7: Assessment of and for learning
Formative assessment as a learning activity
An active form of formative assessment is peer assessment. Peer assessment can be both formal and informal.
Students can assess each other’s completed work or provide input on drafts. The assessment may be provided in writing or orally, for example in the form of a discussion, individually or in groups.
When students assess each other’s work, it is important that they know what to look for so that feedback is constructive. It is not self-evident that the students immediately understand how to give each other feedback. They need criteria, and they need training. Giving the students examples of how work has previously been assessed, accompanied by a group discussion of how the criteria have been applied, may be effective.
Another form of formative assessment is self-assessment or self-reflection. Self-assessment can be used at the beginning of a semester to gain a preliminary understanding, clarify expectations and build trust between tutors and students. Self-assessment can also be used throughout the programme to make students more aware of what and how they learn, and how they are doing in terms of achieving learning outcomes. Using self-assessment is a requirement in primary and lower secondary education.
Translated by EPALE Norge and HK-dir