Seminar Task 9
Self-assessment and Peer assessment
Identify the benefits of both self and peer assessment.
In exploring the principles of self-assessment and peer assessment, both strategies show an emphasis on increasing student involvement in assessing their achievements (Brady and Kennedy 2019). Given the shared criterion of student engagement in assessment, claimed benefits for peer and self-assessment often echo each other.
Self-assessment is often praised for promoting learning by providing students with motivation and insight through engagement in the assessment process. In doing so, it has been claimed to prepare students for reflection on the quality of performance that may be necessary for future professions (Brady and Kennedy 2019). Self-assessment is also requested to develop a deeper understanding of student’s strengths and weaknesses, and thereby prompt areas that need to be worked on by the teacher or the students themselves. Above all, self-assessment methods assist students in assuming responsibility for their own learning and perceive themselves as active members in the learning process.
In a similar way, peer assessment guides students with ownership of assessment. Students work together to participate in assessment, thereby helping them to be more autonomous of their work. This strategy provides students with a broader range of feedback, rather than allowing the teacher to be the sole assessor. It encourages the idea of critical appraisal of the work of others, and may also provide the peer assessor with a useful model to improve their own work. Brady and Kennedy argue it also promotes the idea that assessment is an ongoing and integral part of the learning process (Brady and Kennedy). It is not merely an end to the learning area, but rather an active involvement of both teacher and student in the process of assessment.
From your experience are these claimed benefits accurate? What are the characteristics of the learning environment that will ensure both self and peer assessment will flourish?
I firmly believe self and peer assessment supports students to develop their capability to assess their own learning. In my own experience, both self and peer-reviewed assessment have provided me with the confidence to critic the quality of work and revise it accordingly, rather than relying on teacher/tutor judgement. In doing so, I was being to access, interpret, and use information from quality assessments in ways that affirm further learning.
However, some cautions should be considered to the claimed benefits for both peer and self-assessments. For example, some pupils may not have the skills to assess each other and therefore misinform without appropriate teacher intervention. Students may also tend to favour their friends or closest peers and may involve concerns with discrimination. Finally, all students acquire knowledge at different rates; this may impact the quality of feedback for student being assessed. For these purposes, the teacher must create a positive learning environment that will ensure self and peer assessment can thrive in the classroom.
In preparation for self and peer assessment, teachers should:
Works Cited:
Brady, Laurie & Kennedy, Kerry J., (author.) 2019, assessment and reporting: celebrating student achievement, 5th Edition, Pearson Australia, Melbourne, VIC