International Students’ Experiences of Assessment Practices in Chinese Higher Education: A Case-Study

Assessment is part of teaching and learning at all levels of education and when it's taken into consideration it impacts students’ academic performance. At different levels of education, assessment takes different trajectories. From summative, formative, diagnostic and learning analytics, assessment for learning plays a major role in assisting instructor to provide best experiences to their students. In higher education, performance-based assessments for learning are most likely to dominate. This study sought to investigate the experiences of students in higher education as far as assessment is concerned. To explore their experiences, researchers applied a qualitative research method, a case-study research design. A purposive sampling technique was employed to lure students’ participation in this study. The total eligible sample for participation was N=7. Data collection was in two phases: there was an in-depth interview with the participants at their convenience place and time with all ethical approvals and consent attended to. Secondly, document analysis which included students’ modules’ outlines were considered. Data was analyzed thematically through coding, clustering and theme development based on the patterns it showed. The findings show that almost all the instructors instruct students to complete the course papers as the main parts of the assessment for their course at the end of each course. In additions, students complete at least one or two presentations during the semester per module and one academic saloon as part of their assessment. Furthermore, instructors’ criterion for communication of what is expected from students from the course influences students’ experiences both positively and negatively. Teachers’ feedback and support also influence how students conduct themselves towards their courses. Students also plea for higher active, engaging interactive dialogues and peer collaboration among themselves. This study recommends consistent robust communication between learners and instructors regarding course demands and implementation of measures that encourage students’ active engagements throughout their course.