Many higher education assessment practices rely on assumptions about how students should think, write, argue or present knowledge. These assumptions tend to align with dominant academic cultures and may disadvantage students whose previous educational experiences, linguistic backgrounds or cultural frameworks differ from those norms. To design assessments that work for diverse learners, we need to change the way we conceive them and the way students experience them.
Transparency as a foundation for inclusive assessment
While transparency benefits all learners, it is vital for students who have not previously been socialised into dominant academic norms.
Many students understand what a task requires but struggle to interpret what success actually looks like, particularly when assessment criteria and expectations are not clearly articulated. Transparent assessment design that clarifies requirements and helps students understand what constitutes quality work is central to inclusive assessment and can improve learners’ confidence and academic outcomes.
This means unpacking assessment criteria during class: for example, by breaking down terms such as “critical analysis”, “coherent argument” or “academic tone” and showing annotated past papers. When students understand how markers judge quality, they have more time to focus on demonstrating their learning rather than on decoding academic conventions.
Flexibility with format prevents ‘cultural penalty’
Cultural penalty occurs when assessment practices inadvertently reward certain culturally-specific ways of expressing knowledge while disadvantaging others. This does not imply that standards should be lowered or that disciplinary conventions should be abandoned. Instead, it requires critical reflection on whether assessment formats measure learning outcomes or familiarity with particular cultural codes.
For example, essays privilege a specific style of argumentation that may not align with how all students have learned to structure ideas. Similarly, oral presentations may advantage those who are confident speaking in particular registers or accents. When a single assessment format dominates, students who think differently may struggle to demonstrate their knowledge, even when their understanding is strong.
Avoiding a cultural penalty involves offering alternative ways for students to demonstrate learning that align with learning outcomes. It may also mean reconsidering whether aspects of assessment criteria relate directly to subject mastery or simply reflect inherited academic preferences.
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Inclusive assessment design requires a focus on what students need to demonstrate rather than how they demonstrate it. For example, in one of my Executive MBA courses, the learning outcome focused on students’ ability to evaluate evidence and apply it to complex organisational contexts. I found that a traditional written report did not always allow all students to demonstrate this evaluative thinking equally, particularly given the diverse professional and cultural backgrounds within the cohort.
I therefore offered students a choice between submitting a written report or a structured video presentation, with both formats assessed against the same criteria. This approach maintained academic rigour while enabling students to demonstrate evaluative judgement in a way that best aligned with their professional communication strengths and the discipline’s applied focus. Flexibility in format can coexist with high expectations for analytical depth, originality and engagement with theory.
Assessment literacy as a shared responsibility
When staff assume that students already understand how assessment works, knowledge gaps can quickly become attainment gaps. Supporting assessment literacy means recognising that understanding assessment is a learned, not innate, skill.
Embedding assessment literacy into modules can involve the discussion of marking processes, explanations of how students should use feedback and the creation of opportunities for assessment-related skills practice in low-stakes contexts. When students feel confident navigating assessment, anxiety reduces and engagement improves. This is particularly important for students who may already feel marginalised within academic spaces.
Listening to the student experience
Conversations about assessment design can reveal barriers that staff may not anticipate. Involve students in reviewing assessment tasks, interpreting criteria and reflecting on feedback practices to make meaningful improvements. These conversations also signal that assessment is not an unquestionable authority but a shared academic process open to reflection and refinement.
Build staff confidence through reflective practice
Many educators worry about getting assessment design wrong or facing criticism when experimenting with new approaches. Institutions can play a role by encouraging reflective practice rather than compliance-driven change. Examples of inclusive assessment design, peer discussion and thoughtful experimentation all help normalise this work.
Small changes can have a significant impact. Clear language, adjusted criteria and choice in assessment tasks can improve accessibility without requiring wholesale redesign. Over time, these adjustments can contribute to more equitable outcomes and a stronger sense of trust between students and staff.
Assessment as a site of possibility
When we design assessment with transparency, cultural awareness and inclusivity in mind, it becomes a powerful tool for supporting learning rather than simply measuring it.
Inclusive assessment design is not about creating different standards for different students. It is about ensuring that all students have a fair opportunity to demonstrate what they know.
Patrice Seuwou is an associate professor of learning and teaching and the director of the Centre for the Advancement of Racial Equality at the University of Northampton.
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