This chapter aims to present an alternative perspective to making assessment and feedback more culturally inclusive by challenging the existing discourse around inclusive assessment and questioning some of the current understanding and practice around assessment and feedback in the Anglophone universities. We propose that the general idea of inclusive assessment, where the design and use of any assessment should enable all students to demonstrate their knowledge, understandings and abilities against specific criteria (Hockings C. Inclusive learning and teaching in higher education: A synthesis of research. EvidenceNet, Higher Education Academy. www.heacademy.ac.uk/evidencenet , 2010) is largely accepted, and beneficial for all parties involved. We question, however, to what extent inclusive assessment and feedback is really being put into practice, and in particular, is culturally inclusive, given the focus of inclusivity discourse on disabilities (Waterfield J, West B. Inclusive assessment. Inclusive Practise E-bulletin Series, 2, 2009). We are not denying that the focus on disabilities is important and needed, however, the discussion around practice needs to be widened to include other marginalised groups and to go beyond accommodation. We are aware that inclusive assessment is not about responding to the needs of any single group (Tai J et al. Designing assessment for inclusion: an exploration of diverse students’ assessment experiences”. Assess Evaluat Higher Educ, 1–15, 2022), but we believe that a focus and further research on any marginalised group will and can highlight any problematic discourse and issues, which can only further enhance inclusive assessment and feedback in practice. Hence in this chapter, we narrow our discussion to international students. Drawing on the internationalisation literature and research, we highlight how cultural perspectives continue to be largely ignored or missed in assessment and feedback practice and what can be done to begin a dialogue to change this. We start this chapter by reviewing current definitions and research around inclusive assessment and feedback, highlighting issues and challenges. Through references to a variety of inclusivity research and frameworks, as well as research in internationalisation, we provide the underpinning for the need to develop more culturally inclusive assessment and feedback environments that embrace the insight and experiences international students bring. Finally, we propose some practical suggestions based on our own experiences and available literature on what colleagues can do to begin a more meaningful dialogue and partnership with international students and work towards culturally inclusive assessment and feedback practice.

Making Assessment and Feedback Culturally Inclusive

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发表日期：

2025年

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Monika Pazio Rossiter,
Alice Lau

摘要

This chapter aims to present an alternative perspective to making assessment and feedback more culturally inclusive by challenging the existing discourse around inclusive assessment and questioning some of the current understanding and practice around assessment and feedback in the Anglophone universities. We propose that the general idea of inclusive assessment, where the design and use of any assessment should enable all students to demonstrate their knowledge, understandings and abilities against specific criteria (Hockings C. Inclusive learning and teaching in higher education: A synthesis of research. EvidenceNet, Higher Education Academy. www.heacademy.ac.uk/evidencenet , 2010) is largely accepted, and beneficial for all parties involved. We question, however, to what extent inclusive assessment and feedback is really being put into practice, and in particular, is culturally inclusive, given the focus of inclusivity discourse on disabilities (Waterfield J, West B. Inclusive assessment. Inclusive Practise E-bulletin Series, 2, 2009). We are not denying that the focus on disabilities is important and needed, however, the discussion around practice needs to be widened to include other marginalised groups and to go beyond accommodation. We are aware that inclusive assessment is not about responding to the needs of any single group (Tai J et al. Designing assessment for inclusion: an exploration of diverse students’ assessment experiences”. Assess Evaluat Higher Educ, 1–15, 2022), but we believe that a focus and further research on any marginalised group will and can highlight any problematic discourse and issues, which can only further enhance inclusive assessment and feedback in practice. Hence in this chapter, we narrow our discussion to international students. Drawing on the internationalisation literature and research, we highlight how cultural perspectives continue to be largely ignored or missed in assessment and feedback practice and what can be done to begin a dialogue to change this. We start this chapter by reviewing current definitions and research around inclusive assessment and feedback, highlighting issues and challenges. Through references to a variety of inclusivity research and frameworks, as well as research in internationalisation, we provide the underpinning for the need to develop more culturally inclusive assessment and feedback environments that embrace the insight and experiences international students bring. Finally, we propose some practical suggestions based on our own experiences and available literature on what colleagues can do to begin a more meaningful dialogue and partnership with international students and work towards culturally inclusive assessment and feedback practice.