Eindhoven
University of
Technology

Assessment and CBL

Assessment at TU/e

In order to shape assessment at our university TU/e Vision on Education identified four leading principles for assessment which can be found on page 22:

  1. empowering students towards self-directed learning;
  2. involving multiple stakeholders in assessment;
  3. assessing students on individual learning objectives and
  4. ensuring the development of just-in-time knowledge.

CBL can be seen as one of the concrete implementations of the four guiding principles of assessment. The vision for assessment applies to all courses and projects at TU/e. Together, we are taking steps to improve our entire offering based on this vision. The vision of Assessment has been concretized in the Directive for the Bachelor 2.0. 

Assessment and CBL

Assessment in CBL is typically designed to capture students' development on competencies and ability to gain and apply knowledge in authentic contexts. Performance is not measured at one final summative moment at the end, for example through a test, but at multiple moments during the learning process. Assessment methods that fit CBL should be a balance between:

  1. focus on individual learning and on team learning;
  2. focus on product and on process;
  3. balance of (in) formative and summative assessment.

Certainly, assessment in CBL builds on familiar assessment approaches but invites a shift in focus. Traditionally, Assessment of Learning (AoL) has been used to certify what students know at the end of a course, typically through summative exams or final projects. Increasingly, educators also apply Assessment for Learning (AfL), formative assessment practices aimed at supporting students' growth during the learning process, through activities like peer feedback, progress reviews, and reflective check-ins. 

In the context of CBL, where student agency is key, there is room to take this a step further: Assessment as Learning (AaL).

Assessment as Learning to Promote Student Agency in CBL

In Assessment as Learning (AaL), assessment becomes part of the learning process itself. TU/e Assessment as Learning Working Group defines AaL as "[...] an educational approach where the responsibility for the assessment process is shared between the teacher and the students with the ultimate goal to empower students to become self-directed learners. While the aim of traditional assessment is to measure learning outcomes (i.e., products) at the end of a learning experience, assessment as learning aims to foster reflection, evaluative judgment, and student ownership of the learning process. By sharing the responsibility for the assessment process (both how to be assessed and what to be assessed on), students develop stronger communication and collaboration skills while deepening their understanding of content knowledge [...]".

During the 2025 International CBL Conference in Eindhoven, we explored the concrete differences among these distinct assessment approaches in the specific context of CBL.  The outcomes of this session are summarized in the document below.

Tips for Teachers 

Many teachers are used to measuring the end result: what knowledge has been acquired or what product has been produced? In CBL, the process towards the end result is also monitored, evaluated and included in the final assessment. It's not just about what has been learnt, but also about the journey to get there. Assessment formats for measuring the process include:

  • Observations
  • Reflection reports
  • Portfolio
  • Oral Test
  • Self-assessment
  • Peer-assessment

Particularly in CBL courses, assessment takes place during the learning process, known as formative assessment. This allows us to measure students' progress and development and to make timely adjustments. At this stage it is less important to assess achievement and more important to measure progress.

This gives students more opportunities to practice and learn from each other. It also gives you, the teacher, information to adjust your teaching approach.

Assessment formats that can be used during the learning process include

  • Class discussions ("What do you think is...?")
  • Mid-term tests
  • Observations
  • Mid-term portfolio submissions
  • Reflection reports
  • Peer assessment

Tip: Intensify formative assessment in the early stages of the course to support the problem-finding process. Decrease scaffolding as the course or project progresses.

Whereas some lecturers used to rely mainly on standardised tests, CBL also includes non-standardised forms of assessment because they provide valuable insights.

Reliability is no longer based solely on the instrument itself, but on the quality and frequency of feedback and on the assessors themselves.

Educators may fear that these forms of assessment are less reliable. But the opposite is true.

The reliability of your measurement increases if you use

  • multiple forms of assessment;
  • measure at multiple times;
  • use multiple assessors (including external stakeholders, tutors and peers) with clear responsibilities.

These are also typical strategies for addressing student diversity. The reliability of all these assessments together is likely to be even higher than a single knowledge test at the end of your course.

It also gives you the opportunity to measure more than knowledge gain, such as the development of metacognitive and communication skills.

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