Adapting to Online and Remote Learning: Examining the Educational Assessment Experiences of U.S. College Students Amidst COVID-19

We administered a survey to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on academic assessment in a sample of 992 U.S. college students (mean age = 22.36 years) between February and June 2021. The survey included multiple-choice and open-ended questions asking about students’ experiences before (fall 2019 to early spring 2020) and during the pandemic-affected periods (late spring 2020 to spring 2021). While classroom assessment formats showed minimal changes, methods of exam administration differed significantly during the pandemic. Untimed and open-book exams became more prevalent, while in-class proctored exams decreased. Even in spring 2021, open-book, outside-of-class, and online proctored or unproctored exams remained common. Students who altered their long-term academic plans due to the pandemic expressed frustration with educational experiences and concerns about future job prospects via open-ended responses. Understanding students’ experiences with online assessments can provide valuable insights for the development and administration of fair and valid assessments in online and remote higher education settings.