While working on module development for the Spring 2025 semester I asked myself ‘How can I help students feel less overwhelmed and more confident as they approach their assessments?’.
One solution is to introduce a weekly assessment preparation activity into the student learning journey. But, I have more to say on this. I wanted to make this weekly assessment preparation activity one which engages, builds skills and reminds students about the support available from the staff at the University of the Built Environment.
The whole idea is to:
- link weekly content directly to the assessment;
- break the assignment into manageable steps;
- offer ongoing guidance, not just at the end;
- encourage reflection, planning, and early drafting;
- signpost academic and wellbeing support.
Why this matters?
Even though online learning provides the flexibility of study from anywhere and anytime, some students can sometimes feel lonely and overwhelmed when it comes to assessment preparation. Even though the University provides many opportunities for students to seek support and guidance, under pressure and with looming deadlines available support is sometimes overlooked. So, embedding assessment support into the weekly learning journey helps to:
- reduce anxiety and procrastination;
- build confidence and academic skills gradually;
- encourage early engagement with assessments;
- foster independent yet well-supported learning.
My secret recipe to make assessment preparation irresistible
I structured the assessment preparation activities keeping the following points in mind:
- Clear weekly focus on relevant tasks of the assignment – how the resources, discussions and lectures provide ideas to work on assignment tasks.
- Add ‘Top tips’ for drafting assignment tasks using available Study skills resources – The University’s VLE Study skills area has a wide array of resources to help students build the much-needed academic skills. But, looking for what is needed can be overwhelming for some students. It’s like you have the internet and Google but are not sure what to search for or where, or you might end up reading many web pages only to find one simple answer. So, with Top tips we can point students to relevant skills such as how to structure the report, how to paraphrase, how to cite and reference when justifying the advice or choice, and so on.
- Signposting to available academic and student support – the intention is to guide students where to ask questions and seek guidance.
- Reminders for assessment deadlines – when the assessment window opens and closes in case of computer marked or computer based assessments.
- Wellbeing reminders – preparing for assignments can be stressful and students often feel pressured. Assessment preparation activities can be a great spot to signpost students to mental health resources.
- Guidance for using AI responsibly – signposting students to the Study skills interactive resources to understand how to use AI responsibly and provide guidance on how to acknowledge it before submitting their assignment.
What makes weekly assessment preparation activities easily digestible?
Start early – embed the hints about the assignment from the start of the module.
Break it down – connect weekly learning to assignment components.
Make it practical – include prompts like ‘perform research’, ‘refer to trusted information’ or ‘justify your recommendation’.
Offer ‘Top tips’ – use available study skills resources to help build the assignment. It is also an opportunity to point students to the common pitfalls and what to avoid/consider.
Point to support – show students where to ask assessment related questions and remind about upcoming one-to-one surgeries and assignment briefing webinars.
Check in with wellbeing – normalise seeking help, especially mental health support. Instead of starting ‘If you need any mental health support…’ add a quote or example of a real problem to attract student attention. For example, I added the following quote and later provided information about the available support:
Even the strongest students need support sometimes. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help, it’s a sign of strength, not weakness. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or need support with a disability or mental health, reach out!
Model good practice – include mini examples or sentence starters. Students love it!
Foster digital literacy – if the assignment needs the use of a particular software, provide guidance or point to study skills resources on how to use it. Also, it is a great spot to show students the available AI tools or to explore popular AI tools like ChatGPT or Grammarly.
Final thoughts
We all want students to succeed in their academic journey as well as in their professional life. Assessment is a way to determine that. Drafting assignments need skills other than learning about a subject. Weaving assessment preparation into the module from Week 1 helps students manage their time and build essential skills to be successful. As a learning designer I want students to be competent and confident in approaching their assessment.
Acknowledgement
The idea of weaving assessment preparation into the learning journey right from the start of the module is the result of a collaborative effort within the Digital Education and Media Services team. My thanks go to my colleague Sarah Jarvis whose thoughtful inputs helped make the assessment preparation activities easy to read. And my thanks also go to Sue Lowe who never stops encouraging Learning Designers to push the boundaries and create the best possible learning resources.
Cover photo by Good Faces on Unsplash.
Learning designer at University of Built Environment. My work greatly reflects design and development of high quality, accessible and inclusive learning resources. I work with academic tutors and subject experts in the development and delivery of undergraduate and postgraduate module resources.