From Coping to Confidence: Linking Wellbeing and Flexibility in Assessment
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66561/sehej.v7i3.1440Keywords:
Student Voice, Flexible Assessment, Wellbeing, Curriculum Design, Confidence, Higher EducationAbstract
This case study explores the role of flexible assessment in enhancing student voice, wellbeing, and confidence in higher education. Building on doctoral research that identified coping as a central theme in student wellbeing, it considers how curriculum design can act as a structural intervention to support confidence. A flexible assessment approach was introduced in the opening module of a Level 6 top-up degree, enabling students to choose their own learning outcomes and assessment methods.
Student reflections highlighted three key outcomes: increased confidence, stronger motivation and engagement, and improved preparedness for subsequent prescribed assessments. While flexible assessment did not significantly alter grades, students consistently described feeling “trusted” and more capable, emphasising that early autonomy reduced anxiety and helped them approach later challenges with resilience.
This case study suggests that flexible assessment should not be viewed as a universal replacement for traditional tasks but as a strategic tool to support transition points where confidence is most at risk. For institutions, this reflection highlights how embedding student voice into assessment can align with priorities around inclusion, engagement, and wellbeing, as articulated in sector frameworks such as the Teaching Excellence Framework. Ultimately, flexible assessment illustrates how moving from coping to confidence can create the conditions for learners to thrive in higher education.
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