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Accessible by Design
- 1. Accessible by Design the art of inclusive assessments Laura Francabandera, MLIS RGU Library
- 2. Who am I? • MLIS • Learning SystemsTechnologist • Library Receptionist • From California • Accessibility Advocate
- 3. Photo Credit: Paul Wilkinson, Creative Commons Flickr This workshop will cover: • Inclusive vs. contingent assessment • Why it matters • Barriers to inclusive assessment • Ethical framework • Inclusive assessment process • Scenario workshop
- 4. Photo Credit: Cheryl Colan, Creative Commons Flickr What is inclusive assessment? • Ensuring that all students have an equal opportunity to demonstrate learning. • An assessment strategy that spans a variety of formats and is spaced out throughout your course. • Benefits all students and considers different learning styles.
- 5. Photo Credit: Shannon Muskopf, Creative Commons Flickr Contingent Assessment • Plan your assessments with one type of learner in mind: • Neurotypical • English as first language • Non-disabled • Offer “reasonable accommodations” to everyone else.
- 6. Photo Credit: Alan Levine, Creative Commons Flickr It assumes that all students learn and can be accurately assessed in the same way. Students learn in different ways and need a variety of assessment methods to truly capture their competencies. Contingent Assessment is Pedagogically Problematic
- 7. Photo Credit: Skara kommun, Creative Commons Flickr We do it because we are expected to – a Kantian act. Deontology: “What makes a choice right is its conformity with a moral norm. Such norms are to be simply obeyed by each moral agent.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Contingent Assessment is Philosophically Problematic
- 8. Photo Credit: MB, Creative Commons Flickr It isolates and segregates students. It creates a “normal” in-group and an out- group with “special circumstances”. It contributes to the stigma against those with disabilities and mental health issues. Contingent Assessment is Socially Problematic
- 9. Photo Credit: Michiel Jelijs, Creative Commons Flickr Where do we go from here? • We have a responsibility as educators to bring out the best in all students. • We should have an ethic of care – a responsive empathy toward students. • We should look at our assessment strategy through certain ethical lenses.
- 10. Photo Credit:Yoppy, Creative Commons Flickr Lenses through which we look at our assessment to ensure it’s inclusive: • Clarity • Equity • Communication • Empathy Ethical framework for inclusive assessment
- 11. Photo Credit: Damien Gadal, Creative Commons Flickr Time to Reflect • 5 minutes to think about the barriers you face in making your assessments more inclusive. • Write any possible barriers down: • Institutional • Personal • Pedagogical
- 12. Photo Credit: Hugh Grew, Creative Commons Flickr Barriers to Inclusive Assessment • Resistance to change • Lack of knowledge • Not your decision • Lack of time • Not your responsibility • Too busy
- 13. Assessment Categories Formative: Contributes to learning through providing feedback. Does not contribute to the final mark. Summative: Demonstrates the extent of a learner's success in meeting course objectives – normally used at the end of the course. Authentic: A work-skills assessment. Something related to what the student would face in the workplace. Rubric: Students are graded on clear and specific criteria. Synoptic: Students are expected to pull together learning for different knowledge areas. Ipsative: Where students compare their learning to their previous scores, as opposed to an external criteria.
- 14. AssessmentTypes Formative: Discussion posts, essay rough draft, or non-graded quizzes. Summative: Written essay, oral presentation, or final exam Authentic: Case study or scenario Rubric: Group project or presentation Synoptic: Literature reviews, annotated bibliographies, or capstones Ipsative: Pre and post tests or reflective discussions
- 15. How to Start: Foundational Approach Learning outcomes or competencies Category of assessment Assessment types Step 1: Start by listing the learning outcomes or competencies for the course. Step 2:What category of assessment demonstrates that competency? Step 3: Decide which type of assessment works within that category. Step 4: Overview and look from a different perspective.
