What is Student Self-Assessment?

 What “Is” Student Self-Assessment?

Student self-assessment is not about learners giving themselves a grade; it is about learners evaluating their work. It is a metacognitive process; students thinking about their thinking. When students engage in self-assessment, they begin to take ownership of their growth. They ask: *Am I meeting the learning goals? Where can I improve? What should I do next? Research indicates that this reflective process fosters deeper learning and enhances academic performance (Panadero et al., 2016).

Educator Tidbit: According to Andrade and Valtcheva (2009), when students self-assess accurately and regularly, they show increased motivation, self-efficacy, and achievement.

How Do We Make Self-Assessment Work?

It starts with clarity. Students need to know what "good" looks like. In my classroom, I co-create rubrics and checklists with students so they understand the expectations from the start. Then, I guide them to reflect using prompts like: *What did I do well? What can I improve?* Tools like reflection journals, self-rating scales, and student-led conferences make this visible and meaningful.

One essential element? Creating a classroom culture where students feel safe and are encouraged to be honest about their learning. That means celebrating effort, modeling reflection, and reinforcing that mistakes are a natural—and valuable—part of the learning journey (Brookhart, 2013).

Should Students Help Develop Assessments?

Absolutely! When students are involved in creating rubrics, suggesting project formats, or identifying success criteria, they become more engaged. They feel a sense of ownership and clarity. In fact, Panadero (2017) found that student participation in assessment design supports autonomy and academic growth.

Letting students in on the "why" and "how" behind assessments is not about lowering the bar. Instead, it is about raising awareness. It promotes critical thinking, responsibility, and deeper learning. If we want students to take assessment seriously, we need to let them be part of the process.

Final Thought

Assessment does not have to be something we do to students. It can be something we do with them—and eventually, something they do for themselves. That is how we cultivate actual learning ownership.