Assessment and Inquiry-Based Learning

Abstract

Assessments within the context of inquiry-based learning pose a special challenge: On the one hand, in the "Bologna degree programs," the practice of academic assessment is generally lagging behind in the requirement that not just teaching and learning be done in a competency-oriented manner, but assessment as well; this has an especially grave impact on issues of performance recording relating to inquiry-based learning. On the other hand, the concept of inquiry-based learning allows teaching, learning and research to be combined in multiple formats and therefore needs to be differentiated-with corresponding consequences for research-related assessment. In the face of such challenges, the first step taken in this article is to propose a model of the possible combinations of teaching, learning and research, which suggests that a distinction can be made between at least three types of inquiry-based learning: learning to understand research, practicing research and conducting independent research. In a second step, the proposed model is expanded to include assessment. 9.1 Competence-Oriented Assessment: Claim and Reality Competence orientation has been a guiding idea for the design of degree programs since the beginning of the Bologna Process (Schaper 2012): Bachelor's and master's degree programs are modularized. A module should be designed in such a way that, in a best-case scenario, multiple courses jointly foster subject-specific and/or interdisciplinary competences, which can be covered in one final exam at the end of the module, and which can be