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The quest for quality (Chappuis et al., 2009)

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Creating student-friendly tests (Salend, 2011)

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In praise of performance-based assessment (Flynn, 2008)

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Observational Checklist - During Reading example

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Observational Checklist - Group Discussion Log example

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7 keys to effective feedback (Wiggins, 2012)

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Do they hear you (Hattie, Fisher, & Frey, 2016)

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What is self-assessment?

Self-assessment is simply a matter of having students identify strengths and weaknesses in their own work and revise accordingly. Effective self-assessment involves students comparing their work to clear standards and generating feedback for themselves about where they need to make improvements. It is a tool that can promote learning if it is used while the learning is taking place. In order for self-assessment to be effective, students must be able to use their self-generated feedback to revise and improve their work before it is due for grading. After students self-assess and revise their work, they can turn it in for a grade ¹.

What is not self-assessment?

Self-assessment is not a process by which students determine their own grades. Although students tend to be quite honest when asked to formatively self-assess, the temptation to inflate a summative self-evaluation is often too great. Self-assessment is about promoting learning and achievement, not about grading. Self-assessment also is not something that happens after an assignment is complete and students are ready to turn it in for a final grade ².

How can I use self-assessment with my students?

Getting Started: Three key steps for effective self-assessment ³

Effective self-assessment involves at least three steps:

1. Clear Performance Targets

In order for self-assessment to be effective, students must have clear targets to work toward. In other words, students must know what counts! Clear criteria for assignments that will be graded should be made available to students before work on the task begins. The assessment criteria can be created by the teacher or co-created with students. The criteria can be arranged in a simple checklist or in a rubric. Examples of rubrics and a checklist are below.

2. Checking Progress Toward the Targets

This is where the actual self-assessment takes place. Once students know the performance targets (step 1), they create a draft of the assignment, compare the draft to the targets, and identify areas of strength and areas for improvement.

3. Revision

Using the self-generated feedback from step 2, students revise their draft, trying to close the gaps between their work and the targets. This step is crucial. If students don't have the chance to revise and improve their work, and possibly their grades, they are unlikely to take the self-assessment process seriously.

Getting Started: Using rubrics and checklists to guide self-assessment ⁴

What is a rubric?

A rubric is usually a 1-2 page document that has two features:

1. Clearly stated criteria or learning targets for a given assignment.

2. Descriptive levels or gradations of quality for each criterion, ranging from excellent to poor. (See Example: Self-assessment of Writing Using Colored Pencils and a Rubric)

Why use a rubric?

A rubric can be a very effective tool for guiding student self-assessment. Because it includes vivid descriptions of what excellent and poor work look like, a rubric can help students get a strong sense of the quality of their work and-perhaps more importantly-provide guidance about how to improve it.

What is a checklist?

A checklist is similar to a rubric in that it lists the learning targets, or criteria (what counts), but it does not include the gradations of quality, which is characteristic of rubrics. See page 6 for an example of a mathematics checklist.

When should I use a checklist instead of a rubric?

Rubrics are excellent tools for guiding self-assessment but checklists can work equally well, or better, depending on the assignment. For larger, complex assignments, rubrics typically work best. For shorter, less complex assignments, checklists are often more appropriate.

Example: Self-assessment of writing using colored pencils and a rubric ⁵

Table 1 is an example of a writing rubric with six criteria and four levels of gradation.

1. Choosing a different colored pencil for each criterion, students underline key words on the rubric.

2. Next, students self-assess their drafts one criterion at a time. For example, for the first criterion, "Ideas and Content," students underline key phrases on the rubric in red, such as "clearly states an opinion."

3. Then, students turn to their drafts and search for evidence of clearly stating an opinion. If students find the evidence, they underline it in red. If not, they make a note to themselves that will later guide revision.

Example: Co-creating a rubric with students

To increase student motivation, autonomy, and ownership of the learning process, some teachers co-create a rubric (or checklist) with their students. In the example below, two middle school visual art teachers, Emily Maddy and Jason Rondinelli, shared four examples of the use of gradation in the work of students from a different class, that they had determined ranged from excellent to poor (Table 2). Without knowing how the teachers ordered the drawings, students broke into small groups and described positives and negatives of a single drawing. They then came back together and compiled their descriptions. Collectively they determined which of the four merited an "excellent," which "poor" and the ones in between (Table 3). The final product combined their comments into a co-developed rubric focused on gradation.

Example: Using a checklist to guide self-assessment ⁷

For shorter, less complex assignments, checklists are often more appropriate than rubrics.

Table 4 is a sample checklist for a mathematics class. Once the teacher was confident that the students could move through each step of the checklist, she had students focus on the scoring criteria associated with step 6 for their self-assessments.

Additional Resources

For more information:

Video of student peer assessment, including examples, teacher perspectives, and student reactions will be available summer 2013 at studentsatthecenter.org

For more on student-centered assessment, see Assessing Learning: The Students at the Center Series (Heidi Andrade, Kristen Huff, & Georgia Brooke, 2012)⁸.

Endnotes

1. Heidi Andrade & Anna Valtcheva. 2009. "Promoting Learning and Achievement Through Self-assessment." Theory Into Practice. Vol. 48, 12-19.

