This article presents data from a Master's thesis in Education - Specialization in Evaluation. It aimed at investigating students' perceptions on assessment in the context of higher education. The main goal is to get to know higher education students' views of assessment, particularly in regard to methods of assessment most used in higher education and the relationship between assessment and learning taking the perspective of students. Data were collected through a questionnaire to 3rd year undergraduate students in different programmes (Education, Engineering, Medicine, Basic Education and Psychology) at the University of Minho. In total, 254 students participated in the study. Findings suggest that the key aspects that students associate with assessment are learning, exams, verification of knowledge and marks. Data also reveal that conflict, fear and imposition are the aspects that students associate less with assessment. In regard to assessment methods, oral presentations in group, tests and group reports are the most used ones according to students. Faculty used less frequently methods such as individual essay, group essay and oral tests, which points to the use of rather collective methods in detriment to individual ones. This paper also discusses traditional versus alternative methods in terms of efficacy according to students' perspective and their implications.
Assessment; Learning; Higher education
