Strengthening theoretical assessment design in nursing education: Advancing SDG 4

Article type: Research Article

Keywords: Bloom’s Taxonomy, competency-based assessment, moderation, nursing education, theoretical assessment, SDG 4

Authors: Gabieba Donough ⚬, Katlego Mthimunye ⚬, Felicity Daniels ⚬

Affiliations: Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa

License: © 2025. The Authors CC BY 4.0 Licensee: AOSIS. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License.

Article links: DOI: 10.4102/hsag.v30i0.3061  |  PubMed: 40936644  |  PMC: PMC12421558

Relevance: Moderate: mentioned 3+ times in text

Full text: PDF (588 KB)

Introduction

Quality nursing education is essential for developing clinical competency, ensuring that graduates can make informed decisions that directly impact patient care and safety (Falcó-Pegueroles et al. ref. 2021). Theoretical assessments are crucial in evaluating students’ knowledge application, critical thinking and decision-making skills, which are fundamental to professional readiness in clinical settings (SAQA ref. 2022). However, current assessment practices often rely on recall-based questions, limiting students’ ability to engage in higher-order cognitive processes such as clinical reasoning and decision-making (Dos Reis et al. ref. 2022; Fayilane ref. 2017). Studies indicate that misaligned and poorly designed assessments contribute to inconsistent competency outcomes among nursing graduates, which can have long-term effects on healthcare delivery and patient outcomes (Donough ref. 2023; Dos Reis et al. ref. 2022; Ilhami ref. 2024). Addressing these challenges through fair, competency-based and transparent assessment practices is crucial to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which advocates for quality education and lifelong learning opportunities (Sorooshian ref. 2024).

Despite the importance of competency-based assessments, research highlights a gap in alignment between assessment practices and National Qualification Framework (NQF) standards, leading to unfair and unreliable assessments (Mokwele & Chetty ref. 2022; SAQA ref. 2022). While these studies emphasise the need for higher-order cognitive engagement, many assessments still over-rely on rote memorisation, failing to measure students’ readiness for clinical environments adequately (Falcó-Pegueroles et al. ref. 2021). In addition, moderation processes are inconsistently implemented, resulting in disparities in assessment fairness across institutions (Hecker et al. ref. 2024). This study fills this gap by exploring how theoretical assessments in nursing education are designed, their impact on student learning and their alignment with SDG 4 and competency-based assessment practices.

This study is grounded in constructive alignment theory (Biggs ref. 1996) and Bloom’s Taxonomy (Bloom ref. 1956), both essential for structuring competency-based assessments. Constructive alignment theory posits that assessments should be intentionally aligned with learning outcomes and teaching strategies to ensure meaningful learning. In nursing education, misaligned assessments hinder the transition from theoretical knowledge to clinical competency, affecting graduate readiness for professional practice. Bloom’s Taxonomy provides a framework for categorising cognitive learning objectives, emphasising the progression from basic recall to higher-order thinking skills, which are critical for nursing students to develop clinical reasoning, problem-solving abilities and clinical competency. Competency-based assessments are designed to develop clinical reasoning and decision-making skills rather than simply testing rote memorisation (Falcó-Pegueroles et al. ref. 2021). Integrating these frameworks allows for a structured analysis of assessment design, cognitive demand and alignment with competency-based assessment practices to support SDG 4’s commitment to quality education and improve graduate clinical readiness.

Aim

This study explores theoretical assessment design in nursing education, evaluating its alignment with NQF standards, competency-based assessments and Sustainable Development Goal 4.

Research methods and design

This study employed a multimethod research design, integrating both qualitative and quantitative approaches for data collection, analysis and interpretation (Creswell & Creswell ref. 2017). This approach ensured methodological rigour, enhancing the validity and reliability of findings while providing a comprehensive understanding of theoretical assessment practices in nursing education.

