Dr. Tobias Halbherr
was a part-time doctoral student at the Professorship for Learning Sciences and Higher Education of ETH Zurich from March 2017 until November 2020. In his research, he investigated assessment validity and assessment-driven learning in the context of computer-based assessments, comparing resource-mediated task environments where students interacted with authentic disciplinary software – such as a programming environment – with resource-dissociated environments where students had no access to such software tools. Furthermore, he conducted a large-scale evaluation study of examination practice at ETH Zurich and developed a method for the investigation of assessment validity by means of controlled in-class experiments.
Tobias earned a lic. phil. (MSc) in Psychology at the University of Zurich, with an emphasis on cognitive psychology and minors in Computer Science and Psychopathology. At the University of Zurich, he conducted research on computer-adaptive assessment and learning for human aviation security X-ray baggage screeners. Since 2012, he is specialist for examinations at Educational Development and Technology (LET) of ETH Zurich. Here he has been responsible for the development and scale-up of ETH Zurich’s online examinations service. He successfully institutionalized a vision of computer-based examinations in service of improved pedagogy by enabling more authentic disciplinary working environments for summative examinations. After defending his PhD, Tobias returned to LET full-time, to focus on designing and implementing new innovative applications in technology-mediated assessment. Tobias has taught various faculty development courses and authored good-practice guidelines on the topic of assessment, examinations, and educational technology. He is involved in multiple national and international networks on computer-based assessment as coordinator, participant, or in a consultant role.