Anonymous assessment – when possible and suitable
Anonymous assessment means that the students' identity is hidden from the teacher during the assessment. This can be used to achieve a fair and legally secure examination. Anonymous assessment should be used whenever possible and suitable, but it should not compromise the pedagogical idea of the examination. When anonymisation is not possible, you can use other methods to ensure a fair and legally secure assessment.
What is anonymous assessment?
Anonymous assessment means that the identity of the students is hidden from the teacher at the time of assessment. It is about the teacher not being able to access personal data, the email address or other things that can identify the student. The teacher assesses student performance just as usual, but without knowing which student's performance is being assessed at the time of assessment.
Anonymous assessment contributes to a fair and legally secure examination
Anonymous assessment is one of several methods for achieving what the Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ) describes as fair and legally secure examination (pdf) . To achieve a fair and legally secure examination, student performance must always be assessed objectively and fairly against the criteria stated in the course syllabus. A prerequisite is that the course syllabi contain clear rules for the examination. Anonymity in assessment situations contributes to a more fair and legally secure examination by ensuring that the assessment is conducted objectively and without preconceived notions coming into play.
Use anonymous assessment whenever possible and suitable
The premise of this text is that it is recommended to carry out anonymous assessment whenever possible and suitable. According to UKÄ's recommendation, higher education institutions should strive to arrange anonymous tests in written examinations if it is possible and suitable to do so. Canvas has several features that make it possible to anonymise parts of the assessment that takes place digitally, but when is it suitable?
Anonymisation should not compromise the pedagogical idea of the examination
Anonymisation should not compromise the basic pedagogical idea of the examination. It is more important to have an authentic examination than to assess it anonymously. Anonymisation is not an end in itself, nor is it the only way to safeguard students' rights to a fair and legally secure assessment.
As a teacher, you do not have to change your course structure or your examination forms to anonymise the assessment. However, you can think about implementing anonymous assessment where it is suitable, and ensure a high level of legal certainty in other assessments in another way.
Things to consider when anonymisation is not possible or suitable
There are several ways to create a fair and objective assessment. Here are some suggestions on how this can be done. Note that the suggestions are always good to implement, regardless of whether the assessment is done anonymously or not.
- Increase transparency in assessment and communicate what is assessed and how it is assessed.
- Create clear grading criteria and discuss these with the students.
- Create and use assessment rubrics with clear criteria for different grading steps.
Clarifying the assessment in this way helps you as a teacher to be confident in your assessment so that you avoid being influenced by factors other than the student's performance.
There may be value in anonymising parts of an examination even if it is not possible to anonymise the entire process. For example, it may be insuitable to anonymise an oral complementary examination even if the original examination is assessed anonymously. The same applies if your course contains several Ladok modules. Feel free to anonymise the modules that are possible, even if the other course elements cannot be anonymised.