Assessment in Partnership with Learners

Abstract

Assessment procedures have a profound impact on the attitudes students take towards their work, their learning strategies and their commitment to learning. Most assessment of student learning is, however, undertaken with little or no consultation with students. Given the importance to students of developing the capacity for self-assessment and evaluation, the unilateral control of assessment assumed by many academic staff can only be viewed as pedagogically unsound. It is important that students develop a clear understanding of tutor expectations regarding any learning task and this requires engagement in dialogue in the classroom setting. To become effective, independent, autonomous learners, students must be enabled to understand assessment criteria and expected levels of attainment. They should be empowered through meaningful feedback on their learning which relates to assessment criteria and which is given from a perspective of improvement on current attainment. This paper presents the case for academics to work in partnership with students, particularly in the context of assessment, for the purpose of enhancing learning and developing autonomous, independent and reflective learners.

Peer-Assisted Reflection: A Design-Based Intervention for Improving Success in Calculus

“…Most of these studies have focused on calibration between peer and instructor grades, rather than peer analysis as a tool for learning (Stefani 1998). Even studies focused on learning rarely measured quantitative changes in student outcomes (Sadler and Good 2006).…”

Evaluating interviews which search for the truth with suspects: but are investigators’ self-assessments of their own skills truthful ones?

“…However, persistence in undertaking evaluation enabled teachers to self-assess both more accurately and objectively (Hanrahan & Isaacs, 2001;Stefani, 1998). Several studies have noted the importance of identifying and understanding skilled performance that avoids exaggerating personal strengths (Andrade & Boulay, 2003;Dunning & McElwee, 1995;Dunning, Leuenberger, & Sherman, 1995;Dunning, Meyerowitz, & Holzberg, 1989;Hayes & Dunning, 1997;Klenowski, 1995;Mamede, Schmidt, & Penaforte, 2008;RuthSahd, 2003).…”

Understanding the rules of the game: marking peer assessment as a medium for developing students' conceptions of assessment

“…Likewise, Haggis and Pouget's (2002) research suggests that the greater heterogeneity of students in contemporary higher education means that we need greater clarity and explicitness about the approaches that students need to adopt in order to deal with 'students' confusion and disorientation in the working context of specific subjects and actual writing tasks, at the time they are experienced ' (p. 332). Stephani (1998) also emphasizes the importance of tutors and students sharing their 'conceptions of the teaching and learning contract' (p. 339) as a process of empowering students to develop as effective learners.…”