Exploring student experiences of assessment in higher education in Scotland and Brazil: embargo or empowerment?

Education policy in Scotland and Brazil has increased the number of students in higher education institutions (HEIs) presenting challenges in learning and teaching in online, conventional and hybrid contexts. Academic writing remains a key factor in assessment of academic achievement. Using in-depth semi-structured interviews, 14 participants (Scotland n=7, Brazil n=7) who completed assessable written work were interviewed. Using Paulo Freire’s concept of empowerment (1971), this paper explores students’ perceptions of assessment in the two countries. Results presented thematically indicate that perceptions of the purpose of both the assessment and academic qualification are at odds with institutional habitus (Bourdieu, 1984).