22 lecturers taking (and teaching) management accounting subject in a public university in Malaysia. The values of mode and the frequency were used to achieve the above objectives. In addition, the interview session with students and lecturers was also conducted to gather additional related information. The results revealed that both students and lecturers favor traditional assessment over alternative assessment. In terms of alternative assessments, unlike lecturers, students ranked activities that require higher order thinking last. Both students and lecturers also allocate the highest marks to test and quiz, while other activities are only allocated with the lower range of marks. Majority agreed with the 40:60 ratio with the higher weightage goes to the final examination. This finding somehow contradicts previous finding which suggest that Gen Z prefer coursework rather than examination. The findings of the study might help academicians in designing appropriate assessment activities in order to maximize students learning especially in the field of management accounting. However, this study was conducted on the diploma students who might have different view and perception regarding assessment as compared to bachelor’s degree students.