Ontological Assessment Decisions in Teaching and Learning

In the design and implementation of assessment, institutions of higher education work within complex social structures, whilst adhering to rigorous standards, courses, and learning outcomes. This chapter makes the case that finding the balance between conflicting expectations is not easy and how universities factor equity within these constraints further complicates assessment for inclusion. Centring ontological awareness in assessment design and drawing on an evidence-making intervention framework to sustainably account for matters of concern in assessment decisions, the chapter proposes innovative approaches to do away with reasonable adjustments. Instead, by engaging theories that emphasise heterogeneity, interconnection, and temporality, assessment can be designed to be more inclusive of all.