Assessment of learning and digital innovation in post-pandemic Higher Education

Abstract

This mixed-methods study examines the integration of digital tools and pedagogical innovation in higher education assessment practices in the post-pandemic context. Through a sequential explanatory design, quantitative data from 428 faculty surveys and qualitative insights from four institutional case studies were analyzed. Results reveal a state of "partial hybridization," characterized by the predominant use of digital tools for traditional summative assessment (M=4.12), with significantly lower adoption of formative (M=2.87) and authentic (M=2.15) digital evaluations. The perceived level of pedagogical innovation remains moderate-low (M=2.94). Key predictors of innovation are faculty self-perception of digital competence (β=.35) and pedagogical not merely technological institutional support (β=.28). Qualitative findings identify systemic barriers: a bifurcated support model, a cultural paradox privileging control over trust, and intra-institutional resistance rooted in traditional assessment paradigms. The study concludes that the post-pandemic challenge is not technological but cultural and pedagogical, requiring a systemic transformation towards an intelligent hybrid assessment ecosystem focused on trust, authentic learning, and competency development.