Enhancing Critical Thinking and ICT Integration Through Authentic Assessment at the University of Eswatini: A Synthesis of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Pedagogical Models
Keywords:
authentic assessment, critical thinking, ICT integration, information processing, language proficiency, higher educationAbstract
Authentic assessment tasks demanding independent reading, collaborative and independent writing, presentation, and reflection promise to enhance critical thinking and deep learning in university-level English language and linguistics. However, skepticism persists regarding the impact of artificial intelligence(AI) in assessments at university level which raise concerns about students’ preparedness in implementing their skills in their professions after graduation. This study aimed to evaluate a pedagogical model integrating ICT tools with authentic assessments to foster critical thinking and deep learning in university-level English linguistics. An experimental design was implemented where undergraduate students completed tasks, including content generation through group collaboration, handwritten submissions and digital presentations using prescribed texts, web searches, and AI outputs. Data from assignments, presentations, and narratives were analyzed using Trumper-Hecht’s (2008) three-dimensional model. Key findings showed that structured tasks like handwritten submissions, slide creation and audio-visual presentations reduced initial overreliance on copied AI/web content and encouraged deeper engagement. However, limitations persisted, as students often integrated irrelevant or superficial web content into final submissions due to insufficient academic reading. Despite this, group work prompted cognitive growth through social negotiation, and those students who actively processed material demonstrated stronger retention and performance tested in monitored tests. The study concludes that while AI aids content generation, well-designed ICT-mediated authentic assessment designed to enhance engagement with content and social interaction with others is crucial for developing critical thinking and linguistic schemata. It recommends integrated curriculum designs that combine ICT tools with collaborative, multi-stage tasks to ensure authentic learning outcomes in assessing language tasks.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Virginia Dlamini-Akintola
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
The Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) license terms are as follows:
License Overview: This license allows you to share and adapt the material for non-commercial purposes only, as long as you give credit to the original author and license your new creations under the identical terms.
Key Terms:
Attribution: You must give credit to the original author, provide a link to the licence, and indicate if changes were made.
NonCommercial: You may not use the material for commercial purposes.
ShareAlike: If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same licence as the original.
Permissions:
- Reproduce and share the licensed material in whole or in part for non-commercial purposes.
- Produce, reproduce, and share adapted material for non-commercial purposes only.
- Exceptions and Limitations: Where exceptions and limitations apply to your use, this licence does not apply, and you do not need to comply with its terms and conditions.
Term: The term of this licence is specified in Section 6(a) of the licence agreement.
