The SHARP assessment cycle: from assessment design and real-time student voice to student learning development
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi41.1948Keywords:
assessment design, assessment literacy, co-creation, inclusive assessment , student voiceAbstract
Assessment in higher education often suffers from a critical disconnect where student feedback benefits future cohorts rather than current participants. This study presents SHARP (Strategic, Holistic, Adaptive, Reflective, Process), a systematic framework for embedding real-time student voice into assessment design to develop students’ assessment literacy and engagement. SHARP was piloted across three in-class Mathematics tests with 246 students on a foundation-level UK university programme using a mixed-methods quasi-experimental design with post-assessment surveys from 108 students administered before grade release. Quantitative analysis revealed statistically significant improvements in clarity ratings, whilst fairness perceptions rose from 70.3% to 96.0%. A quasi-experimental comparison with historical controls demonstrated a 73% reduction in assessment volatility, reflecting more consistent student performance across assessments. Qualitative evidence illustrated students’ developing capacity to evaluate and articulate assessment design. This pilot demonstrates SHARP’s potential as a transferable framework for student-informed assessment practice, though replication is needed to establish broader generalisability.
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