Setting

The study was conducted at a South African nursing school, focusing on undergraduate students enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing (BN) programme. This programme consists of two tracks: the 4-year mainstream BN programme and the 5-year Extended Curriculum Programme (ECP). The academic year levels are structured according to the NQF standards, ensuring competency progression aligned with national educational policies. Students were categorised as follows:

NQF Level 5: First-year students in ECP/BN1

NQF Level 6: Second-year students (BN2)

NQF Level 7: Third-year students (BN3)

NQF Level 8: Fourth-year students (BN4)

Study population and sampling

The study population included nursing educators, moderation reports, literature on theoretical assessment design and nursing students.

Nursing educators were purposively selected based on their expertise in assessment design, undergraduate teaching and curriculum development. To ensure representation across different academic levels, educators from each NQF level were included. In-depth interviews continued until data saturation was reached, resulting in nine nursing educators participating in in-depth interviews (Braun & Clarke ref. 2021). This approach ensured a deeper understanding of assessment practices across all levels of undergraduate nursing education.

For the document review, internal and external moderation reports from the Bachelor of Nursing R425 undergraduate programme (2015–2019) were purposively sampled for relevance to assessment alignment and fairness. This timeframe aligned with the final intake of students for the R425 programme before its national phase-out in 2019 (SANC ref. 2021). Only nursing modules with completed final theoretical assessment moderation were considered, and reports had to provide assessment feedback on alignment, fairness and competency to meet inclusion criteria. Incomplete reports and clinical assessment reports were excluded. Of the 150 collected reports covering 18 nursing modules, 70 met the inclusion criteria, comprising 22 internal and 48 external moderation reports.

A scoping review was conducted to explore the literature on theoretical assessment design by educators, following PRISMA guidelines to ensure transparency and rigour. The review was guided by Arksey and O’Malley (ref. 2005) five-stage framework, which included the following stages:

1. Determining the following research question: ‘what are the literature on theoretical assessment practices by educators’ to define the focus of the review.
2. Identifying relevant studies by conducting a systematic search to find articles related to the research question. Databases such as Education Resource Information Centre (ERIC), Ebsco Host and Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) were accessed through library services.
3. Performing study selection through screening studies based on predefined inclusion criteria, that is, studies on theoretical assessment design by educators.
4. Charting the data by extracting key information from the selected studies. A systematic search initially retrieved 1015 articles, which were subsequently narrowed down to 12 relevant studies from 11 international countries.
5. Collating, summarising and reporting the results by analysing and synthesising the findings to highlight trends and gaps in the literature.

A survey was conducted among 302 undergraduate nursing students across all academic levels, achieving a 100% response rate. The participants were selected based on their experience with writing final exams, as this was crucial for gathering relevant insights into their assessment experiences. Because the final exams undergo moderation, including only students who had written them ensured a more accurate evaluation of assessment practices. Postgraduate students were excluded to maintain focus on the undergraduate assessment experience. Participants were from the following academic levels: ECP/BN1 (n = 77), BN2 (n = 75), BN3 (n = 68) and BN4 (n = 82).

Data collection

After ethical approval, a pretesting phase was conducted for each data source to assess the clarity of research questions, the effectiveness of data collection tools and the feasibility of data management procedures. Based on insights gained from the pretesting, modifications were made to the instruments to enhance accuracy, reliability and consistency in data collection.

In-depth interviews were conducted with nine purposively selected nursing educators to explore their experiences with theoretical assessment design. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, which provided flexibility while ensuring consistency across participants. All interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed to identify recurring patterns and themes related to assessment alignment, fairness and competency development.

A document review was conducted to examine internal and external moderation reports of final theoretical assessments. Moderation reports from 2015 to 2019 were obtained in both electronic and hard copy formats through the administrator from the selected institution under study. These reports were reviewed to assess alignment with learning outcomes, cognitive demand and quality assurance practices in nursing education.

A scoping review was conducted, and a three-stage screening process was followed by using data extraction tools. The Title Reading and Extraction Tool (TRET), Donough, ref. 2023, identified relevant articles based on titles. The Abstract Reading and Extraction Tool (ARET) further refined the selection, retaining the articles for full-text screening. The data extraction tool (DET) facilitated a detailed analysis of study type, participants, instruments and findings. A manual search of reference lists yielded additional sources, leading to a final inclusion of 12 relevant articles. The studies originated from 11 countries: Australia (n = 1), Canada (n = 1), Chile (n = 1), Iran (n = 1), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) (n = 1), New Zealand (n = 1), Norway (n = 1), Spain (n = 1), Sudan (n = 1), the United Kingdom (n = 1) and the United States (n = 2) (Donough, Daniels & Mthimunye ref. 2022).

