Using the EAT (equity, agency, transparency) framework to promote inclusive assessment practices

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi37.1704

Keywords:

inclusive assessment, equity, agency, transparency, feedback literacy

Abstract

This presentation demonstrated how learning developers can use Evans’s EAT framework (2022) to increase the accessibility, equity, and inclusivity of assessment practices by designing innovative activities that promote student assessment and feedback literacy. The activities showcased in this presentation were used in Academic Language and Literacy workshops at the University of Bristol, which played a central role in demystifying assessment and feedback processes for students at all levels of their academic journeys. Underpinning theories and practical applications from these workshops were explored for each of the three dimensions of the framework to demonstrate how this tool could be used to increase the transparency of assessment practices and empower students to take a more active role in the assessment and feedback process.

In terms of assessment literacy, the presentation proposed ways to improve students’ ability to generate internal feedback and self-regulate their learning (Nicol, 2021) through the discussion and evaluation of exemplars (Smyth, 2023) and the decoding of assessment briefs and marking criteria. Activities to increase students’ agentic engagement with feedback practices (Winstone et al., 2017) were also discussed, such as analysing tutor feedback to explore disciplinary practices and highlight the integral role of feedback in academic knowledge construction. The final part of the presentation focused on how to help students navigate the ever-increasing modular system of HE assessment design (Jessop and Tomas, 2017), so that they can make connections between assessments on different units and exploit central university resources to support their development.

Author Biographies

Catriona Johnson, University of Bristol

Catriona Johnson is an English for Academic Purposes Subject Lead at the University of Bristol. She is an HEA Fellow and has worked at the University of Bristol since 2018 as an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Tutor and a Lecturer in Academic Development. Her current role is Subject Lead for in-sessional EAP with a focus on designing and delivering workshops for UG and PG students from a range of disciplines to develop their academic reading and writing skills. Her main research interests are inclusive pedagogy and discipline-specific knowledge practices drawing on Legitimation Code Theory.

Debora Catavello, University of Bristol

Debora Catavello is an English for Academic Purposes Subject Lead at the University of Bristol and is a BALEAP Fellow. Debora has worked within the field of EAP since 2017 and previously within English as a Foreign Language (EFL). In her role as an EAP Subject Lead, she designs and delivers academic reading and writing workshops to postgraduate and undergraduate students from a range of disciplines. Her main research interests include academic writing and the design of teaching materials drawing on theories such as Systemic Functional Linguistics and Legitimation Code Theory.

References

Brown, G. and Yule, G. (1983) Discourse analysis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Duff, P. A. (2010) ‘Language socialization into academic discourse communities’, Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 30, pp.169-192. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0267190510000048

Evans, C. (2022) The EAT framework: enhancing assessment feedback practices in higher education. Cardiff: University of Cardiff.

Hoey, M. (2001) Textual interaction: an introduction to written discourse analysis. London: Routledge.

Jessop, T. and Tomas, C. (2017) ‘The implications of programme assessment patterns for student learning’, Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 42(6), pp.990-999. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2016.1217501

Monbec, L. and Ding, A. (2024) Recovering language in higher education: social justice, ethics and practices. Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland.

Nicol, D. (2021) ‘The power of internal feedback: exploiting natural comparison processes’, Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 46(5), pp.756-778. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2020.1823314

Smyth, P. (2023) ‘Working towards dialogic use of genre exemplars in English for Academic Purposes’, in Best practices in English teaching and learning in higher education. Abingdon: Routledge, pp.54-66.

Winter, E. (1977) ‘A clause-relational approach to English texts: a study of some predictive lexical items in written discourse’, Instructional Science, 6, pp.1-92.

Winstone, N. E., Nash, R. A., Parker, M. and Rowntree, J. (2017) ‘Supporting learners’ agentic engagement with feedback: a systematic review and a taxonomy of recipience processes’, Educational Psychologist, 52(1), pp.17-37. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2016.1207538

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Published

30-09-2025

How to Cite

Johnson, C., & Catavello, D. (2025). Using the EAT (equity, agency, transparency) framework to promote inclusive assessment practices. Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, (37). https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi37.1704

Issue

No. 37 (2025): Special Edition, ALDinHE Conference Proceedings and Reflections

Section

Conference Proceedings

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