Pedagogical Influences on Assessment Design
Intentions of the course
On this page:
Indigenization
Indigenization refers to the process of integrating Indigenous knowledge, pedagogies, and perspectives into educational systems. By embedding the concept of Indigenization into educational assessments, your course can foster a more inclusive, respectful, and culturally rich learning environment. This is one of our key commitments from the JIBC strategic plan, and incorporating Indigenous perspectives in curriculum represents a type of action that educators can take to demonstrate reconciliation practices in a very applied context with real benefits to learners, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous.
- What does this look like in practice?
Incorporating Indigenous knowledge and perspectives into the content of assessments has the potential to enhance the quality of both your course and its assessments and helps bring your course in line with our broader institutional commitments. Consider how to make assessments align with Indigenous principles of holistic and community-minded learning, using techniques such as oral presentations, storytelling, community projects, and collaborative assessments alongside traditional written exams and papers. Indigenization encourages educators to think of assessment in more holistic terms as well, valuing not just cognitive but also emotional, spiritual, and physical aspects of learning. This is particularly crucial in public safety education, where understanding and respecting cultural diversity can significantly impact the quality and effectiveness of care, especially for Indigenous communities that have unique health needs and cultural perspectives.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)
Integrating EDI into assessment design means recognizing and addressing the diverse identities, experiences, and needs of your students. It involves creating assessment practices that are fair, accessible, and responsive to systemic barriers that may affect student performance. This is not just a matter of fairness—it’s a matter of educational quality and integrity.
- What does this look like in practice?
EDI-informed assessment design may include offering multiple ways for students to demonstrate learning (e.g. written, oral, visual, or practical formats), ensuring accessibility for students with disabilities, and being mindful of cultural and linguistic diversity. It also means critically examining grading practices for bias, using inclusive language in assessment prompts, and creating opportunities for students to bring their lived experiences into their work.
In public safety and applied fields, where practitioners serve diverse communities, EDI-aligned assessments help prepare students to think critically, act ethically and professionally, and serve equitably. By embedding EDI into assessment, educators foster a learning environment where all students feel seen, supported, and empowered to succeed. See below in the next section for a more detailed description of some applications of EDI in assessment design. If we take a public safety profession, let’s say paramedics or corrections officers to name just two, we recognize that we want more from our graduates than just the accumulation of information. Instead, we intend our programs and courses to cultivate well rounded, thoughtful, and highly competent professionals.
Accessibility
Assessment is not just a measure of learning—it’s a reflection of how learning is supported. Designing accessible assessments is a critical part of inclusive course design, ensuring that all students, regardless of ability, have equitable opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. Accessibility is not an add-on; it is a foundational principle that should be embedded from the start.
Integrating accessibility into assessment design means proactively removing barriers that might prevent students from fully participating. It aligns with legal obligations, institutional commitments, and—most importantly—educational values that prioritize fairness, dignity, and respect for all learners.
- What does this look like in practice?
Accessible assessment design includes offering extended time or alternative formats for students with disabilities, using clear and simple language in instructions, ensuring compatibility with screen readers and assistive technologies, and avoiding unnecessary sensory or cognitive load. It also means designing assessments that are flexible and adaptable—such as allowing students to choose between written, oral, or visual formats when appropriate.
In applied and public safety education, where learners come from diverse backgrounds and may face a range of challenges, accessible assessments help ensure that all students can succeed—not just those who fit a traditional mold. By embedding accessibility into assessment design, educators create more inclusive, equitable, and effective learning environments.
Trauma-Informed Pedagogy
Trauma-informed pedagogy recognizes that students may carry the effects of trauma into the classroom, which can impact their ability to learn, engage, and perform. Assessment practices that are trauma-informed prioritize safety, trust, and empowerment, helping students feel supported rather than judged.
- What does this look like in practice?
Trauma-informed assessment design includes offering flexibility in deadlines where possible, avoiding high-stakes surprises, and providing choices in how students demonstrate learning. It also involves using clear, predictable structures and creating opportunities for reflection and self-regulation. Instructors may also consider the emotional impact of assessment content and avoid triggering scenarios when possible.
In public safety and applied fields, where students may be exposed to emotionally intense material (be it simulated or real-world practicum environments) or have lived experience with trauma, this approach is especially important. Trauma-informed assessments foster resilience, reduce anxiety, and support student well-being while maintaining academic rigor.
Culturally Responsive Pedagogy
Culturally responsive pedagogy emphasizes the importance of recognizing and valuing students’ cultural identities and experiences in the learning process. When applied to assessment design, it ensures that students from diverse backgrounds see their knowledge, values, and ways of learning reflected and respected.
- What does this look like in practice?
Culturally responsive assessments may include open-ended tasks that allow students to draw on personal or community experiences, use examples from diverse cultures, or offer multiple formats for demonstrating learning. It also involves being mindful of language, avoiding cultural bias in test questions, and creating space for students to express their identities.
This approach is particularly relevant in multicultural classrooms and public-facing professions, where cultural competence is essential. By designing assessments that are inclusive and affirming, educators help students feel seen, respected, and motivated to engage deeply with the material. This helps support student autonomy and reaffirms that clear message about the types of public safety professionals we want our learners to become.
Digital Literacy
Digital literacy is the ability to use digital tools effectively, ethically, and critically. As technology becomes increasingly embedded in education and the workplace, assessments must evolve to reflect and support the development of digital competencies.
- What does this look like in practice?
Assessments that integrate digital literacy might include tasks that require students to research online, evaluate digital sources, create multimedia presentations, or collaborate using digital platforms. It also involves teaching students how to use digital tools responsibly, including understanding issues like data privacy, AI use, and digital citizenship. If there are tools and/or technologies that are particularly relevant for your discipline, assessments can invite a greater familiarity for those wishing to understand how technology is used in professional practice. E-portfolios offer an excellent example that address many of the issues embedded in digital literacy.
Incorporating digital literacy into assessment design prepares students for the realities of modern work and life. It also encourages creativity, collaboration, networking, and critical thinking—skills that are essential across disciplines.
AI, Productivity, and Learning
A current example of this involves the use of AI, both for developing assessments (from the instructor’s perspective) and for what is expected of assessments (from the student’s perspective). The discussion about AI and assessment is enough to fill another guide, and rather than prescribe any direct action, it seems better to let this topic jump off into its own research and discovery.
CTLI has developed a guide for dealing with AI at a high level of attention, with guidance for faculty. For instructors and curriculum developers, ensuring that any assessment work upholds the principles of Academic Integrity that is expected of students is essential. Currently, AI functions as a productivity tool at different levels of usage, from course development to instruction. Additionally, students have their own motivations with regard to the use of AI, and having substantial discussions with students about technologies such as AI is a recommended part of any class activity, especially when sharing expectations between instructors and students. At the same time, a concerted planning effort around the types of assessment and their purpose will also mitigate opportunities to use the technologies for short-cuts and/or inappropriate usages.
- What does this look like in practice?
Any guidance for educators should move beyond simply communicating rules about AI use. Instead, you should fundamentally redesign assessment structures at the program level to integrate AI purposefully, ensure learning validity, and prepare students for a world where AI is a pervasive tool. The overbearing dominance of AI in current education discourse should give us pause and invite discussions about our assessments, our assessment strategies, and our goals for learning. The general advice in this guide seeks for us to develop substantial, authentic assessments that focus more on process and less on distinct products that can be created on demand. These practices by themselves should mitigate the low-level risks posed by AI such as assignment generation and test taking.