Assessing students’ learning during pandemic: responses to crisis period at Singapore’s higher education institutions

This study presents reflections from accounting lecturers in Singapore on the challenges and opportunities of conducting assessments during the crisis period of COVID-19. We seek to answer the following research question: What were the responses of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Singapore to the pandemic to maintain order in the accounting course assessment? We interviewed ten lecturers representing higher education institutions in Singapore that offer undergraduates and diplomas in accounting. Drawing on chaos theory in crisis management literature, we elaborate our findings thematically in five areas: assessment policies, formative and summative assessments, the role of technology, academic integrity, and addressing students’ problems. Finally, we summarize our findings and conclude with lessons learned regarding accounting assessment in the crisis period.