Culturally Conscious Assessment as Pedagogy in Study Abroad

A Case Study of the Higher Education in the Ghanaian Context Program

Authors

  • Jillian Martin Washington University in St. Louis
  • Candace M. Moore University of Maryland
  • Alexis D. Foley University of Maryland
  • Kiyah T. McDermid University of Maryland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36366/frontiers.v33i1.508

Keywords:

study abroad, decolonization, higher education, assessment, culturally conscious

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. 

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Author Biographies

Jillian Martin, Washington University in St. Louis

Jillian A. Martin, Ph.D. is the Assistant Director for Strategy and Evaluation for the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement at Washington University in St. Louis. She is the co-faculty for the Higher Education in the Ghanaian Context Program.

Candace M. Moore, University of Maryland

Candace M. Moore, Ph.D. is Associate Clinical Professor in the Higher Education, Student Affairs, International Education Policy (HESI) program and Director of the Center for the Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education (CDIHE) within the Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education at the University of Maryland (UMD), College Park. She is the co-faculty for the Higher Education in the Ghanaian Context Program.

Alexis D. Foley, University of Maryland

Alexis D. Foley is the Academic Advisor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Maryland. She was a participant in the Higher Education in the Ghanaian Context Program.

Kiyah T. McDermid, University of Maryland

Kiyah T. McDermid is the Program and Advising Coordinator for the Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life at the University of Maryland, College Park. She was a participant in the Higher Education in the Ghanaian Context Program.

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Published

2021-02-26

How to Cite

Martin, J., Moore, C., Foley, A. D., & McDermid, K. (2021). Culturally Conscious Assessment as Pedagogy in Study Abroad: A Case Study of the Higher Education in the Ghanaian Context Program . Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 33(1), 168–186. https://doi.org/10.36366/frontiers.v33i1.508