Louise Aston

Research on student assessment literacy (SAL) has explored several points of interest, from broad conceptualisations of what SAL entails to developing SAL interventions and evaluating the overall benefits of SAL.  There has been limited SAL research, however, from the student perspective, and how SAL actualises and transforms throughout the student lifecycle.   Through the narratives of 22 final year undergraduate students in northern England, the present study explored SAL by focusing on student strategies in completing written coursework assessments. The context of coursework assessment provided insight into assessment practices during the interval from the issuing of the assessment to submission, and the increasing stakes of university assessments from first to final year. Assessment strategies undertaken to complete coursework showcased how students perceive best practice in relation to (1) coursework preparation, (2) engaging with support and (3) engaging with feedback. Findings highlight the need to centre student identity in relation to SAL actualisation and transformation, given that participants negotiated various stakes involved in university assessments, in relation to their unique learner identities.   Some participants exhibited minimal SAL transformation but high levels of actualisation, while others transform in relation to high-stakes assessment and are selective in the degree of actualisation. All methods of SAL actualisation and transformation stem in part from students’ pre-university experiences.