The student survey used the Assessment Experience Questionnaire (AEQ) 5.1, originally developed by Gibbs and Simpson (ref. 2003) and later revised by Batten, Jessop and Birch (ref. 2019). This standardised questionnaire, designed to assess student experiences of assessments within their academic programme, employs a five-point Likert scale ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree. Permission to use the AEQ for this study was obtained from the respective authors. The questionnaire is structured into two sections: Section A collects demographic data through six closed-ended questions, while Section B focuses on students’ experiences with assessments, using Likert-scale statements to capture their perspectives. The AEQ has demonstrated high reliability, with an original Cronbach’s alpha coefficient exceeding 0.80 (Batten et al. ref. 2019), ensuring the consistency and validity of responses.

Data analysis

Thematic analysis was applied to qualitative data, identifying recurring patterns related to assessment alignment, fairness and competency development (Braun & Clarke ref. 2021). Descriptive statistics summarised student survey responses, detailing demographic variables and assessment experiences. Inferential statistics included the Kruskal–Wallis test to examine differences in student experiences across academic levels, and the Pearson’s Chi-square test to assess group differences related to assessment challenges. These analyses ensured statistical rigour and validity.

Triangulated results

To strengthen the validity and reliability of the findings, triangulation was employed by integrating multiple data sources (Kawar et al. ref. 2024): educator in-depth interviews, moderation reports, the scoping review and student survey. This approach provided a comprehensive interpretation of theoretical assessment practices in nursing education by capturing diverse perspectives. Synthesising these qualitative and quantitative insights offered a deeper understanding of assessment challenges and highlighted the urgent need for structured assessment reforms aligned with SDG 4 and competency-based assessments.

Measures of trustworthiness, reliability and validity

This study ensured rigour through established principles of trustworthiness for qualitative data and reliability and validity for quantitative components (Creswell & Creswell ref. 2017). Data triangulation across educator interviews, moderation reports, the scoping review and the student survey enhanced credibility and strengthened methodological robustness.

Trustworthiness was established by enhancing credibility through triangulation and member checking, enabling participants to verify transcripts and interpretations. Transferability was supported by providing detailed descriptions of the study context and participant selection. Dependability was ensured through an audit trail documenting key research decisions, while confirmability was maintained through researcher reflexivity to limit bias.

For the quantitative data, pilot testing refined the student survey’s clarity and content validity. Internal consistency was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha, and construct validity was established by aligning survey items with existing literature. Statistical tests, including the Kruskal–Wallis and Pearson’s Chi-square, ensured analytical rigour and precision.

Together, these strategies reinforced the study’s credibility, dependability and relevance, ensuring robust findings that inform quality learning and support SDG 4 in nursing education.

Ethical considerations

Ethical approval was obtained from the Human Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee (Reference: HS20/8/19). Institutional permission was granted, and all participants provided written consent (Creswell & Creswell ref. 2017). Data were anonymised and securely stored according to institutional guidelines.

Results

The study employed a multimethod approach, integrating qualitative and quantitative data to comprehensively explore theoretical assessments in nursing education. Insights were drawn from in-depth interviews with educators, moderation reports, a scoping review of literature and a student survey, each providing a distinct perspective on quality theoretical assessments. By triangulating these findings, a holistic analysis was achieved, ensuring a nuanced interpretation of assessment design. Four themes emerged from different data sources. To facilitate interpretation, Table 1 systematically presents how each data source contributed to the themes identified.

