NAVIGATING THE SHIFT FROM TESTING TO TRACKING: A QUALITATIVE INQUIRY INTO TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVES ON INTEGRATED LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT IN PAKISTANI HIGHER EDUCATION

Abstract

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan has also ordered structural changes
similar to the world changing paradigm of higher education from summative “testing” to continuous
“tracking” through the implementation of semester system. But little research has been done on the
pedagogical realities of teachers in this transition. This qualitative phenomenological study was
conducted to gain insight into the experiences, perceptions, and issues of university educators who use
integrated learning and assessments. Purposive sampling was used and in-depth semi-structured
interviews were carried out with 14 faculty members from public and private universities in Pakistan.
A reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The results indicated four main themes
namely: (a) high conceptual dissonance in which tracking is seen as frequent summative testing; (b)
recognized pedagogical affordances of tracking as it is implemented; (c) overwhelming logistical
burden on implementing continuous assessment in large overcrowded classes; and (d) inflexible
systemic barriers with no institutional support. The result of the study is that at present changing testing
to tracking in Pakistan is a matter of compliance rather than a real pedagogical change. In order to
initiate a real reform of education, university leadership has to focus on capacity development,
reorganisation of workloads of faculty members and focused professional development.