By having them self-assess, you’re giving students a more active role and ownership in their own learning. Some students already apply self-assessment as an internal and implicit process in their own stream of thought without observable results. But to make the most of it, it is necessary to make self-assessment explicit and observable. In this way, students learn techniques to better self-assess and also engage more actively with this, with better learning results (Yan et. al 2021). In this teaching tip, we dive into the benefits of self-assessment and how to best apply it in your teaching practice!
Note: in this tip we are not handling the subject of self-reflection. Self-reflection is much more open-ended in nature than self-assessment when doing assignments.
Tip 1: Include self-assessment in the learning goals
For students, self-assessment can sometimes seem like an unimportant or merely administrative task. By explicitly including self-assessment in the learning objectives of your course, you clearly communicate that it is an integral part and goal of the learning process. This way, you encourage students to monitor and direct their own growth. This not only activates their engagement, but also promotes a proactive attitude toward their own learning.
Tip 2: Mention the value of self-assessment
An important step in creating awareness and intrinsic motivation among students is to explicitly name the value of self-assessment. When students clearly understand why self-assessment plays a role in their academic development, they are also more likely to actively apply it. For example, name as reasons: promoting self-awareness, fostering deep understanding of learning, and developing active involvement in their own learning. Communicate that self-assessment is not just for recognizing mistakes, but also for celebrating successes and discovering opportunities for growth.
Tip 3: Use concrete rubrics
Self-assessment is not a task that students can or teach themselves automatically, so support them with a concrete rubric. The rubric should also be tailored to the task or assignment students are working on. You can then have them assess themselves on substantive aspects of the work, but also, for example, on their quality of collaboration, planning or organization. By doing so, you make self-assessment tangible and manageable. Through clear guidelines, they learn to critically assess and improve their own performance. This improves both their skill in self-assessment, as well as a more structured approach to their learning process.
Want to know more? Read Didactic tip 36: How to develop a rubric?
Tip 4: Schedule self-assessment
Deliberately schedule assessment moments so that your students have time and space for this activity. For example, after handing in intermediate products and during the final work or final presentation. In addition, in this way you’re also showing that this is a serious part of the educational process. Give them the opportunity to consciously look back and adjust where necessary.
Tip 5: Offer digital tools for self-assessment
Offer digital self-assessment tools so that your students are supported and guided. Digital self-assessment tools can help with the feedback process and can cater to individual preferences. This allows each student to create their own learning pathway or look back in their own way. See for example the FeedbackFruits Guide on Self-Assessment of Work or Skills.
Tip 6: Use peer feedback
Use peer feedback as an adjunct to self-assessment. Peer feedback provides a broader perspective and enriches student learning. It encourages collaboration and creates a learning environment where students can benefit from each other's experiences and knowledge.
For more inspiration, take a look at our didactic tips on feedback and rubrics:
- Tip 11: How to get students to provide and process peer feedback better - part 1
- Tip 13: How to get students to provide and process peer feedback better- part 2
- Tip 28: Constructive feedback? Ten tips!
- Tip 37: Do’s and don’ts for effective peer feedback - part 1
- Tip 38: Do’s and don’ts for effective peer feedback - part 2
Tip 7: Include self-assessment in the feedback process
To properly embed self-assessment in your course, you can add it as part of the feedback process. For example, you can encourage so-called inner feedback with guiding questions. Want to know more? Read the article: Stimulate generation of inner feedback for your students.