Flexible assessments: Based on Wintec's ako strategy

Abstract or Summary

This paper is inspired by Ako – facilitating positive learning relationships through shared leadership between learner and facilitator, as adapted at the Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec). It outlines the implementation, findings and conclusions of flexible assessments. With the way adult teaching and learning is changing – mainly due to diversity of student population based on age, ethnicity, work experience and learners’ personal responsibilities, tertiary institutes are moving towards flexible approaches including flexible teaching and learning and flexible assessments. Flexible assessment is giving learners the flexibility with the type of assessment (how), the timing of assessment (when), and the quantity of assessment (how much) they choose to attempt while ensuring that the assessment integrity is maintained and that the learning outcomes for the course are achieved. This paper will examine the results of flexible supervised assessments from the learners’ perspective and the tutors’ perspective.