- 16. Example: Outcome: Discuss and justify the varied roles of the occupational therapist as a practitioner, educator, researcher, consultant, and entrepreneur. Category: Formative Assessment or authentic assessment. Type: Reflective discussion post or site visit with fieldwork reflection. Overview: Ensure they have enough time to digest feedback before exams. Discuss & justify roles Authentic assessment Fieldwork reflection
- 17. Purple Circle: Learning outcomes or competencies Formative Assessments Reflective Assessments Diagnostic Assessment Synoptic Assessment Authentic Assessment Summative Assessment Dynamic Assessments Ipsative Assessment Criterion- referenced Assessment Essay Rough Draft Peer-Graded Quiz Discussion Post Group Discussion Pre and PostTest Rubric Open-Book Exam E-Portfolio Multiple Choice Quiz Role-Playing Case-Study Reflection Mock Interview Group Presentation Fieldwork Journal Blue Circle: Category of Assessment Red Circle:Type of Assessment Assessment Wheel
- 18. Photo Credit: Damien Gadal, Creative Commons Flickr Time to Reflect - Scenario • 5-10 minutes to look at course scenario and see how you could make the assessments more inclusive. • Use whatever method works for you. • At the 5 minute mark, we will swap papers and you can look at a new scenario.
- 19. Photo Credit: Peaches&Cream, Creative Commons Flickr KeyTakeaways • Inclusive assessment ensures that all students have an equal opportunity to demonstrate learning. • Change is hard, but pedagogically worth it. • Contingent assessment is problematic – inclusive assessment benefits all students. • Learning outcome Assessment category Assessment type
- 20. Photo Credit: airpix, Creative Commons Flickr Email: l.francabandera@rgu.ac.uk Website: https://francabandera.wordpress.com
- 21. Alexander, L., Moore, M., 2016. Deontological Ethics, in: Zalta, E.N. (Ed.),The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University. Barnes, M., 2012.Care in everyday life: An ethic of care in practice. Policy Press. doi:10.1332/policypress/9781847428233.001.0001 Carlson, J.S., Wiedl, K.H., 1992. Principles of dynamic assessment:The application of a specific model. Learning and Individual Differences 4, 153–166. doi:10.1016/1041-6080(92)90011-3 Equality Act 2010 [WWW Document], 2010. . Legislation. URL http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/part/6/chapter/2 (accessed 4.16.17). Equality-in-HE-statistical-report-2015-part-2-students.pdf, n.d. Feest, U., 2010. Historical Perspectives on Erklären andVerstehen: Introduction, in: Feest, U. (Ed.), Historical Perspectives on Erklären andVerstehen. Springer Netherlands, Dordrecht, pp. 1–13. doi:10.1007/978-90-481-3540-0_1 Fletcher, H., 2006.The principles of inclusive design: they include you [WWW Document]. URL http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/sites/default/files/asset/document/the-principles-of-inclusive-design.pdf (accessed 3.26.17). González, M. de la O., Jareño, F., López, R., 2015. Impact of students’ behavior on continuous assessment in Higher Education. Innovation:The European Journal of Social Science Research 28, 498–507. doi:10.1080/13511610.2015.1060882 Higher Education StatisticsAgency, 2017.Widening participation summary: UK Performance Indicators 2015/16 [WWW Document]. URL https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/performance-indicators/widening-participation-summary (accessed 4.23.17). JISC, 2016. Inclusive assessment | Jisc [WWW Document].Transforming assessment and feedback with technology. URL https://www.jisc.ac.uk/guides/transforming-assessment-and-feedback/inclusive-assessment (accessed 4.16.17). Reference List
- 22. Kalyuga, S., 2012. Rapid DynamicAssessment for Learning, Education in the Asia-Pacific Region: Issues, Concerns and Prospects. Springer Science+Business Media, Dordrecht. Knauf, H., 2016a. Reading, listening and feeling: audio feedback as a component of an inclusive learning culture at universities. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 41, 442–449. doi:10.1080/02602938.2015.1021664 Kuttner, P., 2015.The problem with that equity vs. equality graphic you’re using [WWW Document].Cultural Organizing. URL http://culturalorganizing.org/the-problem-with-that-equity-vs-equality-graphic/ (accessed 4.23.17). Limentani,A., n.d.The role of ethical principles in health care and the implications for ethical codes. Journal of Medical Ethics 25. Marom, A., 2014. Universality, Particularity, and Potentiality:The Sources of Human Divergence asArise from Wilhelm Dilthey’sWritings. Human Studies 37, 1–13. Mykitiuk, R., Chaplick, A., Rice, C., 2015. Beyond normative ethics: Ethics of arts-based disability research. Ethics, Medicine and Public Health 1, 373–382. doi:10.1016/j.jemep.2015.07.005 QualityAssurance Agency, 2014. Quality Code Part B [WWW Document].Assuring and EnhancingAcademic