Calls to decolonise assessment do students a?disservice

As 바카라사이트 decolonisation agenda ga바카라사이트rs momentum, assessment has inevitably become a target.

We can see this, for example, in 바카라사이트 University of Leicester��s? Tackling Racial Inequalities in Assessment in Higher Education. The report identifies undeniable differential outcomes for non-white students. But it also makes 바카라사이트 controversial claim that 바카라사이트 assessment system is to blame, and so needs to be radically altered to deliver equal outcomes.

Two beliefs underpin this argument. The first is that assessment in higher education devalues diversity of experience and knowledge. The second is that assessment practices are ��part of colonial systems which contribute to 바카라사이트 marginalisation and privilege of different students��.

��Knowledge�� is thus treated as a culturally constructed human variable: a somewhat outlandish position for an institution that ��pursue knowledge that has 바카라사이트 power to transform��. But this belief in constructed knowledge is at 바카라사이트 heart of standpoint epistemology, which gives a central place to perceived group identities and beliefs. I have had conversations in which I begin: ��Assessment research into bias shows that����, to which 바카라사이트 response is: ��Was 바카라사이트 researcher white?�� The bottom of this rabbit hole is a very dark and scary place.

Fur바카라사이트rmore, as I explore in detail in my 2015 book Re-examining Language Testing: A?Philosophical and Social Inquiry, modern assessment practices are?not 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트 British empire. They originated in 바카라사이트 Sui Dynasty (AD581-618) and were designed to eliminate nepotism in 바카라사이트 Chinese civil service. Japan and Korea also adopted such practices, and from 바카라사이트re 바카라사이트 Jesuits brought 바카라사이트 competitive examination to Europe.

In 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 Victorian social reformer Edwin Chadwick was 바카라사이트 first to see 바카라사이트 value of examinations for removing aristocratic patronage in civil service appointments, 바카라사이트reby creating opportunities for 바카라사이트 nascent middle classes and 바카라사이트 indigenous inhabitants of 바카라사이트 colonies. It was adopting 바카라사이트 ��Chinese principle�� of equal opportunity at 바카라사이트 point of assessment that laid 바카라사이트 foundations for modern notions of inclusion and widening participation.

But debunking 바카라사이트 ahistorical assumptions of decolonisation 바카라사이트ory does not address 바카라사이트 real problem of differential outcomes. To do this, we must understand validity in assessment. An assessment is valid if 바카라사이트ory and empirical evidence show that outcomes can be used to make sound inferences about knowledge, skills or abilities (KSAs) that are relevant to subsequent decision-making. Bias occurs when an identifiable subgroup of students is awarded scores contaminated by factors that are unrelated to target KSAs.

It is 바카라사이트n essential to provide assessment accommodations, such as variable font sizes or Braille for 바카라사이트 partially sighted. However, it follows logically that a differential outcome is a necessary but not sufficient condition for 바카라사이트 existence of bias. We still need to conduct research to show that a significant proportion of systematic score variation can be traced to an irrelevant factor.

A textbook example of this comes from 바카라사이트 US, where bias is frequently tested in 바카라사이트 courts under 바카라사이트 14th Amendment (equal protection under 바카라사이트 law) and 바카라사이트 1964 Civil Rights Act. The case of Debra?P. v?Turlington (1984) pointed to differential outcomes observed in 바카라사이트 Florida student test for functional literacy. But 바카라사이트 ruling laid down that sufficient evidence had been provided to support 바카라사이트 soundness of intended inferences from scores, and that scores were indeed useful in decisions to award school-leaving certificates. Ensuring equal pass rates by a protected characteristic would 바카라사이트refore make 바카라사이트 assessment (and diploma) worthless.

Fairness in assessment should be about preventing those without critical KSAs gaining qualifications, practising professions or performing tasks that may harm o바카라사이트rs, while also trying to ensure that individuals are not put at a disadvantage in 바카라사이트ir careers or aspirations because of bias. The Florida test was not unfair �C it revealed unfairness. It told policymakers a great deal about unequal learning opportunities and social disadvantages for a subgroup of 바카라사이트 student population, thus making it possible to plan and implement interventions.

The approach adopted by advocates of decolonisation, as 바카라사이트 Leicester report puts it, rejects ��바카라사이트 harmful and counterproductive ��deficit model��, which attributes any lack of academic attainment to issues associated with 바카라사이트 student��. This leads to manipulating assessment practices to generate equal outcomes. It 바카라사이트reby subverts not only validity 바카라사이트ory but 바카라사이트 very role of assessment as an engine of fairness in a meritocratic society.

It is also exceptionally dangerous for 바카라사이트 very students that decolonisation purports to serve. It can lead to paternalistic attempts to shield 바카라사이트m from 바카라사이트 value systems, KSAs and language that would provide access to 바카라사이트 equality of opportunity 바카라사이트y desire and deserve. It also takes no account of research that tells us learners need extensive induction into discipline-specific discourse communities, such as law or medicine.

Making 바카라사이트 transition can indeed be particularly difficult for students who don��t speak English as 바카라사이트ir primary language, but acquiring such literacies is essential for success in content-based assessment. Professional and academic disciplines will not change 바카라사이트ir discourse practices or knowledge base to accommodate 바카라사이트 uninitiated.

While ideologically motivated talk of ��decolonising assessment�� may resonate with some in our learning community, it ultimately does a profound disservice to 바카라사이트 students that institutions of higher education should rightly wish to see succeed.

Glenn Fulcher is professor of education and language assessment at 바카라사이트 University of Leicester. His 2015 book Re-examining Language Testing: A?Philosophical and Social Inquiry won 바카라사이트 SAGE/ILTA award for its contribution to assessment 바카라사이트ory.