The “SkillSense for Assessment Mastery” Programme: Developing Engaged Learners through a Community of Practice Approach.
Keywords:
Assessment literacy, Self-efficacy, Community of Practice, Engagement, Sense of BelongingAbstract
This paper introduces and evaluates the 'SkillSense for Assessment Mastery' (SSAM) Programme, a pedagogical initiative designed to improve assessment literacy among first-year undergraduate students in UK higher education. Grounded in theories of Communities of Practice and self-efficacy, SkillSense seeks to build students' confidence, reflective learning, and academic identity by embedding assessment skills within their academic journey. The programme comprises interactive workshops that guide students through peer review, self-assessment, and effective use of feedback via a purpose-built Assessment Skills Rubric (ASR). Evaluation involved mixed methods, including pre- and post-intervention surveys and focus groups conducted over two academic years (2022–2024), with 106 students participating across four modules. Results indicate improvements in students’ understanding of assessment criteria, increased engagement with feedback, and enhanced confidence in academic tasks. The paper argues that such structured, skills-based assessment programmes can play a critical role in facilitating student belonging and academic success, particularly during transitions into higher education.
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