Choose your own assessment: Assessment choice for students in online higher education

On the back of recent assessment choice projects this study seeks to reimagine higher education assessment as a means of shifting the ‘locus of control’ from the teacher to the student. Central to this shift is the belief that a flexible assessment approach will promote self-regulation in learners, increased self-efficacy and, subsequently academic engagement and performance. This paper details the design, setup and configuration of assessment choice for students studying an online business subject. Details are provided outlining the assessment choices made by students and the impact on student satisfaction and the student success rates. Overall students demonstrated receptiveness towards the provision of assessment choice. This was evidenced by positive feedback from students, as well as improved subject satisfaction. While further research is required, the findings presented here provide a case for greater assessment flexibility and the broader adoption of an assessment choice approach in higher education.