Integrating Generative AI in Assessment and Feedback in Higher Education in Albania
Abstract
The rapid development of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is transforming assessment and feedback practices in higher education, creating both opportunities and challenges for teaching and learning. This empirical study, situated within Aleksandër Xhuvani University investigates how GenAI is integrated into assessment and feedback practices in higher education. The study investigates 57 educators’ and 128 students’ perceptions, experiences and expectations regarding the use and feedback with the aim of informing evidence-based pedagogical innovation. It seeks to answer five research questions. (1) What GenAI tools are integrated in assessment and feedback activities? (2) What do educators and students need for GenAI integration? (3) How to integrate GenAI tools in pedagogical practice? (4) What are the experienced and desired impacts of GenAI tools? and (5) What are the foreseeable pitfalls of using GenAI tools? Methodologically, the study applies a mixed-method, qualitative exploration through open-ended questions and a quantitative survey based research design administered to higher education educators and students. The findings indicate that currently the most commonly used GenAI tools are large language models and plagiarism detection tools by both groups of respondents. The main reason for using these tools appears to be for research purposes such as essays or scientific papers. The respondents provided almost identical answers regarding the perceived risks of using AI tools and gave valuable information about their needs and the integration of GenAI into higher education institutions. Concerns persist regarding plagiarism, over-dependence on AI-generated content and the absence of clear regulatory frameworks in Albanian universities. The results contribute to Albanian educational research by identifying priority areas for institutional policy development, capacity building, and the design of ethical and inclusive GenAI-supported assessment frameworks. They offer transferable insights for higher education institutions and policymakers seeking to integrate GenAI responsibly and effectively into assessment and feedback practices across Albanian context and beyond.