This investigation was an exploration of a small group of teachers’ interpretations of self-assessment, both in theory and in practice. Teachers talked about their beliefs about self-assessment, the extent to which they supported the use of self-assessment strategies in their classrooms, and ways they went about this. They identified conditions that were enabling for student self-assessment, as well as barriers and challenges they faced. The research is therefore framed from the teachers’ perspectives, although comparisons are drawn to findings from other research.
Key Results
The teachers in this study did find self-assessment challenging to implement. However, this is not surprising when the conditions that are necessary to ensure its success are examined.
This small investigation of teachers’ experiences of using student self-assessment strategies in their classrooms suggests there are several points to consider.
- Teachers’ beliefs about learning are fundamental to whether they will provide the space for students to use self-assessment strategies.
- Before self-assessment can be an effective part of students’ learning, teachers have to develop a classroom culture where students are active rather than passive learners, believe that they can learn, are motivated to want to learn, and are given choices about their learning.
- Students must be taught how to use self-assessment. Both teachers and students need to accept that first efforts will not be perfect, that students will need scaffolding to use the tools effectively, and that students will need different levels of support.
- Different students respond better to different self-assessment strategies. Students should be exposed to a range of strategies and encouraged to independently adopt those that help them learn best.
- Sustained and planned professional development is a necessary component of developing a school-wide culture of self-assessment, as is strong leadership.
- Time is an important factor—it takes time to embed self-assessment into everyday practice, it takes time for students to be able to use self-assessment strategies successfully, and time needs to be allowed for students to practice self-assessment.