Experiences of an international student with a visual disability making sense of assessment and feedback

ABSTRACT

Tom (pseudonym) was an international undergraduate student with a rare visual disability, known as cone dystrophy. His appearance was that of a normal person but variations in light greatly influenced his vision. During his first two years at a university in Australia, Tom had particular difficulty making sense of assessment and feedback. His perceptions, struggles and strategies are presented here as a narrative, primarily in his own words. Tom’s interactions with academics were strong contributors to his mostly negative perceptions about assessment and feedback. Key influencers were his cultural background, his approach to feedback, and his own expectations of the role feedback should play. An analysis of four in-depth interviews and a written response of this student’s attitudes, needs and issues demonstrate how academics, university stakeholders and experts in assessment and feedback can develop a raised awareness of, and sensitivity to, specialised ways of assisting international students with disabilities. A greater exploration and unpacking of these students’ individual needs and difficulties is suggested in the process of understanding feedback and assessment in a new academic context.

KEYWORDS:

• Disability
• higher education
• feedback
• assessment
• international students
• narrative

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, [KO-E], upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Karen Olave-Encina

Dr Karen Olave-Encina holds a fellowship in the School of Education at The University of Queensland and is also working as a casual lecturer in the School of Languages and Cultures at the same university. She has nearly twenty years of experience working in higher education in Chile and Australia. Her research interests are feedback, inclusive education, students who have English as an Additional Language, and assessment. Karen has a PhD in international students’ practices and perceptions of feedback, assessment, and academic literacies in higher education.