Sink or Swim?: Improving Student Learning through Feedback and Self -Assessment

Abstract

This paper identifies a number of problems with the mechanism by which teachers give feedback to students and reports the findings of a unique self-assessment activity aimed at countering these problems. The activity, based on the principles of Learning-Oriented Assessment (Carless, 2007), involved tutors providing written feedback but withholding grades on assignments submitted by a cohort of 2nd and 3rd year History students. Giving consideration to supplied assessment criteria and grade descriptors as well as the feedback they received, the students were then required to award themselves a grade and write a 100-word justification, which was submitted to the tutor. Analysis of the grades awarded by the students and tutors, and an evaluation of the exercise administered by an anonymous and non-compulsory questionnaire, revealed a high degree of grade agreement, and that students became much more motivated to read and heed the feedback they received. Moreover, the students reported gaining a greater understanding of the assessment criteria, the work required to attain a particular grade, and the means for improving their written work. Drawing particularly on the research of David Carless and David Boud, the paper concludes by discussing options for improving the feedback mechanism, such as the use of self-assessment rubrics.