Abstract:

Background:
Shadowed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the last two years have proved to be a time of affliction, difficulty, and trial for the field of education as much as in the other aspects of our lives. The challenges brought by the global crisis have urged us, educators, to find new and more efficient ways to reach our public, assuring the transmission of knowledge under the changes and requirements of the new reality. Struggling with the deficiencies of remote learning – such as distancing decreased student attention, and motivation, overdependence on technology, etc. –, conventional assessment has become more and more problematic. Is online evaluation accurate and relevant, considering the quick access of the students to any digital information that doesn’t even require their attendance at the courses and seminars throughout the semester? Can a digital platform enable creative ways of assessment? Does examination effectively cover the contents of the curricula? Trying to creatively address these vulnerabilities, continuous assessment has proven more than ever its utility in improving the state of education in the post-pandemic age.

Purpose of the study:
The paper aims to identify and exemplify some aspects related to continuous assessment regarding Architecture and Design higher education. The research focuses on the pedagogical and didactical innovations with reference to the evaluation and assessment of student learning, revisiting and reframing different approaches to respond to the requirements of the post-pandemic age.

Methodology:
Engaging qualitative research methods, this study is grounded on observations reflecting continuous assessment within four disciplines specific to Architectural and Design higher education, as well as on interviews and focus groups involving academics and students from three specializations. The idea behind this approach enables a multilateral perspective on the chosen topic, focusing on very different, almost antithetical aspects — humanist vs. realist, subjective vs. objective, abstract vs. concrete, remote vs. face-to-face —, thus offering meaningful in-depth insight into the problem of assessment in the post-pandemic age.

Results:
Addressing four different disciplines pertaining to the field of Architecture and Design, the research brought forward four main approaches of achieving continuous assessment of students’ knowledge after the global crisis generated by COVID-19 — portfolio, role play, interactive methods, and practical examination. The analyzed methods were exemplified by several case studies focusing on issues like finding creative ways of evaluation, in order to effectively cover the contents of the curricula while meeting the demands of the new reality; involving face-to-face activities as well as online tasks to prevent monotony and smooth the transition from remote learning; introducing interactive ways of assessment in order to keep students engaged throughout the courses and seminars.

Conclusions:
The outcome of the study showed a superior and solid acquisition of knowledge throughout the semester, doubled by an increased level of interest from the students, who found continuous assessment a less intimidating way to evaluate their work. From the educator’s point of view, the analyzed methods of continuous assessment have proved to be more efficient in securing knowledge, while overcoming with creativity the challenges of the pandemic.

Keywords:

Continuous assessment, architecture and design education, creativity, portfolio, role play, interactive methods, practical examination.