Promoting inclusion in higher education through authentic assessments

Abstract

This article is based on a qualitative study conducted with Nursing students enrolled in the course Coaching II: A Tool for Learning during the first semester of 2025. The research focuses on a key dimension of professional training: assessment, conceived as an essential component for certifying specific competencies, particularly those related to communication in academic and professional contexts, which are especially relevant in sensitive areas such as healthcare. The aim of the study was to analyze the potential of authentic assessment to value student learning and to acknowledge the diversity of educational trajectories among Nursing students. These trajectories, diverse and non-linear, demand assessment models that recognize prior experiences and the knowledge acquired in different educational settings. The classroom-based research experience made it possible to implement an authentic assessment approach, highlighting its potential to foster meaningful learning in both real and simulated situations, and to facilitate the transfer of such learning into clinical practice settings. The article presents the main results obtained, as well as the challenges faced by higher education institutions in effectively integrating diversity into their training processes. Finally, it emphasizes the need to continue strengthening the role of faculty as reflective practitioners and researchers, capable of creating inclusive and sustainable learning environments throughout life.