Faculty assessment choices in higher education: drivers, strategies, and decision-making styles for fair and inclusive practice

Abstract

This study investigates pedagogical decision-making among higher education faculty with a focus on three central aspects: the factors influencing assessment method selection, the strategies adopted to ensure fair and inclusive assessment, and the decision-making styles that underpin these processes. Data were collected using a qualitative survey administered to 581 faculty members from twelve diverse faculties at a state university in Istanbul, and analysed thematically. Findings revealed that faculty members consider a range of factors, such as course attributes, learner characteristics, structural conditions, and principles and rules of assessment, when choosing assessment methods. In parallel, they implement a range of strategies, including equity-centred, student-focused, and process-driven assessment strategies to promote fairness and inclusion in assessment practices. Moreover, this study uncovered a variety of decision-making styles, ranging from rational and bounded rational to intuitive and dependent, which shape both the selection of assessment methods and the application of fair and inclusive assessment strategies. These insights underscore the complexity of academic assessment design and highlight the need for comprehensive faculty development programs to support innovative and equitable assessment practices in higher education.