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Teaching Students Self Assessment Skills

Vern JohnsonMeasuring Success: Taking Responsibility for learning

at the University of ArizonaTucson, AZ

March 27-28, 2002

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Self assessment = “How am I doing?”

Learningactivities

Progressassess-

ment

Learningoutcomes

Competencies

Performance indicators

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.

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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).

Learningplan

Personalpurpose

andvalues

Outcomegoals

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.

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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.

Learning plan + assessment = intellectual vitality

Gaps = The difference between outcome goals and measured performance.

Intellectual vitality = The ability to perform in accordance with one’s purpose.

Learningplan

Personalpurpose

andvalues

Intellectual

vitalityLearningactivities

Progressassess-

ment

Learningoutcomes

Performanceindicators

Competencies and gapsOutcome

goals

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Self assessment tools can help students measure progress

Self assessment tools

Learningplan

Personalpurpose

andvalues

Intellectual

vitalityLearningactivities

Progressassess-

ment

Competencies and gaps

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. 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.

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Faculty mentors can help students improve their learning plans

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.

Learningplan

Personalpurpose

andvalues

Intellectual

vitality

mentor

Learningactivities

Progressassess-

ment

Competencies and gaps

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.

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Session presenters

Patrick Finn – Speech and Hearing SciencesLaura McCammon – Theatre Arts

Yvonne Merrill – EnglishVern Johnson – Engineering

“Teaching Students Self Assessment Skills”