Improving learning through student-involved assessment

The current emphasis on formative assessment in many parts of the world, especially in cultures characterized by a strong tradition of didactic, teacher-centred and examination driven pedagogy, entails radical and complex changes in teachers’ existing assessment practices. It calls for a significant move away from memorization of detailed information by the learner to the development, in the learner, capacity for self-regulated and life-long learning. Involving students in the process of classroom assessment promotes student autonomy, requires role transformation in which students become partners in the co-construction of learning and achievement goals, and enables students to take charge of their learning. This paper reports on an assessment project undertaken by a group of language teachers in Hong Kong to improve learning and teaching through involving students in the process of assessment. Data were collected through teacher interviews, student focus group interviews and participant observation. The findings of the project highlight the impact of the student-involved assessment (SIA) strategies on closing achievement gaps and the interplay of metacognitive knowledge, SIA strategies and associated enabling activities. They also point out the challenges involved in introducing SIA in an examination-oriented culture. Copyright © 2010 Common Ground, Alice Chow.