An exploration of staff perspectives about anti-racist and inclusive assessment (ARIA) in ECYS

This project explored the views of tutors in the Open University School of Education, Childhood, Youth and Sport  (OU ECYS) about existing and potential anti-racist pedagogical and assessment approaches in open-access,  distance learning. Participants were aware of recent OU or qualification assessment, pedagogical and  professional development ARIA initiatives but had little confidence that these would be sufficient to disrupt  endemic racism without deeper reforms. They identified their need for coherent professional development,  changes to processes and time and space for collaboration to support effective implementation of ARIA. There  was concern from some participants about the extent to which they are permitted to change their practice and the degree of agency afforded to tutors. The findings of this study provide a useful foundation upon which  further scholarship with tutors, students and qualification teams might build.