Abstract:

The provision of valid and reliable assessment in higher education is becoming increasingly more challenging with freely available artificial intelligence tools. Students can generate text, receive answers and explanations in a matter of seconds. With AI's capabilities to automate tasks and generate content, there is a risk of students using AI-powered tools to cheat in exams or assessments.

Professors and lecturers at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Western Switzerland (UAS) are searching and exploring new means and methods for assessing students’ knowledge, skills on university degree courses. The importance of twenty-first century skills such as adaptability, autonomy, high-order thinking, like critical thinking, skills is highly recognised.

This exploratory action research study aims to propose e-portfolios as a solution to assessing students’ abilities, capacities, skills and knowledge in an undergraduate communication course in the faculty of Business Administration at the UAS.

The use of e-portfolios as digital assessment tools in higher education can greatly enhance the quality of student learning outcomes. As learning objectives in higher education become more focused on developing higher-order thinking skills and real-world competencies, it is essential to align assessment methods accordingly. In this regard, e-portfolios offer several key affordances:

- empowerment and ownership of learning for students,
- feedback and interactivity through the utilization of digital technology,
- authentic, valid and reliable assessment of students’ skills, knowledge and work readiness.

E-portfolios can be an effective tool to combat students' use of AI tools in assessment tasks by emphasizing authentic assessment, personalized learning, and continuous engagement.

The research design for this action research study follows a cyclical process involving several phases, including planning, action, observation, and reflection. The study is iterative, with each cycle informing subsequent actions and adjustments. Systematic observations will help identify patterns, behaviours, and potential areas for improvement. Lessons learned from the pilot groups will be used in the action research. Indeed, several modules have tried and tested the implementation of e-portfolios in the faculty of tourism.

Radical changes are challenging and require careful support and guidance, scaffolding and coaching. The majority of students on undergraduate degree programs will require time to appreciate and value the process of assessing with e-portfolios.

We anticipate and predict that students will initially be sceptical and resist the change. The additional work required to set up an e-portfolio and to change to a new system of evaluation necessitates added effort.

As a result of the implemented actions, the study is expected to lead to improvements in the practices, processes, and procedures for assessment. E-portfolios may well provide a solution to the new challenge of student use of AI tools in the communication module in the faculty of Business Administration. These improvements may positively impact student learning outcomes, ensure reliable and valid assessments, and may even contribute to the establishment of best practices which could be shared and replicated to benefit other modules, and faculties at the UAS.

Keywords:

Assessment, e-portfolios, critical thinking, reflection.