Feedback and feedforward in the assessment of students’ competences in higher education

Abstract

Spanish universities are engaged in the implementation of the European Higher Education Area
(EHEA). This process foresees the use of more effective instructional designs and methodologies in
order to achieve deeper learning, increase students’ involvement in their own development, as
well as their professional and personal-greater autonomy in the construction of knowledge. The
ICT is an effective tool to reach such requirements.
This paper presents the results of a research project that present those aspects that university
uses in its effort to reach the EHEA process: the use of the online platform as the context for
learning and the feedback provided conducted by teachers. A research project using a mixed methodology was realized in several Spanish universities.
We describe and analyse the implementation of a self-creation platform called CAT (Competences Assessment Tool) based on the use of a blog. The platform permits an assessment process based on competences acquisition. We analyse the experience from the students and teachers point of view on the basis of their own level of satisfaction and on the quality of feedback and feedforward. The conclusions highlight the educational relevance of the online platform as a scenario for the development of effective competences and for their evaluation.