Rethinking Assessment with Artificial Intelligence: Quality, Equity and Pedagogical Sustainability in Higher Education

Authors

  • Francesco Pio Sarcina Department of Education, Psychology and Communication, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”
  • Michele Baldassarre Department of Education, Psychology and Communication, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61007/QdC.2026.1.407

Keywords:

Formative assessment, Artificial Intelligence, Higher Education, Quality of education, Algorithmic fairness

Abstract

Artificial intelligence is reshaping assessment in higher education, enabling new forms of scoring, feedback, and adaptive assessment while reopening questions of validity, equity, and accountability. This study offers a narrative synthesis of the international literature (2020–2025) on the operational use of AI in assessment and evaluation processes. Organised around opportunities, challenges, and socio-pedagogical implications, the analysis shows that the most robust outcomes emerge when AI is constrained by rubrics, anchored examples, and comparative procedures, under human oversight. At the same time, it highlights transparency and fairness limitations, risks to academic integrity, and trade-offs in AI-based proctoring systems. The paper advances a direction for responsibly integrating AI to strengthen the quality, equity, and sustainability of assessment.

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Published

2026-04-01

How to Cite

Sarcina, F. P., & Baldassarre, M. (2026). Rethinking Assessment with Artificial Intelligence: Quality, Equity and Pedagogical Sustainability in Higher Education. Community Notebook. People, Education and Welfare in the Society 5.0, 1(1), 305–336. https://doi.org/10.61007/QdC.2026.1.407