Assignment and assessment formats
Formats: how to set up an assignment, assessment or classroom activity, with group size, time needed and purpose.
Every format carries an AI resilience label: how much of it a generative tool can take over without anyone noticing. The question behind it is a simple one — where is the work made, and does anyone see it happen?
- Robust — the performance happens in front of you: an oral, a room, a lab, an observation.
- With adjustments — the finished piece is made out of sight, but the setup can be changed so that the thinking stays visible.
- Vulnerable — text written at home and handed in once, with no process or performance around it.
Every format that is not robust names, on its own page, the adjustments that would help. There are seven of them.
The seven adjustments
- Own ideas first — Let the idea form in class, on paper or in focus mode, before any AI tool is opened. Students who brainstorm with AI struggle to move away from the first suggestion afterwards, and lose their hold on the work.
- Red light, green light — Rule AI out in the early stages — exploring, forming ideas, first draft — and allow it deliberately after that. It works as motivation too: students reach for AI less often early on when considered use is permitted later.
- Make the process visible — Assess more than the finished piece: interim versions, a log, notes, traces of peer feedback. This is evidence of learning, not a control: using version history to catch people out costs more trust than it gains.
- A short oral account — Ask for five to ten minutes on the work handed in, built into the course and not carrying the whole grade. What a student has understood becomes visible in a way no text can replace, and preparing for it changes how they study.
- Transparency statement — Have students attach a short note to the work: what AI they used, what for, and what it gave them. The smallest possible move, and the only one that brings AI use into the open without detection. Model it yourself by labelling your own AI-generated materials.
- Communication as a through-line — Practise speaking across the whole semester rather than checking for it at the end. Oral skill becomes a learning outcome in its own right, and the final conversation continues something students are already used to.
- Video of the work in progress — Have students share their screen and record themselves working, instead of submitting text alone. This matters most asynchronously: a text box in the VLE is the easiest thing in a course to automate; a recording of work under way is not.
The verdict on each format is ours. The reasoning comes from Show Your Work: Assessment in the Age of AI (Yee et al., FCTL Press, 2026) and The Norton Guide to AI-Aware Teaching (Vee, Watkins & Bruff, W. W. Norton, 2026).
3-minute paper (one-minute paper, exit slip)
A 3-minute paper is a short written formative test where you ask students to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of a specific topic in just 3 minutes.
360-degree feedback
360-degree feedback is an evaluation process that collects feedback from different sources in a work or study setting, for example managers, co-workers, fellow students or colleagues.
Advisory or policy report
For an advisory report, students research a specific topic and make recommendations to a person or target group based on that research.
Argument mapping (argument assignment)
An argumentation assignment allows you to stimulate and assess students' skills in argumentation and logical reasoning.
Case assignment (Case study) – Clinical case study (Medical)
In a case assignment (or case-based education), you have your students come up with a solution to a specific case or situation.
Case-based exam with closed questions
A case-based exam with closed questions is an assessment method you can use to determine a student’s level of knowledge and skill on a particular topic or concept.
Case-based exam with open-ended questions
A case-based exam with open-ended questions is an assessment form that you can use to evaluate students’ understanding and application of a particular topic or concept.
Collaboration skills score form (Team skill)
A collaboration skills score form is a tool you can use to evaluate students’ skills in working in groups. The form lists skills important for effective collaboration, such as communication, conflict resolution, and…
Company visits
An initial form of company visits often takes place at the beginning of a course. Students sometimes come into contact with companies or organisations for the very first time this way.
Concept map, tree diagram, scheme, venn diagram, time line
A tree diagram, schematic, Venn diagram, concept map or time line, are graphical tools that visualise relationships, processes, concepts and hierarchical structures.
Criterion-based interview
A criterion-based interview is a form of assessment where, as a teacher, you evaluate specific skills or knowledge in the student, using structured questions and based on certain criteria.
Critical incident
A critical incident is a situation where a student is confronted with a complex, unexpected or emotionally charged situation during an internship or simulation.
Debate
A debate is a discussion in which two or more parties present arguments for or against a particular topic. You can use it as a form of assessment by having your students debate a specific topic.
Defence
A defence is an examination where you challenge students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills through an oral presentation, possibly with an audience present.
Elevator pitch
An elevator pitch is a short, powerful presentation designed to quickly and enthusiastically convince the listener about a product, idea or concept the student is presenting.
Excursion
You can use a field trip to test students' acquired knowledge in practice through a visit to a place or organisation.
Final product (product detailing)
A final product is the elaboration and end result of, for example, a self-created product design, the application of research, or the processing of data or an outside design into a product.
Formulating exam questions
Attention! Generative AI is likely to make this task format much less effective.
Gobbet (language analysis, thematic analysis, genre analysis, concept analysis)
A gobbet is a text passage or quotation from, for example, a book, article or scientific text. You can use the gobbet for an exercise, test question, analysis or discussion on the language, style and meaning of the…
Interview
An interview is a questioning conversation between two or more people in which information is gathered or insights are shared.
Jig Saw (Expert exercise)
If you want to encourage students to collaborate and take responsibility during class, then definitely try the activating exercise called jigsaw!
Job application
A job application is the process by which a student applies for a job or position. This process includes, for example, updating the resume, sending a cover letter and an interview with the potential employer.
Journaling (diary) and supervision
Journaling (diary or logbook) and supervision are methods often used as a form of assessment for students doing, for example, an internship.
Knowledge clip, Video
A knowledge clip is a short video or animation that explains or elaborates on a specific subject or skill. Use knowledge clips, for example, to help students visually understand complex concepts or skills.
Lab with report (laboratory practical)
A laboratory practical is a form of hands-on learning in which students apply the theory they have learned in practice.
Leadership assignment
A leadership assignment is an assignment or project that gives students the opportunity to develop and practice leadership skills. For example, by leading a group or team, organising an event or carrying out a project.
Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) – Medical
An Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), sometimes called a Station Test, is a practical assessment form in the medical context that you can use to evaluate students’ skills in clinical practice.
Observation (of behavior)
For an observation as an assessment form, you observe and assess students’ behaviour to gain insight into certain factors.
Open-book exam with open-ended questions
An open-book exam is one in which students have access to their study materials, such as books, notes and other resources during the exam.
Oral
An oral exam is a form of assessment in which you evaluate the student's performance and knowledge through oral communication.
Paper (Essay, Argument)
A paper is a comprehensive document in which students describe or analyse a research or topic. It is a way of presenting and sharing what they have learned.
Peer instruction
Peer Instruction is a didactic method developed by Prof. Eric Mazur at Harvard University. It is designed to engage students in their learning process through peer-to-peer discussion and interaction, alternating between…
Peer Review
Peer review is a process in which the work of students, such as a thesis, research report, or article, is evaluated by one or more colleagues in the same field as the person who created the work.
Plan of action
A plan of action or planning assignment is a form of assessment where you have students develop a plan or strategy for a particular project or business.
Portfolio
A portfolio is a collection of papers, projects and other products created by students during their studies or during a specific course.
Portfolio interview
A portfolio interview is an assessment form in which the student presents a portfolio in which he or she gives an overview of his or her achievements, skills and knowledge.
Poster presentation (symposium)
A poster presentation is a visual presentation (analogue or digital) that is used to present research results, concepts or data in a clear and attractive way that makes them easier to understand.
Presentation
A presentation as an examination form is one in which you assess students on their ability to give an oral presentation and communicate their ideas clearly.
Product design
You can test your students' knowledge by having them design a product. The assignment can focus on designing a product that meets specific requirements such as durability, usability, aesthetic value and technical…
Professional conduct score form
A professional conduct score form is a tool you can use to evaluate your students’ professional behaviour to prepare them for their later work.
Progress test (medical)
A progress test is a specific form of test mainly used in medical education. The test is offered repeatedly over several academic years (longitudinal measurement).
Reading assignment
For a reading assignment, you instruct your students to read a particular text, such as a book, article or scientific research.
Reflective interview
In a reflective interview, you ask one or more students to look back at an experience or situation, to reflect on what happened and what was learned.
Reflective journal
A reflective journal is a tool that allows students to record their thoughts, feelings and experiences and reflect on their learning.
Research project
A research project is a comprehensive, systematic research activity in which your students independently or in groups investigate and solve a research question.
Research proposal
For the assignment to draw up a research proposal, a student must determine, on the basis of a more or less concretely defined question or problem, what type of research can answer it.
Research report
A research report is a document in which students present and analyse the results of a study. It can be either qualitative or quantitative research and students can use different methods such as interviews, surveys,…
Review / Letter to the Editor
A review is an evaluation or assessment of a product or service, such as a scientific article, book, film, exhibition, or any other type of creative work.
Self reflection (reflection report)
zelfreflectie is een proces waarbij studenten naar binnen kijken en hun eigen gedachten, gevoelens en ervaringen evalueren in verband met hun leerproces.
Skills test, Performance assessment
In a skills assessment, you test the proficiency of your students in a specific subject or field. Usually, it involves a topic or professional situation where the student must address actions according to standardized…
Stakeholder interview
A stakeholder interview is a form of assessment in which students conduct an interview with a person who is a stakeholder related to the topic they are learning about.
Synopsis, Abstract
Since the arrival of ChatGPT, the Summary task form is less suitable.
Systematic review
A systematic review is a method for gathering the best available evidence on a particular subject or question, through a thorough search process with selection criteria, a quality appraisal and a synthesis of the…
Take-home exam
Attention! Generative AI is likely to make this task format much less effective.
Test with closed questions (quiz, partial test, exam)
With a test with closed questions, you can measure knowledge and skills across a broad knowledge domain very well.
Test with open-ended questions (quiz, partial-exam, exam)
An open-ended test is a tool that requires students to provide answers to questions in their own words, without limited choices. This can be either a short or long answer.
Think-pair-share
Students work through a question in three steps: alone, then in pairs, then with the whole group. The silence up front means everyone brings an answer of their own.
Video (Knowledge clip, Documentary)
Having students create a knowledge clip or video as a form of assessment allows you to assess students’ ability on their research skills and to communicate ideas clearly visually and attractively.
Workplace assessment (internships)
A workplace assessment, such as an internship, is a way to evaluate students’ performance and knowledge gained, in a professional context, and how they apply it.