Self-Assessment

How do student self-assessments compare to tutor summative assessments and are students’ perceptions of self-assessment affected by involvement in the activity?

The research project explored whether student self-assessment and marking aligns with tutor summative assessments. In addition, Student perceptions of self-assessment were explored before and after carrying out a self-assessment activity, enabling students to comment on various aspects of self-assessment.

My findings indicate that most student participants awarded themselves a mark which was very close to the tutor awarded mark. Findings suggest that those students who assess themselves at a higher grade than the tutor awarded mark, do so by a far greater percentage variation than those whose self-assessments are close to the tutor assessment.

Most Students felt that the assessment criteria did not capture all the aspects of their activity within the unit. It is clear from the research  that students need to be more involved in assessment and need practice to do it.

Students felt more positive about some aspects of self-assessment after completing the activity.  They were more in agreement that the activity of self-assessment is an informative and self-revealing activity and that it can improve the tutor’s teaching practice. They were also more positive that student self-assessments could influence the tutor’s summative mark and their understanding of the  student’s learning journey.

There were negative impacts on perceptions and opinions, particularly around their ability to evaluate their progress, identify their strengths and weaknesses in relation to criteria and standards and use the activity to reflect their progress and to move on to their next achievement milestones.

Full report and research: