Assessment of 21st Century skills in a computing programme during the Covid-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

Within higher education, the suspension of face-to-face instruction due to the Covid-19 pandemic has created numerous challenges, one of which is the assessment of student learning. In this article, the author examines the effectiveness of an existing assessment method, the computing professional skills assessment (CPSA) within a fully on-line environment in a computing programme at a university in the United Arab Emirates. The purpose of the CPSA is to measure students' proficiency in the 21st Century or professional skills - skills that are essential to life and workplace success, such as teamwork, communication and problem solving. The CPSA is designed as a small group assessment, where through an on-line asynchronous discussion students attempt to develop solutions to a computing-related problem that crosses disciplinary boundaries and to which there is no single correct answer. Results indicate that students performed consistently at or near the desired proficiency level. Based on these findings, it appears that the CPSA is an effective assessment for the 21st Century skills in a fully on-line environment. © 2022 WIETE.