Assessing Student Learning

Involving and Guiding all Students in Assessing their Own Learning

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PTS Name: Assessing Student Learning

Element: Involving and guiding all students in assessing their own learning

Indicators

As teachers develop, they may ask, “How do I…” or “Why do I…”:
  • Make assessment integral to the learning process?
  • Model assessment strategies for all students?
  • Develop and use tools and guidelines that help all students assess their own work?
  • Help all students to build their skills in self-reflection?
  • Provide opportunities for all students to engage in peer discussion of their work?
  • Help all students to understand and monitor their own learning goals?
  • Provide opportunities for all students to demonstrate and reflect on their learning inside and outside of the classroom?

Descriptions

Examples may include, but are not limited to:
  • Providing tools to help students monitor their own work and progress (e.g., checklists for monitoring independent work, student kept inventories/records of assignments, grades, templates for recording and reflecting upon teacher feedback, student and teacher-created rubrics
  • Guiding students in developing and practicing self-reflection strategies, such as using conference notes to assess their own learning
  • Facilitating a student peer review process for assessing student writing
  • Regularly scheduling time for students to reflect on their progress toward reaching their individual goals

Problems of Practice

Challenges with this element frequently include:
  • Setting the expectation that the teacher is the students' sole source of feedback about their work
    and progress
  • Failing to identify clear performance criteria at the outset of an assignment
  • Creating the impression for students that assessment requires that an expert judge their work and track their progress
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