OBJECTIVES: This narrative review presents an Assessment Overload Framework for defining and understanding forms of assessment excess and its impact on students, faculty, administrators, and staff. FINDINGS: Assessment overload is a complex, multi-layered challenge which contributes to curricular overload. A metaphor is used to enhance understanding of this complexity. Four dimensions of assessment overload are introduced, including perceived overload, planned overload, imbalance, and expansion. To aid in identifying the type of overload and possible actions, each dimension's driving forces and management strategies are provided, along with examples for each dimension. Assessment of, for and as learning are discussed as contributing to assessment overload. To help with diagnosing and reducing overload, the People-Process-Product Framework is examined and strategies for re-balancing assessment are aligned with it. SUMMARY: Systematic review of assessment practices at the course, program, and institutional levels can help identify redundancies, enhance efficiency, and help prioritize high-impact assessment practices. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution to assessment overload, intentional approaches can help reduce burden and foster sustainable assessment practices.
Vellurattil et al. (Fri,) studied this question.