The role of Bloom’s taxonomy in effective assessment design

The finding from in-depth interviews with nurse educators revealed that while Bloom’s Taxonomy is used to scaffold assessments, there is a strong reliance on lower-order cognitive domains such as recall and comprehension. This approach limits students’ development of critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills essential for practice readiness. Moderation reports confirmed that assessments predominantly test lower-order thinking, with comments such as ‘Level of questions is primarily based on understanding’. The scoping review of literature corroborated these findings, highlighting a trend where assessments emphasise memorisation over critical engagement (Abdalla ref. 2013; Killingsworth et al. ref. 2015). Although students did not explicitly reference Bloom’s Taxonomy, survey results showed that older students demonstrated deeper engagement with assessment preparation, suggesting a link between cognitive maturity and learning approach. These findings highlight the need for a more balanced use of Bloom’s levels, with greater emphasis on higher-order thinking to support competency development.

Alignment with learning outcomes, National Qualification Framework standards and quality assurance

Interviews with educators demonstrated awareness of the need to align assessments with NQF levels and learning outcomes, as illustrated by one educator stating, ‘Your NQF level … you also need to take into consideration when designing assessments’. However, document reviews of moderation reports identified inconsistencies, such as a lack of assessment for all specific outcomes within modules, leading to disparities in cognitive demand and fairness. The scoping review reinforced the importance of constructive alignment to uphold assessment standards (Killingsworth et al. ref. 2015). Although students did not directly reference NQF alignment, variability in assessment difficulty reported in the survey indicates inconsistencies in cognitive expectations. These findings point to the need for standardised, competency-aligned assessment frameworks and robust moderation processes to ensure fairness and quality assurance in nursing education.

Challenges in assessment design and educator preparedness

Educators reported time constraints, workload pressures and insufficient training as major barriers to effective assessment design, with one noting, ‘… the one thing that is sometimes difficult is that you’re always under such a lot of pressure in setting your papers …’. Moderation reports echoed these challenges, highlighting issues such as unclear question structures and marking inconsistencies: ‘If you really want the students to discuss this issue, four marks are not enough’. The scoping review highlighted the need for clear guidelines and training to build assessment capacity among educators (Killingsworth et al. ref. 2015; Meyer et al. ref. 2010). Student survey findings, while not directly referencing educator preparedness, reflected these gaps through reports of inconsistent marking and unclear instructions. These results collectively highlight the need for structured professional development and support systems to enhance educators’ ability to design fair, competency-based assessments.

Language barriers and technical issues in assessment design

Language-related challenges were evident in educator interviews, with one participant observing, ‘Language plays a big role … I have a better understanding of many things in my own mother tongue’. Moderation reports identified similar issues, pointing to unclear phrasing, typographical errors and questions requiring rewording. The scoping review supports the importance of clear, accessible language in assessments, particularly in multilingual contexts (Norton et al. ref. 2013). Student survey data revealed that 59.3% of respondents’ first language is not English, and many reported struggling with unclear or ambiguous questions, which may hinder their ability to demonstrate knowledge and apply critical thinking in clinical scenarios. These findings highlight the need for assessments to be written in clear, simple and straightforward language that is free from ambiguity and complex phrasing.

Discussion

This study highlights critical challenges in theoretical assessment design in nursing education, including over-reliance on lower-order cognitive assessments, misalignment with national standards and moderation, inadequate educator training and language barriers. The triangulation of data sources, including educator interviews, moderation reports, the scoping review and the student survey, revealed systemic gaps in quality theoretical assessment practices that undermine the goals of SDG 4 (Sorooshian ref. 2024): equitable, quality education that equips students with the knowledge, skills and critical thinking required for professional nursing practice.

One of the main problems identified is the over-reliance on lower-order cognitive questions in theoretical assessments. This study highlights how theoretical assessment design practices, while informed by a taxonomy like Bloom’s Taxonomy, remain constrained by an over-reliance on lower-order questions. As a result, assessments risk measuring rote knowledge rather than clinical application, undermining the goals of competency-based assessments and limiting students’ ability to demonstrate readiness for professional practice. Tai, Ajjawi and Umarova (ref. 2024) and Boyer and Chickering (ref. 2024) explained that competency-based assessments in nursing require assessments that foster higher-order cognitive skills, such as clinical reasoning, problem solving and decision-making. Without intentional design that scaffolds learning beyond recall and comprehension, students may develop fragmented knowledge rather than integrated competencies essential for safe patient care (Biggs, Tang & Kennedy ref. 2022; Ergashevich ref. 2024; Govindasamy & Kwe ref. 2020). Strengthening theoretical assessment design to integrate competency-based assessments ensures graduates can apply critical thinking and clinical reasoning in professional practice. Advancing structured, competency-based assessments in nursing education supports SDG 4 by fostering equitable, quality education that prepares students for complex healthcare challenges.

