Educator–GenAI Partnership Model for Assessment Design to Foster Higher-Order Thinking

The rise of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is creating new opportunities for assessment design in universities, particularly in subjects that emphasize analytical and creative skills. This paper introduces the Educator–GenAI Partnership Model, an iterative five-stage model that helps educators create assessments that foster higher-order thinking (HOT). The model is grounded in constructive alignment and Bloom’s taxonomy, with a central emphasis on preserving human oversight to ensure educators retain control over assessment validity, academic integrity, and the ethical use of AI. The model maps out the unique strengths and responsibilities of both educators and GenAI, showing how each plays a distinct role in the assessment design process. It illustrates how GenAI can support the rapid generation of assessment tasks and marking rubrics, while positioning educators as critical decision-makers who only review, adapt, and iteratively refine AI-generated outputs to ensure alignment with higher-order learning outcomes. Overall, this paper presents a structured and practical model for utilizing GenAI responsibly in assessment design, thereby strengthening academic rigor while enhancing efficiency for educators.