Assessing Literacy Competencies Among Polytechnic Lecturers in Malaysia Using a Rasch-Based Measurement Model

Assessment literacy is a critical component of effective teaching and learning within Outcome-Based Education (OBE) systems, particularly in polytechnic institutions where competency-based outcomes are emphasized. Despite ongoing assessment reforms in Malaysian polytechnics, concerns remain regarding lecturers’ literacy competencies, especially in aligning assessment practices with OBE principles. Conventional evaluation methods often fail to capture latent competency levels and item functioning, limiting the accuracy of assessment literacy measurement. There is a need for a robust and psychometrically sound measurement approach that can accurately assess lecturers’ literacy competencies and reveal underlying cognitive demands associated with assessment practices. Employing Rasch measurement addresses this gap by providing interval-level estimates, enabling more precise evaluation of lecturer competencies and supporting evidence-based professional development and policy decisions in Malaysian polytechnic education. This study adopted a quantitative research design using a Rasch-based measurement model to assess literacy competencies among polytechnic lecturers in Malaysia. A structured assessment instrument focusing on Outcome-Based Education and assessment literacy was administered to a sample of 33 polytechnic lecturers. Rasch analysis was conducted to estimate item difficulty, evaluate item targeting, and examine construct representation. Descriptive statistics and Rasch logit measures were used to analyze item functioning and respondent performance. The Rasch analysis revealed a well-ordered item difficulty hierarchy ranging from −0.835 to +1.987 logits, indicating strong discrimination across varying competency levels. Items assessing foundational assessment knowledge were identified as easy, while those related to formative assessment and core OBE concepts were significantly more difficult. Although some items recorded high correct response rates (up to 87.9%), Rasch logit estimates highlighted latent conceptual complexity not captured by classical statistics alone. The scale demonstrated effective item targeting, minimal item clustering, and adequate construct coverage, supporting its measurement validity. The findings confirm the effectiveness of Rasch modeling in assessing literacy competencies among polytechnic lecturers and reveal critical gaps in advanced OBE-related assessment literacy. The study underscores the importance of using robust measurement models for evaluating educational competencies and provides empirical evidence to inform targeted professional development and assessment policy enhancement in Malaysian polytechnic institution