2. See Andrade & Valtcheva (2009).

3. See Andrade & Valtcheva (2009).

4. See Heidi Andrade & Zachary B. Warner. 2012. "Beyond 'I give myself an A.'" Educator's Voice. Vol. 42, 42-51.

5. See Andrade & Warner (2012).

6. See Heidi Andrade, Joanna Hefferen, & Maria Palma. Forthcoming. "Formative Assessment in the Visual Arts." Art Education Journal.

7. See Andrade & Warner (2012).

8. See Heidi Andrade, Kristen Huff, & Georgia Brooke. 2012. Assessing Learning: The Students at the Center Series. Boston, MA: Jobs for the Future.

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Self-assessment is simply a matter of having students identify strengths and weaknesses in their own work and revise accordingly. Effective self-assessment involves students comparing their work to clear standards and generating feedback for themselves about where they need to make improvements. It is a tool that can promote learning if it is used while the learning is taking place.

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What is an exhibition?

An exhibition is a high-stakes demonstration of mastery that occurs at a culminating academic moment, such as the end of a school year or at graduation. Exhibitions are summative assessments, but the process of building up to a final exhibition includes ongoing assessment, feedback, and revision. Exhibitions are open to the public, and community members and local experts are often invited to attend. Because exhibitions involve extensive preparation, they are most successful when adopted on a school-wide basis ¹.

What is not an exhibition?

An exhibition is not something that simply happens at the end of a unit, detached from prior learning. An exhibition is the end result of an extended, in-depth period of learning. An exhibition provides evidence that students have mastered specific content and standards.

Exhibitions are not limited to the fine arts. Students can use exhibitions to demonstrate mastery in all domains.

How can I use exhibition with my students?

Getting Started: Six Key Features of Exhibitions ²

1. The period leading up to an exhibition provides multiple opportunities for revision based on frequent feedback

The exhibition process focuses on feedback-driven learning and revision. The formative learning process prepares students to ultimately create a successful exhibition.

2. Exhibitions are open to the public.

Community members are encouraged to attend.

3. Exhibitions involve school-wide participation.

All students and teachers are involved in the exhibition process. Teachers coach students in how to learn. Students take initiative in their learning, assuming a worker role.

4. Exhibitions are high stakes.

Exhibitions are often a requirement for graduation or advancing to the next grade.

5. Exhibitions occur at culminating moments.

Exhibitions occur at the end of a unit or school year, for example.

6. Exhibitions demonstrate mastery.

Exhibitions reflect in-depth learning. Through the feedback and revision process, students move increasingly closer to mastery and eventually become experts on their topic(s).

Getting Started: Four Supportive Conditions for Implementing Exhibitions ³

1. School-wide approach encompassing instructional and assessment processes

Exhibitions require the restructuring of class time, and often serve as an alternative to traditional high-stakes assessments (i.e. standardized, norm-referenced tests). For these reasons, exhibitions are most successful when a school-wide approach is adopted and common standards are agreed upon and shared.

2. Structures that support sustained collaboration and inquiry among students and teachers

Systems should be in place to facilitate regular communication among faculty and students. Examples include scheduled weekly meetings, providing feedback to colleagues on instructional materials/ideas, and soliciting feedback from students about their learning.

3. Strong connections with the community outside of the school

As a student explores the topic of her exhibition in-depth, she may wish to interview a local expert in her field of study to advance her research.

Community members are encouraged to attend student exhibitions to see what students are learning and to ask questions. Community involvement in the exhibition process also holds schools accountable: Community members can attend student exhibitions and judge for themselves how well a school is educating its students.

4. Active participation in a system or network of other schools using exhibitions

Support networks are helpful. The Coalition of Essential Schools is a large, popular network of schools that use exhibitions.

Additional Resources

For more information:

Example of student exhibitions 4 with teacher and student perspectives on exhibitions

The Coalition of Essential Schools

The Coalition of Essential Schools has played a central role in developing the use of exhibitions as performance assessments in schools. CES has a strong reputation for supporting schools and teachers in implementing exhibitions as a way to assess student learning.
Exhibitions: Demonstrations of Mastery in Essential Schools ⁵

New York Performance Standards Consortium

Description of how exhibitions are used in place of the New York State Regents exams ( High-stakes test alternative ⁶)

For more on student-centered assessment, see Assessing Learning⁷ from the Students at the Center ⁸ series.

Endnotes

1. See Jill Davidson. 2009. "Exhibitions: Connecting Classroom Assessments with Culminating Demonstrations of Mastery." Theory Into Practice. Vol. 48, No. 1, 36-43.

2. See Davidson (2009).

3. See Davidson (2009).

4. Coalition of Essential Schools. 2013. "Coalition of Essential Schools - National Exhibition Month" [Video]. April 17. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45HIW3jgEPg

5. See Jill Davidson. 2007. "Exhibitions: Demonstrations of Mastery in Essential Schools." Coalition of Essential Schools: http://www.essentialschools.org/resources/237

6. See "Alternatives to High-stakes Testing": http://performanceassessment.org/consortium/calternatives.html

7. See Heidi Andrade, Kristen Huff, & Georgia Brooke. 2012. Assessing Learning: The Students at the Center Series. Boston, MA: Jobs for the Future.

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# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
An exhibition is a high-stakes demonstration of mastery that occurs at a culminating academic moment, such as the end of a school year or at graduation. Exhibitions are summative assessments, but the process of building up to a final exhibition includes ongoing assessment, feedback, and revision.