Quality. URL http://www.qaa.ac.uk/assuring- standards-and-quality/the-quality-code/quality-code-part-b (accessed 4.16.17). Riddell, S.,Weedon, E., 2014. Disabled students in higher education: Discourses of disability and the negotiation of identity. International Journal of Educational Research 63, 38–46. doi:10.1016/j.ijer.2013.02.008 Types of assessment - definitions - Learning and Development - University of Exeter [WWW Document], n.d. URL http://www.exeter.ac.uk/staff/development/academic/resources/assessment/principles/types/ (accessed 4.6.17). Wu, X.V., Heng, M.A.,Wang,W., 2015. Nursing students’ experiences with the use of authentic assessment rubric and case approach in the clinical laboratories. Nurse EducationToday 35, 549–555. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2014.12.009
Editor's Notes
- Hello, and welcome to this workshop on inclusive design in assessment. Just a quick note about me, my name is Laura Francabandera. I have a Masters in Information & Library Science and for the past five years I’ve focused on education, technology, and accessibility. I currently work for Credo Education as a Learning Systems Technologist and here at the RGU Library, which is a fancy way of saying that I wear many hats, one of which is an accessibility advocate for education.
- So, after reading the abstract for this workshop, you may just be wondering what accessibility is, and just what exactly, I’m going to make you do in this workshop. So here is what we’ll cover in this workshop. We will cover the basics of inclusive assessment and compare it to contingent assessment. I’ll briefly go into why inclusive assessment in important. We’ll then break out for a small brainstorming session on barriers to inclusive assessment from your point of view. After that, we will come back together to discuss the reservations you have about inclusive assessment. I’m going to give you a basic framework for inclusive assessment, explaining how to design an inclusive assessment frrom the ground up, and then we’ll have one more short brainstorming session with scenarios written down on papers - kind of like pass the parcel. So, all in all, it’s going to be a interactive, and rather un-British workshop. Ready? Steady? All right.
- What is inclusive assessment? In short, it’s how you design your course assessments so they take into account the different learning styles or disabilities that your students might have while benefitting all students. In order to provide all students with an equal opportunity to demonstrate their learning, you need to consider the different means of demonstrating a particular learning outcome. JISC says that inclusive assessment is “ensuring that students have variety in assessment and some individual choice, eg, in the topic or in the method/format of the assessment, can lead to overall enhancement of the assessment process to benefit all students.” So think about what that means and we’re going to take a quick survey about how you feel.
- If you haven’t guessed already, this is a scenario of contingent assessment in action. Contingent assessment is when you plan your assessments with one type of students in mind - usually non-disabled, neurotypical, with English as their first language, and then let those who need it have “reasonable accomodations”. Basically you’re saying that typical students learn and can be assessed a single way but if you’re different then maybe we’ll be able to accomodate you.
- Contingent assessment is pedagogically problematic: it assumes that all students learn and can be accurately assessed in the same way, usually the way you would assess that mythical non-disabled, neurotypical, English as their first language student. The truth is that every student learns in different ways and need a variety of assessment methods to truly capture their competencies. Lev Vygotsky posited that people have three zones of learning - the first zone is the knowledge they already have, the second zone is the knowledge they can attain with the help fo an isntructor, and the third zone is the knoweldge they won’t be able to attain. He called these the Zones of Proximal Development, and every student has different zones - they come into their courses with a sum of knowledge and experience and with correct scaffolding and instruction they should be able to reach a new state of knowledge. There always will be some knowledge that is beyond them at this point in time.
- contingent assessment is philosophically problematic: It’s equivalent to doing it because you have to - it’s deontological. To put it simply, deonotology is adherence to a rule-based ethics, regardless of what you think of the outcome or the consequences. Whether you think we should be offering reasonable accomodations is immaterial. The law says that we should and a moral person adheres to the law.
