Culturally Conscious Assessment as Pedagogy in Study Abroad

Abstract

The Higher Education in the Ghanaian Context (HEGC!) program was created to engage participants in critical examination of concepts related to power, privilege, and oppression within higher education settings in Ghana and the United States. The course has three components: pre-immersion, immersion, and emersion that are guided by a central “big” question: What can this experience teach me about contributing to a global society through the application of culturally conscious practices in my field? To answer this question, we partner with Ghanaian higher education practitioners to co-create a collaborative, cumulative project that participants work on through the duration of the trip. We present in this paper a case study for the use of assessment as pedagogy including an overview of the HEGC! Program, assessment strategies used, and pedagogical incorporation for the course. We conclude with a list of implications for study abroad and assessment practices.