Teaching Students Self Assessment Skills

1. Teaching Students Self Assessment Skills Vern Johnson Measuring Success: Taking Responsibility for learning at the University of Arizona Tucson, AZ March 27-28, 2002

2. Competencies Progress assess- ment Learning outcomes Learning activities Performance indicators Self assessment = “How am I doing?” Students who assess their learning outcomes can determine their competencies and use these competencies to drive their learning activities. Learning outcomes = The intellectual abilities that result from learning activities. Competencies = Knowledge, skills, or attitudes with which some degree of intellectual ability is demonstrated. Students learn from others, through personal experiences, and by reflection on what they already know. Assessment is a form of learning by reflecting on what is already known.

3. Students with personal learning plans have a set of outcome goals that describe the educational strategies they plan to use to accomplish their purposes while maintaining their values. Personal purpose and values Outcome goals Learning plan Learning plan = learning objectives + outcome goals Purpose = “What do I plan to accomplish at the university and why?” Values = “What interests and motivates me?” Learning objectives = 3-5 strategies for accomplishing the purpose (short statement in verb, noun format). Outcome goal = A measurable indicator with a goal (#, date).

4. Competencies and gaps Learning outcomes Outcome goals Personal purpose and values Progress assess- ment Intellectual vitality Learning plan Learning activities Performance indicators Learning plan + assessment = intellectual vitality When planning and assessment are combined the learning activities can be modified so that the outcomes begin to match the learning plan. When this happens the learning outcomes become measures of intellectual vitality. Also, gaps in learning expectations become evident. Gaps = The difference between outcome goals and measured performance. Intellectual vitality = The ability to perform in accordance with one’s purpose.

5. Students need more than grades to measure progress toward their educational goals. They need to assess changes in specific abilities as they grow and mature. Personal purpose and values Intellectual vitality Competencies and gaps Progress assess- ment Learning plan Learning activities Self assessment tools Self assessment tools can help students measure progress This session will focus on strategies faculty can use to help students assess their educational progress so they can identify their personal competencies and learning gaps.

6. With the help of a faculty mentor, competencies and gaps can be fed back to improve the learning plan as the student matures and develops intellectually. Competencies and gaps mentor Progress assess- ment Learning plan Learning activities Personal purpose and values Intellectual vitality Faculty mentors can help students improve their learning plans Mentoring is related to teaching, but it focuses on imparting procedures and ways of thinking. During reports to mentors, students outline what has gone well during the past semester, and what needs improvement. They then indicate issues for which assistance is needed, along with plans for the coming semester. Mentors respond to these items. Total time of mentoring session ~ 30 minutes, once each semester.

7. Session presenters Patrick Finn – Speech and Hearing Sciences Laura McCammon – Theatre Arts Yvonne Merrill – English Vern Johnson – Engineering “Teaching Students Self Assessment Skills”