Another critical issue in theoretical assessment design is the misalignment with NQF standards and intended learning outcomes. While constructive alignment is widely recognised in educational literature as a key principle for ensuring fair and meaningful assessment (Biggs & Tang ref. 2015; Hecker et al. ref. 2024), this study revealed that theoretical assessment design often fails to adequately reflect expected cognitive levels and competencies. Misalignment results in disparities in cognitive demand, which either under-challenges students or sets unrealistic expectations for demonstrating clinical reasoning and problem-solving abilities. This variability compromises the fairness and reliability of competency-based assessments, contributing to inconsistent graduate outcomes across institutions (Hecker et al. ref. 2024; Irenka & Ireland ref. 2021; Villarroel et al. ref. 2024). Without aligning the NQF standards and expected outcomes, students’ risk being inadequately prepared for clinical practice. Educators must prioritise alignment between learning outcomes, NQF standards and assessments to ensure that nursing graduates achieve the competencies necessary for professional readiness. Ensuring that the principles of assessments are maintained and implementing clear policies can reinforce fairness, transparency and effective assessment practices that support the goals of SDG 4 for quality, equitable education.

A persistent challenge in nursing education is the lack of educator preparedness in designing quality assessments. Despite the critical role of assessment in shaping learning outcomes, many nursing educators face significant barriers, including workload pressures, limited time for quality assessment design and insufficient training in assessment literacy (Abou Hashish, Alnajjar & Rawas ref. 2025; Griffiths et al. ref. 2020). This study revealed that without structured training and institutional support, educators may rely on traditional, lower-order questions that fail to assess critical thinking, clinical reasoning or professional decision-making abilities. Structured training programmes are essential for equipping educators with the skills to design robust, quality assessments that reflect real-world clinical demands (Chizengo-Thawani & Shawa ref. 2022; Villarroel et al. ref. 2024). Addressing these gaps is crucial for ensuring that theoretical assessments accurately measure the competencies necessary for safe and effective nursing practice. Higher education institutions (HEIs) must invest in ongoing professional development, mentorship programmes and curriculum-aligned assessment workshops to empower educators in designing fair, transparent and competency-based assessments (Chukwu et al. ref. 2024). Strengthening educator capacity is integral to advancing competency-based assessments in nursing education and aligning with SDG 4’s call for inclusive, equitable and quality education for all.

Language and technical barriers in theoretical assessment design present a significant obstacle to fair and accurate quality assessment in nursing education. In multilingual contexts such as South Africa (Khoza-Shangase & Kalenga ref. 2024), where English is the primary language of instruction at the institution in this study, students learning in a language other than their mother tongue may struggle to comprehend complex or ambiguously worded assessment questions. This study highlights how language challenges not only impact students’ theoretical assessment performance but also hinder their ability to apply knowledge in clinical settings, where accurate interpretation and communication are critical for patient safety. Ambiguous phrasing, typographical errors and unclear instructions further exacerbate these issues, creating inequities in student performance and disadvantaging those who require clearer language scaffolding (Arslan et al. ref. 2024; Oliinyk et al. ref. 2024). Arslan et al. (ref. 2024) and Bostrom (ref. 2020) highlight the importance of culturally responsive and linguistically inclusive assessments (that is clear and simple) in supporting equitable learning and competency demonstration. Institutions must implement structured assessment review processes to ensure clarity, inclusivity and accessibility of theoretical assessments. Addressing language barriers is not only a matter of fairness but also a crucial step in enhancing the validity and reliability of quality assessments. Strengthening linguistically inclusive assessment design will support students’ ability to demonstrate clinical reasoning and critical thinking skills, contributing to the achievement of SDG 4 and equitable, quality education in nursing.

