Undergraduate Science and Agriculture Students Perceive Improved Academic Judgement Upon Use of an Assessment Literacy Module

Abstract

Success in higher education is associated with both students’ capacity for self-regulation and the ability to understand assessment processes. The Assessment Literacy Module (ALM) is an interactive online tool designed to promote development of students’ own academic judgement and assessment literacy. Students act as assessors of work samples; they use the assessment rubric and are guided by expert marker feedback that relates the marking standards to the assessment outcome. In this study, we evaluated perceptions of ALM impact on the student learning experience by surveying staff (N = 18) and students (N = 416) involved in 18 undergraduate subjects. Students reported that after completing the ALM they had a better understanding of the assessment criteria (94%); they felt the module helped them prepare for their assessments (90%) and were more confident about their assessment quality (86%). Staff perceptions of the benefits of the ALM closely aligned with those reported by students. We recommend this tool for enhancing assessment literacy and developing academic judgement in undergraduate students of all levels. The ALM is of greatest utility in large cohort subjects as a sustainable approach for providing all students access to expert feedback. Future research will explore how the ALM benefits teaching practices.