Assessment Practices in STEM Higher Education – What does the Literature say?

Abstract

It is well documented that the number of occupations in Australia requiring STEM related skills and STEM literacy is increasing (Office of the Chief Scientist, 2020; Science & Technology Australia, 2023). This has placed pressure on the Australian workforce as there is an increase in demand for people with STEM qualifications. Research has also reported the high levels of student attrition in STEM related higher education courses, noting that many students may transfer to non-STEM disciplines or leave further study altogether (Belser et al., 2017; Hedge, 2024; Li et al., 2022). Engaging students in STEM disciplines is therefore essential to supporting future careers in the Australian STEM workforce.

This presentation will explore how current assessment practices influence teaching and learning in STEM-based higher education degrees, and what potential impact this may have on students (and further, industry). It will do this by discussing recent literature, examining how assessment is viewed, its utility, and any gaps identified between graduate skills and what industry requires. We are particularly interested in how assessment supports or disadvantages different cohorts of students within STEM disciplines, including student engagement and science identity. The review will explicitly investigate the influence of under-represented groups (such as gender, neurodiversity, and First Nations identity) on students’ interactions with assessment.

The insights gained from the literature review will contribute to informing our design of innovative and effective assessments that will help engage STEM higher education students, and ultimately, support diversity of students to succeed in STEM courses.