In this digital ITEMS module, Dr. Amirhossein Rasooli shares the findings drawn from theoretical and empirical research from various countries to provide a space for further critical reflection on best practices in enhancing fairness in classroom assessment contexts.
Module Overview
Perceptions of fairness are fundamental in building cooperation and trust, undermining conflicts, and gaining legitimacy in teacher-student relationships in classroom assessment. However, perceptions of unfairness in assessment can undermine students’ mental well-being, increase antisocial behaviors, increase psychological disengagement with learning, and threaten the belief in a fair society, fundamental to engaging in civic responsibilities. Despite the crucial role of perceived fairness in assessment, there is widespread experiences of unfairness reported by students internationally. To undermine these widespread unfair experiences, limited explicit education on promoting fairness in assessment is being delivered in graduate, pre-service, and in-service training. However, it seems that explicit education is the first step in capacity building for reducing unfair perceptions and related undesirable outcomes. The purpose of this module is thus to share the findings drawn from theoretical and empirical research from various countries to provide a space for further critical reflection on best practices in enhancing fairness in classroom assessment contexts.
Amir Rasooli, University of Alberta
I am currently a Killam Postdoctoral Fellow and Assistant Lecturer at the Center for Research in Applied Measurement and Evaluation, University of Alberta, Canada. During the last couple of years, I have conducted theoretical and empirical research across various countries including Australia, Canada, China, and Iran to promote fairness and equity in classroom assessment practices. My research has resulted in the receipt of 7 academic awards including Emerging Scholar Award from Classroom Assessment SIG at the American Educational Research Association Conference. Given that fairness is foundational for the public to trust assessment processes and results, my current scholarship agenda is to enhance fairness capacity in assessment for multiple audience through building quality research evidence and mobilize it into assessment textbooks, teacher training, graduate student training, and teacher education resources
Introduction
Upon completion of this ITEMS module, learners should be able to:
- Examine innate and cultural foundations of fairness.
- Identify definitions of fairness in the professional assessment standards.
- Explore fairness in social psychology theory.
- Apply the principles of fairness in social psychology theory in classroom assessment.
- Use a model to promote fairer practices in classroom assessment.
Section 1: Innate and Cultural Foundations of Fairness
Upon completion of this section, learners should be able to:
- Describe the innate and evolutionary foundations of fairness.
- Examine how evolutionary studies can guide fairer practices in classroom assessment.
- Describe cultural foundations of fairness.
- Explore how cultural understandings of fairness can guide fairer practices in classroom assessment.
Section 2: Fairness in Assessment Standards
Upon completion of this section, learners should be able to:
- Describe fairness in the professional assessment standards.
- Describe measurement bias and opportunity to learn as aspects of fair assessments.
- Describe accessibility for fair assessments.
- Describe universal test design to enhance fairness in assessments.
Interactive Learning Check – Section 2
Reference Module: Testing Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Section 3: Fairness in Social Psychology Theory
Upon completion of this section, learners should be able to:
- Define what fairness is through the lens of social psychology theory.
- Explore what social psychology theory adds to the fairness perspective in professional assessment standards.
- Identify various dimensions of fairness in social psychology theory.
Section 4: Activity
Please download this file for the activity.
Section 5: A Model of Fairness in Classroom Assessment
Upon completion of this section, learners should be able to:
- Leverage a model of fairness to guide your fairness practice in classroom assessment.
- Identify various dimensions of fairness in classroom assessment.
- Explore how social psychology theory supports fairer practices in each dimension