Abstract
Assessment literacy—the ability to understand academic expectations, interpret marking
criteria, and apply feedback—is crucial for student achievement. However, many students
struggle with these elements of academic assessment as they lack confidence in
understanding assessment criteria, structuring assignments, and interpreting feedback. This
means that University assessments in the UK can be a major source of anxiety for many
students. These difficulties can impact student engagement, self-efficacy, and overall
academic achievement. This paper presents the 'SkillSense for Assessment Mastery (SSAM)
Programme', an initiative designed for undergraduate and international post graduate students
in higher education. The SkillSense Programme was developed to address assessment fears by
teaching assessment literacy in an interactive, student-centred way. In doing so, it improves
student confidence, self-efficacy, and sense of belonging to the academic community.
To evaluate student perspectives and measure the impact of the SkillSense Programme, both
quantitative and qualitative data were collected at a UK Higher Education Institution. This study
analyses pre- and post-survey responses from an undergraduate student cohort who
participated in the SkillSense Programme in October 2024. The paper examines students’
academic assessment concerns, their understanding of assessment criteria, and their overall
academic self-efficacy. The findings indicate that the SkillSense Programme enhanced
students’ ability to interpret assessment briefs, apply marking criteria and academic skills, and
engage with academic writing conventions. The intervention also fostered a greater sense of
belonging and academic identity for these students.
criteria, and apply feedback—is crucial for student achievement. However, many students
struggle with these elements of academic assessment as they lack confidence in
understanding assessment criteria, structuring assignments, and interpreting feedback. This
means that University assessments in the UK can be a major source of anxiety for many
students. These difficulties can impact student engagement, self-efficacy, and overall
academic achievement. This paper presents the 'SkillSense for Assessment Mastery (SSAM)
Programme', an initiative designed for undergraduate and international post graduate students
in higher education. The SkillSense Programme was developed to address assessment fears by
teaching assessment literacy in an interactive, student-centred way. In doing so, it improves
student confidence, self-efficacy, and sense of belonging to the academic community.
To evaluate student perspectives and measure the impact of the SkillSense Programme, both
quantitative and qualitative data were collected at a UK Higher Education Institution. This study
analyses pre- and post-survey responses from an undergraduate student cohort who
participated in the SkillSense Programme in October 2024. The paper examines students’
academic assessment concerns, their understanding of assessment criteria, and their overall
academic self-efficacy. The findings indicate that the SkillSense Programme enhanced
students’ ability to interpret assessment briefs, apply marking criteria and academic skills, and
engage with academic writing conventions. The intervention also fostered a greater sense of
belonging and academic identity for these students.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Studies in Higher Education |
| Publication status | Submitted - 2025 |