Designing Higher Education Assessments in the Age of AI

The rapid rise of generative AI has fundamentally changed the landscape of higher education, making traditional assessment methods outdated. Educators must now adapt by designing assessments that promote genuine learning while addressing the realities of widespread AI availability. This text-only course prepares university instructors, instructional designers, and educational leaders to rethink assessment strategies for the modern era. You will learn how to align assessments with learning outcomes, design authentic tasks that AI cannot easily replicate, and use AI constructively to support student growth and streamline feedback. What you'll learn: Understand the foundational principles of assessment and feedback in higher education; Design authentic, high-order thinking assessments that encourage genuine student engagement; Address academic integrity constructively by setting clear policies on AI usage and limitations; Leverage generative AI tools to assist in drafting rubrics, creating prompts, and generating formative feedback; Evaluate the ethical and value-based considerations of AI integration in diverse educational settings; Implement modern assessment workflows that focus on the process of learning rather than just the final product. The course begins with essential terminology and the core principles of assessment design, before guiding you through practical strategies for adapting your curriculum to the AI era. You will explore real-world scenarios and complete written exercises to help you redesign your own assessment plans. This course is designed for higher education faculty, teaching assistants, and instructional designers seeking to modernize their grading and assessment strategies, with no prior technical background in AI required. Start reading today to transform your educational practices for the modern classroom.