The role of authentic assessment to preserve academic integrity and promote skill development and employability

TLDR

Promoting authenticity and academic integrity in assessment remains a priority for educational institutions, as it underpins high academic standards and equips students with employability‑enhancing skills. The study aimed to evaluate scaffolded authentic assessments culminating in interactive oral examinations to promote academic integrity. The authors surveyed students to assess whether interactive oral exams effectively prevent misconduct and enhance skills and employability. Scaffolded assessments with interactive orals reduced academic misconduct, especially when aligned with real‑world relevance, and also fostered professional identity, communication skills, and employability.

Abstract

Promoting authenticity and academic integrity in assessment continues to present a priority for educational institutions. Besides providing the foundation for high academic standards and best practice, authentic assessments and academic integrity enrich students with skills that advance their employability. Given the multilayered significance of, and need for promoting academic integrity, this study used a suite of scaffolded authentic assessments that culminated with interactive oral examinations. A survey evaluated the effectiveness of interactive oral exams in offering authentic assessments that would prevent students from engaging in academic misconduct and help them improve their skill and employability prospects. The results show that scaffolded assessment tasks that include interactive orals help prevent academic misconduct. The more relevant the assessment to real-world scenarios, the less likely students are to engage in misconduct. Additionally, interactive oral exams enabled students to develop their professional identity and awareness, and communications skills, and help promote employability.