Description
Higher education has struggled to meet the needs of student diversity in relation to assessment (McArthur, 2016), to such an extent that exclusion is described as ‘deeply woven into [it’s] fabric’ (Nieminen, 2024, p.842). Approaches to mitigate these challenges have frequently focused on accommodations, such as extra time for students with learning support plans. However, Dolmage describes such strategies as promoting ableism, as assessments remain designed for a certain ideal of a normal, able student (in Nieminen, 2024), with additional considerations offered for those who do not ‘fit’ this type. Whilst many institutions promote inclusive learning and teaching pedagogies, which advocate for the design of assessments to be inclusive for all students, this often includes offering choice of mode of assessment, rather than using a range of other strategies (Nieminen, 2024).In this session, we discuss the strengths and challenges of a number of practical approaches to creating more inclusive assessment experiences for students, which have been trialled at Brighton this semester. These approaches have been devised from the outcomes of research conducted as part of a QAA and Universities Alliance funded project. Working with staff partners in the Schools of Art and Media, Sport and Health Sciences, Architecture, Technology and Engineering, and Humanities and Social Sciences we have looked more broadly than assessment type, to include ways to develop students’ assessment literacy, feedback literacy and academic skill development. The session will use outcomes from staff and student interviews, to provide insights into the effectiveness of these strategies.
| Period | 12 Jul 2024 |
|---|---|
| Event title | University of Brighton Education and Student Experience Conference |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Brighton Show on map |
| Degree of Recognition | Local |