Institute for Student Learning Assessment

Culturally responsive and inclusive assessment: The key to validity in postsecondary educational contexts

Postsecondary learning institutions are concerned with developing, improving, or validating the worth of their educational programs. With the increasing importance of accountability to stakeholders such as governments, organizations, funders, and to the students themselves, faculty rely on valid student assessment data. Culturally responsive and inclusive assessment emphasizes culture, context, gender, plurality and inclusiveness in measuring student learning. Assessment practices that fail to adhere to culturally responsive and inclusive practices fail to provide valid, usable findings that can be used to improve, promote and sustain programs. This paper will present the theoretical and practical aspects of culturally responsive and inclusive assessment and provide examples of responsive and inclusive assessment practices, such as the incorporation of Universal Design.