Limitation

While this study provides valuable insights into theoretical assessment practices in nursing education, its findings are context specific and reflect practices within a single institution. Future research should conduct larger-scale, cross-institutional comparisons to validate and expand upon these findings, ensuring greater relevance and applicability to diverse nursing education systems.

Recommendations

• Institutions should establish ongoing professional development programmes to equip educators with the skills to design fair, transparent and competency-based assessments that promote higher-order thinking, clinical reasoning and decision-making.
• Institutions must establish clear, standardised moderation frameworks that ensure assessments align with NQF standards, reduce disparities in cognitive demand and uphold fairness and reliability across academic levels.
• Institutions should integrate a structured technical review process to ensure assessment questions are clear, accessible and free of language barriers that may disadvantage students from diverse linguistic backgrounds.

These recommendations will enhance the quality and fairness of theoretical assessment design in nursing education, strengthen educator capacity, and ensure that nursing graduates are well prepared to meet professional standards and contribute meaningfully to the healthcare system in alignment with SDG 4.

Conclusion

This study offers comprehensive insights into the challenges of designing theoretical assessments in nursing education. It highlights the need for fair, transparent and quality theoretical assessment design in nursing education to advance SDG 4 and professional competency development. Findings reveal that while Bloom’s Taxonomy is valuable for designing theoretical assessments, excessive reliance on recall-based questions limits critical thinking and clinical reasoning. In addition, misalignment with NQF standards, variability in the application of moderation feedback, inadequate educator training and language barriers compromise assessment fairness and student preparedness for clinical practice. Although moderation processes are intended to improve assessment quality, the findings indicate that their effectiveness depends on how consistently feedback is implemented and how well moderation practices are standardised. Strengthening educator training in quality theoretical assessment design, reinforcing effective moderation practices and ensuring accessible and well-structured assessments are essential steps towards reform. By aligning assessment frameworks with education standards, HEIs can enhance assessment reliability, graduate readiness and equitable learning, ensuring that nursing graduates are well equipped for clinical practice and lifelong professional growth.

