The theorists and researchers in the field of multicultural education emphasise how assessment that is not done with equity in mind can have a negative impact on some students’ learning outcomes and well-being. Eventually, it can be a reason behind students’ negative experiences of the learning process (Montenegro & Jankowski, 2007; Nieto, 2010; Slee, 2010). Culturally responsive assessment is a form of learner-centred assessment that is applied in educational institutions with diverse student populations. Culturally responsive assessment takes students’ cultures, previous experiences and individual learning styles into consideration and assesses learning rather than measuring achievement based on standardised criteria (Slee, 2010). Teachers are encouraged to discuss the assessment criteria with the students, involve them in the assessment process, develop students’ autonomy and apply formative and sustainable assessment methods such as peer- and self-assessment (Montenegro & Jankowski, 2007; Sambell et al., 2006). Additionally, previous studies suggest that teachers should take extra time to explain all assessment criteria and introduce the local assessment culture to the students with diverse cultural backgrounds because some seemingly well-known assessment methods for domestic students may be unclear for students of immigrant backgrounds, as they may not have experienced them before (Boesch, 2014; Moore & Hampton, 2015). 

According to Padilla and Borsato (2008), high-stakes examinations and assignments are not fair towards students from culturally diverse backgrounds, including immigrants, because evaluation guidelines are still normed on dominant population and do not reflect student diversity. The students may find themselves in the situation of being unfairly assessed and, because of this, denied access to educational opportunities (Padilla & Borsato, 2008). 

Nevertheless, culturally responsive assessment does not mean lowering requirements based on a student’s language skills, ethnicity or any other status. Instead, teachers should maintain equally high academic expectations towards all students (Gay, 2018; Swaminathan & Alfred, 2001). Assessment must be non-biased and include a variety of methods, such as oral and written low-stakes assignments such as portfolios, capstone projects, journals, group work, and interviews (Lloyd et al., 2015; Montenegro & Jankowski, 2007; Slee, 2010). In addition to culturally responsive assessment, relevant support should be provided to students from diverse backgrounds, including immigrants, to ensure more equitable access to education (Crisp & Cruz, 2009; Padilla & Borsato, 2008; Slee, 2010).

Further reading

• Benediktsson, A. I. (2023). Culturally responsive assessment in compulsory schooling in Denmark and Iceland: An illusion or a reality? A comparative study of student teachers’ experiences and perspectives. Nordic Journal of Comparative and International Education (NJCIE), 7(2), 1-20.
• Benediktsson, A. I., & Ragnarsdóttir, H. (2020). Immigrant students’ experiences of assessment methods used in Icelandic universities. Multicultural Education Review, 12(2), 98-116.
• 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.
• Slee, J. (2010). A systemic approach to culturally responsive assessment practices and evaluation. Higher Education Quarterly, 64(3), 246-260. 

Assignment

Write three assessment methods that you consider to be culturally responsive. Everyone who submits this assignment will receive a reply.

References

Boesch, B. (2014). The importance of the professor in college classroom climate for immigrant students. College Quarterly, 17(4). 

Crisp, G., & Cruz, I. (2009). Mentoring college students: A critical review of the literature between 1990 and 2007. Research in Higher Education, 50(6), 525-545. 

Gay, G. (2018). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice (3rd ed.). Teachers College Press. 

Montenegro, E., & Jankowski, N. A. (2007). Equity and assessment: Moving towards culturally responsive assessment. University of Illinois and Indiana University, National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA). 

Moore, P., & Hampton, G. (2015). ‘It’s a bit of a generalisation, but …’: participant perspectives on intercultural group assessment in higher education. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 40(3), 390-406.

Nieto, S. (2010). The light in their eyes: Creating multicultural learning communities. Teachers College Press. 

Padilla, A. M., & Borsato, G. N. (2008). Issues in culturally appropriate psychoeducational assessment. In L. A. Suzuki & J. G. Ponterotto (Eds.), Handbook of Multicultural Assessment: Clinical, Psychological, and Educational Applications (3 ed., pp. 5-21). Jossey-Bass. 

Sambell, K., McDowell, L., & Sambell, A. (2006). Supporting diverse students: Developing learner autonomy via assessment. In C. Bryan & K. Clegg (Eds.), Innovative assessment in higher education (pp. 158-168). Routledge.

Slee, J. (2010). A systemic approach to culturally responsive assessment practices and evaluation. Higher Education Quarterly, 64(3), 246-260. 

Swaminathan, R., & Alfred, M. (2001). Strangers in the mirror: Immigrant students in the higher education classroom. Adult learning, 13(1), 29-32.