Designing Inclusive Assessment and Feedback: Empowering all students

Context

The imperative for inclusive assessment design in higher education (HE) is closely tied to the requirements of the Equality Act 2010, which mandates anticipatory approaches that reduce barriers to participation. Contemporary scholarship emphasises that inclusive, universally-designed assessment benefits all students while addressing the needs of diverse cohorts, through embedding a variety of accessible assessment methods, alongside feedback practices that are timely, dialogic, and developmental (Tai et al., 2019). We also have a legal responsibility to make reasonable adjustments to assessments for disabled students, although we are not expected to compromise competence standards.  

Inclusive assessment is a transformative approach to equitable pedagogy. A key aspect of inclusive assessment is student agency. Incorporating choice enables learners to demonstrate knowledge in ways that align with their strengths and cultures. Furthermore, developing students’ assessment literacy and positioning them as partners in feedback processes enhances engagement and transparency, supporting deeper learning (Tai et al., 2019).  

However, assessment is not a neutral practice. As Hanesworth et al. (2019) argue, it is socially constructed, reflecting historically privileged values such as rationality, objectivity, and written expression, which can disadvantage students whose cultural or educational backgrounds do not align. From a Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (CSP) perspective, assessment designers must critically interrogate whose knowledge is valued and how it is evaluated. Given that assessment is shaped by educators’ own socio-cultural contexts and biases, inclusive design requires ongoing reflection. 

Implementation

Inclusive approaches to assessment can be applied at all levels, whether simple checking of achievement of learning outcomes during in-class activities, or for formative submissions, or summative pieces.  

One student commented: ‘I would recommend that lecturers make the link between assessments and learning outcomes clear… Even just taking a bit of time to walk them through the marking criteria and showing an example or two of what “good” looks like can go a long way.’ 

One staff member explains his approaches: Dr Aled W Davies from the Department of Civil Engineering, offered students the freedom to choose how they evidenced their knowledge and understanding, in a 120+ student Level 6 problem-based coursework module. He believes that this helped to create a more inclusive, caring and motivational learning environment.  

Reflections / What’s next?

Consider these prompts from the Inclusive Education Enhancement Model 

Do: 

• Modules provide learning activities and formative assessments that build students’ skills and understanding in the discipline ready for summative assessments? 

• Module team(s) design and review assessments to ensure no obvious barriers to learning are created for groups of students? 

• Assignment briefs, criteria and guidance are well designed, and all students are clear of the requirements and understand expectations of a high grade? 

• Modules have alternative assessments planned from the outset providing assessment criteria and eligibility to all students? 

• Module teams agree a feedback strategy and terminology to be used in feedback? 

A ‘Starter for ten’  

Consider these prompts for Universal Design for Learning. Do you design for: 

• • Choice or flexibility in responses, interactions, activities and collaborations within sessions?
  • A range of accessible resources, tools and technologies for expression of learning
  • Choice or flexibility in the mode students can demonstrate their knowledge or skills, such as written, spoken or multi-media?
  • Scaffolded support for students to demonstrate essential skills in a particular mode,?
  • Support for goal setting, strategic planning, time-management and management of information?

Reference  

Hanesworth, P., Bracken, S., & Elkington, S. (2019). A typology for a social justice approach to assessment: learning from universal design and culturally sustaining pedagogy. Teaching in Higher Education, 24:1, 98-114 

Tai, J., Ajjawi, R., Boud, D., Dawson, P., & Panadero, E. (2018). Developing evaluative judgement: enabling students to make decisions about the quality of work. Higher Education. 6. 467-481