References

1. Multiple choice questions revisited: Improvement of validity for fair tests’,. Gezira Journal of Health Sciences, 2013
2. Voices on academic accreditation: Lived experiences of nurse educators, administrators, students, and alumni in nursing education’,. BMC Medical Education, 2025. [DOI | PubMed]
3. Scoping studies: Towards a methodological framework’,. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 2005. [DOI]
4. Exploring the influence of language on cultural identity: A comparative linguistic and literary analysis’,. Harf-o-Sukhan, 2024
5. Doing what it says on the tin? A psychometric evaluation of the Assessment Experience Questionnaire’,. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 2019. [DOI]
6. Enhancing teaching through constructive alignment’,. Higher Education, 1996. [DOI]
7. Biggs, J. & Tang, C., 2015, ‘Constructive alignment: An outcomes-based approach to teaching anatomy’, in L. Chan & W. Pawlina (eds.), Teaching anatomy, Springer, Cham.
8. Biggs, J., Tang, C. & Kennedy, G., 2022, Teaching for quality learning at university, McGraw-Hill Education (UK), Maidenhead.
9. Bloom, B., 1956, Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals, Longmans, Green.
10. Culturally valid assessment of the alphabetic principle for early elementary Hmong Students Learning English’,. Doctoral dissertation,, 2020
11. Boyer, S. & Chickering, M., 2024, ‘Perspective chapter: Clinical competency framework–standardized nurse competence development’, in L. David (ed.), Nursing studies – A path to success, IntechOpen, Rijeka.
12. To saturate or not to saturate? Questioning data saturation as a useful concept for thematic analysis and sample-size rationales’,. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 2021. [DOI]
13. Institutional organisation of distance secondary school teacher training in Malawi’,. International Journal of African Higher Education, 2022. [DOI]
14. Understanding the training, mentorship, and professional development priorities of early career embedded researchers’,. The International Journal of Health Planning and Management, 2024. [DOI | PubMed]
15. Creswell, J.W. & Creswell, J.D., 2017, Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches, 5th edn., Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA.
16. Nursing students’ experiences of clinical assessment at a university in South Africa’,. Health SA Gesondheid, 2023. [DOI | PubMed]
17. Designing theoretical assessments at nursing higher education institutions: A scoping review’,. South African Journal of Higher Education, 2022. [DOI]
18. Exploring the alignment of first-year summative assessments with Bloom’s Taxonomy: A longitudinal study’,. South African Journal of Higher Education, 2022. [DOI]
19. The role of Bloom’s taxonomy in determining pedagogical objectives in the process of educational lessons’,. American Journal of Language, Literacy and Learning in STEM Education (2993–2769), 2024
20. Critical thinking in nursing clinical practice, education and research: From attitudes to virtue’,. Nursing Philosophy, 2021. [DOI | PubMed]
21. Fayilane, N.I., 2017, ‘Analysing cognitive levels of final examination questions for the Diploma Nursing programme using the revised bloom’s taxonomy at a selected nursing college in Eastern Cape’, Master’s, University of KwaZulu-Natal.
22. Gibbs, G. & Simpson, C., 2003, ‘Measuring the response of students to assessment: The assessment experience questionnaire’, in 11th improving student learning symposium, November 2003, pp. 1–12, Birmingham, UK, Oxford Centre for Staff Development, Oxford.
23. Scaffolding problem solving in teaching and learning the DPACE Model-A design thinking approach’,. Research in Social Sciences and Technology, 2020. [DOI]
24. Nursing workload, nurse staffing methodologies and tools: A systematic scoping review and discussion’,. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 2020. [DOI | PubMed]
25. Hecker, K., Danielson, J., Van Der Vleuten, C. & Bok, H., 2024, Constructive alignment and programmatic assessment, Wiley-Blackwell, s.l.
26. Evaluation of the goals and objects of assessment of aspects of student learning through bloom’s taxonomy’,. International Journal of Health, Economics, and Social Sciences (IJHESS), 2024
27. Principles for minimizing errors in examination papers and other educational assessment instruments’,. International Journal of Assessment Tools in Education, 2021. [DOI]
28. Quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, and triangulation research simplified’,. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 2024. [DOI | PubMed]
29. English Additional Language undergraduate students’ engagement with the academic content in their curriculum in a South African speech-language and hearing training program’,. Frontiers in Education, 2024. [DOI]
30. What goes into a decision? How nursing faculty decide which best practices to use for classroom testing’,. Nursing Education Perspectives, 2015. [DOI | PubMed]
31. An investigation of tertiary assessment policy and practice: Alignment and contradictions’,. Higher Education Quarterly, 2010. [DOI]
32. Mokwele, M.T. & Chetty, Y., 2022, An exploratory benchmarking review of professional bodies in National Qualifications Framework (NQF) systems, South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), Pretoria.
33. Revitalising assessment design: What is holding new lecturers back?’,. Higher Education, 2013. [DOI]
34. The impact of multilingual education on developing communication skills for university students within foreign language learning’,. Traduction et Langues, 2024. [DOI]
35. SANC, 2021, Factual information on R425 registered nurse, R174 professional nurse and midwife, and R171 general nurse, South African Nursing Council, viewed 21 January 2025, from https://www.sanc.co.za/2020/05/25/factual-informaton-on-r425-registered-nurse-r174-professional-nurse-and-midwife-and-r171-general-nurse/.
36. SAQA, 2022, Policy and criteria for the registration of qualifications and part-qualifications on the national qualifications framework (As amended, 2022), viewed 21 January 2025, from https://www.saqa.org.za/services/registration-of-qualifications/.
37. The sustainable development goals of the United Nations: A comparative midterm research review’,. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2024. [DOI]
38. How do students experience inclusive assessment? A critical review of contemporary literature’,. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 2024. [DOI]
39. Authentic assessment training for university teachers’,. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 2024. [DOI]