Glossary
This is a discussion of composite terms for assessment activities.
Self assessment
Self assessment encompasses many different features that place students as central in assessment decisions. There are many different forms of self assessment and some elements commonly found in self assessment include:
Self-testing
Self-testing involves students testing themselves against a set of pre-determined questions which are either fixed choice or open-ended. After completion, students are provided with correct and incorrect responses, often with explanations and guidance to assist further study.Guidance is often provided by text or online rather than through interaction with a teacher.
For aspects of self-testing that might be used see:
- Calibrating judgements against others or against standards
- Self testing and utilisation of results
- Confidence marking
Peer assessment
Peer assessment places student’s peers as central to assessment decisions. There are many different forms of peer assessment. Elements commonly found in peer assessment include:
- Identifying and developing standards and criteria
- Peer feedback
- Calibrating judgements against others or against standards
Feedback
Frequently used to describe teachers giving comments on student’s work, this term is used more accurately in engineering and biology. 'True' feedback requires completion of a 'feedback loop' , where the person giving the feedback knows if the information they provide has been successful in influencing the student. Giving comments to students is better described as the provision of information, not feedback. Feedback features in various elements:
