Perception of Assessment Fairness and Willingness to Exert Academic Effort in Higher Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63688/tmpagz64Keywords:
academic engagement, academic effort, assessment equity, educational assessment, higher educationAbstract
Assessment in higher education provides evidence of learning that motivates students, enables them to self-regulate, and makes them more willing to invest effort in learning and academic tasks, particularly when assessments are perceived as fair and aligned with intended learning outcomes. Objective: To evaluate the association between perceived assessment fairness and academic effort among university students, as well as to measure the level of the variable. Methodology: The study was quantitative in nature, using a non-experimental, cross-sectional correlational design. Likert-type questionnaires were administered to a sample of 119 higher education students. Results: Perceived assessment fairness had a mean score of 36.29 (SD = 8.36), while academic effort had a mean score of 36.20 (SD = 8.51), placing both variables at a moderate level. Perceived assessment fairness and willingness to exert academic effort showed a very strong and statistically significant positive relationship (r = 0.860; p < 0.001). Assessment fairness was also positively correlated with the various facets of academic effort (r = 0.728 to r = 0.815), with grading approach and grading transparency and justification showing the strongest associations. Conclusion: Assessment fairness is one of the most significant factors in improving sustained effort and the quality of learning in higher education.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Roberto Antonio Muñoz Velez, Luis Alberto Villegas Yagual, Jorge Vinicio Gualoto Ruiz, Cecibel Monserrate Tenelema Delgado, Ignacio Isaac Armas Vallejo (Autor/a)
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