Competency-based assessment with Google Classroom in higher education: A case study in tourism and hotel management

Abstract

In the context of higher education, competency-based assessment represents an ongoing challenge in ensuring the quality of learning. This study analyzes the effectiveness of using the Google Classroom platform as a comprehensive assessment strategy for third-year students in the Tourism and Hotel Management program at UNAN-Managua/CUR-Estelí. Based on the problem identified in the limited use of digital tools to assess competencies, it focuses on the development of specific competencies such as tourism service management and customer service, designing a pedagogical action plan that integrated the use of rubrics, quality indicators, and international standards adapted to the Nicaraguan tourism context. The methodology used was participatory action research, with a qualitative and systematization approach, incorporating the analysis of academic products, automated feedback, teacher observations, and student performance evaluation, as it was applied in one of the curricular components by one of the researchers, who acted as a facilitator, promoting the development of critical awareness and facilitating the assessment of the needs of the students in the aforementioned degree program. The results show improvements in the clarity of evaluation criteria, the acquisition of specific skills, and the design of innovative proposals from the tourism companies studied. Benefits such as process automation, personalized feedback, and increased student motivation were also identified, although limitations in data collection and resistance to change by some users were also noted. It is concluded that the use of Google Classroom, complemented by artificial intelligence tools, promotes a more participatory, flexible, and contextualized assessment, aligned with the development of professional skills. It is recommended to continue its implementation in other degree programs and contexts to validate its effects on the continuous improvement of educational quality.