Reducing the socio-economic status achievement gap at University by promoting mastery-oriented assessment.

ABSTRACT: In spite of official intentions to reduce inequalities at University, students' socio-economic status (SES) is still a major determinant of academic success. The literature on the dual function of University suggests that University serves not only an educational function (i.e., to improve students' learning), but also a selection function (i.e., to compare people, and orient them towards different positions in society). Because current assessment practices focus on the selection more than on the educational function, their characteristics fit better with norms and values shared by dominant high-status groups and may favour high-SES students over low-SES students in terms of performances. A focus on the educational function (i.e., mastery goals), instead, may support low-SES students' achi

SUBMITTER: Smeding A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3738531 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature