Self-assessment is an essential process in diverse learning that should be presented to every student. Self-assessing comes with tracking progress, assessing data, and identifying gaps in knowledge. Following a rubric or other monitoring methods is helpful for evaluating one’s learning process and improving. However, even for self-assessment, students need to be introduced to instructions in a fair way, mindful of their privacy. In this essay, I reflect on my understanding of self-assessment and its work process.
When students employ self-assessment tactics, they become more invested in the progress, facilitating interest in assessing data. Tracking progress can become a competition with oneself while identifying gaps in learning becomes easier due to interest in improvement and attentive focus that often accompany self-assessment (Andrade, 2019). A rubric can help identify strengths and weaknesses and introduce students to receiving constructive criticism. Sharing checklists can also help students track their progress and data (Ndoye, 2017). To ensure the instructions are always understood by the students, they must be voiced over more than twice, as well as written down for everyone to see or handed out separately to each student (Crooks et al., 2020). When giving instructions, individual needs and student confidentiality can be maintained by presenting several ways of achieving the goals that are mindful of individual obstacles and incorporate possible solutions. In the case of working with colleagues, the best approach is to be always polite, respectful, and aware of boundaries.
Self-assessment is vital for improvement in any knowledgeable field because it facilitates focus and interest in studying, as well as introduces constructive criticism, and teaches to track progress. I have also learned that self-assessment requires an understanding of rules and rubrics. For that purpose, creating a fair and aware of individual needs environment for students is essential. Additionally, respecting both students’ and colleagues’ privacy and boundaries is necessary for cooperating properly and ethically.
References
Andrade, H. L. (2019). A critical review of research on student self-assessment. In Frontiers in Education, 4, 87.
Crooks, C. V., Smith, A. C., Robinson-Link, N., Orenstein, S., & Hoover, S. (2020). Psychosocial interventions in schools with newcomers: A structured conceptualization of system, design, and individual needs.Children and Youth Services Review, 112.
Ndoye, A. (2017). Peer/Self Assessment and Student Learning. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 29(2), 255-269.