Integrating disciplinary practices to optimally deliver alternative assessments and embed graduate attributes in a Global Mental Health Master’s programme

Abstract

The routes to optimising the authenticity of assessments in different organisational and disciplinary contexts have been ambiguous and challenging. This paper offers a case study of diversifying the assessments in a taught Master’s Programme by integrating disciplinary practices to design alternative assessments. Embedding discipline-specific principles and perspectives was found to be key to achieving authenticity of assessments. This paper reports on a descriptive mixed-method study that the authors conducted to evaluate current students’ perceptions of and experiences with the diversified assessments in the Programme. Overall, the findings demonstrate students’ acknowledgement of the importance of a diverse mix of assessments, especially in terms of fostering the development of several graduate attributes. The findings also highlight several opportunities for enhancing the constructive alignment of the curriculum. Alternative assessments can be feasibly designed to promote many of the graduate attributes necessary to create ‘global students’ in an increasingly competitive and internationalised job market.