Exploring Assessment and Feedback Histories, Literacies, and Intercultural Competence Development: Longitudinal Narratives of International Postgraduate Students

In the highly internationalised context of British higher education, the student body is increasingly diverse. Students enter British universities with different prior experiences; in particular, postgraduate students are likely to have longer histories in diverse HE contexts that shape their academic literacies. Amongst many 'academic literacies', feedback literacy has recently gained importance and attention. In fact, feedback can facilitate student learning and development only when students are able to effectively utilise it to enhance future work and actively participate in feedback processes and dialogues. Within internationalised contexts of higher education, however, feedback processes take place at the intercultural level and can be difficult to navigate. For feedback processes and dialogues to be effective in such circumstances, students might need to develop the ability to effectively and appropriately communicate interculturally. This thesis explores ten international postgraduate taught students'experiences with assessment and feedback practices within the intercultural context of British HE and gathers in-depth insights into the complexity of cultural and contextual factors that might influence their experiences. Through a longitudinal narrative inquiry over a 9-month period of time, this thesis investigates (1) the impact of student histories on their intercultural competence within assessment and feedback contexts, (2) the impact of student assessment and feedback intercultural competence on their feedback literacy development, and (3) the role of dialogic feedback in supporting intercultural competence and feedback literacy development. Narrative interviews and audio diaries are employed as data collection methods; an integration of a two-level narrative and thematic analysis is employed to

interpret the data. The findings from multiple interviews and audio diary entries reveal a connection between student assessment and feedback histories, intercultural competence, and development of feedback literacy. Dialogic feedback practices are shown to be fundamental in supporting long-term development of intercultural competence, feedback literacy, and learning. Further research directions and implications for practice are also discussed.