Peer and Self-Assessed Strategies in Higher Education - Case Study Example

Peer and Self-assessed Strategies in Higher Learning Name: Institution: Date: Executive summary Peer and self-assessment is common in higher learning particularly in later years. Application of this technique for first year students still draws many varying arguments that need further research. This report discusses strategies that are applied in peer and self-assessment while exploring the benefits and challenges that accompany its application. The introduction sets the pace for the report by introducing the topic and its thesis. Potential benefits, strategies and challenges have been explored in the body of the report. The report winds up with a conclusion and recommendations that provides a way forward for effective peer and self-assessment in higher learning. Introduction Many forms of collaborative, cooperative or peer learning, especially when it comes to small group activities are increasingly being applied in university courses to help students meet various learning outcomes. These incorporate working collaboratively in groups, being responsible in personal learning as well as increasing understanding of specific course content. The potential benefits of peer and self-assessment have long been acknowledged and very important currently. The application of peer and self-assessment strategies for first year students in university has elicited every kind of reactions from practitioners, researchers and academics (Kirby & Downs, 2007). This paper explores strategies, challenges and benefits of peer and self-assessment particularly to students in first year in higher learning. Background Many studies conducted about self-assed and peer strategies do not point out the year level where they are applied and some not even mention anything about it. Application of peer and self-assessment in the first year of study in higher education is minimal as compared to other subsequent years. Significantly, most of these studies conducted do not elaborate the connection between the application of peer and self-assessment, and particular features of first year assessment, teaching and learning (Nulty, 2011). Consequently, the suitability of peer and self-assessment to students in first year and courses can only be inferred and not directly addressed in most cases. Potential benefits of peer and self-assessments When it comes to self and peer-assessment students are encouraged to take part in elaborated, legitimized and systematic process that complements learning. Absence of peer and self-assessment would only use informal and spontaneous means to gain the same knowledge. Moreover, students develop a sense of ownership of the process as opposed to feeling victimized or alienated. Engaging students in peer and self-assessment assists in preventing unfair judgments of their work since they possess uniquely informed positions to access information that academics may have little knowledge about (Andrade & Du, 2007). Students’ engagement and motivation is highly enhanced where peer and self-assessments are incorporated in the learning process. Students understand different criteria and standards particularly where multicultural groups are involved. Collective participation assists to support and establish a scholarly community of learners who cooperate in supporting one another in the learning process. Strategies of peer and self-assessment Intensive conversations have to take place with the students prior to introduction of any self-assessment practices. It is essential to look at the principles and assumptions that revolve around peer and self-assessment. Practice opportunities have to be provided during the introduction of the concept before full engagement. Coaching of students has to take place applying relevant examples and models. The manner in which self-assessment is introduced determines its acceptance to students (Nicol & Macfarlane, 2006). A clear rationale of the process has to exist in the first place. Students have to be involved in coming up with the criteria for judgment and evaluating their own work. Self-assessment has to be designed with the discipline contexts in mind. Students require practice, coaching and support in developing self-assessment abilities and techniques. Effective feedback will automatically lead to learning gains. It is presented that skills of learning and self-reflections are less well established in the first year students as compared to students in later years, and consequently, the first years do not have the basic skills for peer and self-assessment (Kirby & Downs, 2007). Students are naturally more self-reflective as compared to others. The ability for students to make informed judgments depends on their ability to be self-reflective. Academics cannot engage students who are unsuitable for the techniques in peer or self-assessment activities. Research indicates that students in later years are more accurate assessors in predicting their grades as compared to first year students. There is encouraging consistency existing between teacher and peer assessment. Previous researches have not indicated disparities of peer and self-assessments by first years as compared to later years. Students who are in first hear find some difficulties in making judgments and need some help in making those judgments (Nulty, 2011). Students in later years can be allowed to make difficult judgments with little guidance from their tutors. Learning how to make those judgments is one of the objectives of peer and self-assessment strategies. Educators have the responsibility of guiding students with regard to receiving feedback and evaluating their personal work and that of their peers. Challenges of peer and self-assessments Peer and self-assessment is important because it helps students to identify criteria and standards, and arriving at judgments about each other with regard to those criteria. Peer-assessment is suggested to be subordinate to self-assessment since it is entirely through self-assessment and not peer-assessment that people are able to examine their individual actions/work and change future ideas or behaviors. The act of self-assessment is made possible by interpreting ways in which peers will judge a person as well as their different ways of performing (Boud & Falchikov, 2006). First year students are less likely to exercise accurate judgments owing to their inadequate knowledge of the discipline in regard to what they are judging, but this can be overcome if enough guidance is given to the students. While Self-assessment skills without does assist students in becoming affective in their students, students who are inexperienced lack the capacity to exercise self-evaluation and should be engaged in self-assessment activities. Conclusion Inability of making well-informed judgments is justification of not engaging first year students in higher learning in peer and self-assessment activities until in the later years. Development of students’ skills to exercise accurate, informed and reasonable judgments can be a reason of engaging them in self and peer-assessment. Before peer and self-assessment are introduced for first year students, it is important to evaluate the ability of the students of making informed and accurate judgments. The use of peer and self-assessment benefits is more felt in students in higher levels since they have developed accurate skills of self-evaluation. Recommendations Peer and self-assessment is a necessary ingredient in the learning process. However, adequate understanding of the students’ ability to make reliable and accurate judgment is important. Prior to introduction of peer and self-assessment techniques, research has to be done to determine the ability of the students to make judgment on diversified areas of research. Nevertheless, students have to be given the opportunity to develop their peer and self-assessment abilities. The lecturers have to be supportive and guide students in every step when developing peer and self-assessment strategies. Further research has to be done on the proper and suitable level of introducing peer and self-assessment strategies in higher learning. Reference list Andrade, H. & Du, Y. (2007). Student responses to criteria-referenced self-Assessment, Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 32 (2), 159-181. Boud, D. & Falchikov, N. (2006). Aligning assessment with long-term learning, Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 31(4), 399-413. Kirby, N.F & Downs, C.T. (2007). Self-assessment and the disadvantaged student; Potential for encouraging self-regulated learning? Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 32(4), 475-494. Nicol, D.J., & Macfarlane, D.D. (2006). Formative assessment and self-regulated learning: a model and seven principles of good feedback practice, Studies in Higher Education, 31(2): 199-218. Nulty, D.D. (2011). Peer and self-assessment in the first year of university, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 36: 5, 493-507. Read More