- It segregates and isolates a portion of your students by creating an in-group and an out-group. The Equality in Higher Education Statisctics Report says that 10% of students were noted as disabled on their student record. That is only tracking students who have self-identified as disabled. There are innumerable students that do not identify as disabled for a variety of reasons and they go undetected. The percentage of “disabled” students is much higher than statistics show.
- So how do we get from this problematic contingent approach, where we just comply with the laws, to an inclusive approach that recognizes the different ways that students learn? As educators, we have a repsonsibility to bring out the best in our students and to work for their best interest. We should be basing our assessment design on an Ethic of Care, which is based is a responsive dialogue.
- Clarity: Do the assessments offer exact instructions as to what you expect? Do you give model answers? Do students know how they will be assessed throughout the whole course? Equity: Recognizing that people come from different places and need differing types of assistance to reach the same outcome, as opposed to equality, which treats everyone the same regardless of circumstance. Communication: Openness of methods, accountability of goals, a committment to responsive dialogue. Empathy: Not disinterested sympathy, but something that moves you to act in another’s benefit. It’s the validation of the lived experience of another.
- Alright, so anyone up for sharing their thoughts on barriers to inclusive assessment? Here are some that I came up with - it can be institutional or departmental resistance to change, maybe it’s that you just don’t know enough about it to be comfortable changing your assessment strategy, maybe it’s not even your decision. Perhaps you don’t have enough time or even care about making sure your assessments are inclusive. There are loads of barriers - change is never simple.
- Alright, so anyone up for sharing their thoughts on barriers to inclusive assessment? Here are some that I came up with - it can be institutional or departmental resistance to change, maybe it’s that you just don’t know enough about it to be comfortable changing your assessment strategy, maybe it’s not even your decision. Perhaps you don’t have enough time or even care about making sure your assessments are inclusive. There are loads of barriers - change is never simple.
- Alright, so anyone up for sharing their thoughts on barriers to inclusive assessment? Here are some that I came up with - it can be institutional or departmental resistance to change, maybe it’s that you just don’t know enough about it to be comfortable changing your assessment strategy, maybe it’s not even your decision. Perhaps you don’t have enough time or even care about making sure your assessments are inclusive. There are loads of barriers - change is never simple.
- For example, if your course is a foundational course on occupational therapy, one of your course objectives might be to discuss and justify the varied roles of the occupational therapist as a practitioner, educator, researcher, consultant, and entrepreneur. If that is a learning outcome, what categories of assessment might work well in allowing students to demonstrate their learning? Perhaps either formative assessment, where they get feedback, or authentic, real-world assessment. If you went with formative assessment, the perhaps a reflective discussion post might be the best bet.
- Here is one tool that you can use in organizing your assessments. I call it the assessment wheel. Basically, you put in your learning outcomes or competencies that you want to assess in the middle of the wheel. In each quadrant of the wheel, the items relate to that particular competency. The middle circle you can add in the categories of assessment, and in the outer ring you can add in the individual assessments. That way, you can look at the entire outer ring and know that those assessments cover a range of competencies and assessment types.
- Ok, you’ve listened to me talk enough now. I’ve given each table a copy of a blank assessment wheel and a course scenario written down on the paper. Take a few minutes to talk about the scenario on your paper as a group, and dicuss whether or not it’s inclusive, and if not. ways that you can change it to make it more inclusive. We’ll spend about 5 or 10 minutes of this, write down your answer below it. At the end of five minutes, we’ll pass the paper to another table so you have a new scenario to work with, and you can also evaluate the solution the other table came up with.
- Well that was a lot of information to cover in such a short amount of time. I’d love to go deeper into the individual types of assessments and how they scaffold and support each other, but that’s a whole different type of workshop. If you were to take anything away from this workshop, I hope that you remember a few different items: That inclusive assessment gives all students an equal opportunity to demonstrate their learning, that we know change is hard, but in this case it is worth it for the sake of your students, the way things are now, with contingent assessment is problematic. Inclusive assessment, however, benefits all students. Finally, you can decide on inclusive assessments using the three step process: learning outcomes, assessment category, and then assessment type.