How am I going?

Students care deeply about assessment. Students often perceive a 'hidden curriculum' ie. "What's assessed is what's important." This fact provides teachers with the responsibility to conduct assessment effectively, as well providing the opportunity to use assessment as a tool for learning. Thoughtfully used, it can also provide an avenue to direct the student’s attention to the broader context of work after study.

In preparing the students for assessment, clarity is a key issue. What information do you give your students about assessment? Are they provided with a clear sense of what they are expected to accomplish? Are your instructions written or verbal? Do they have an opportunity to ask questions? Can they identify what they can do already and what new learning is required? Do they know the standard against which their work will be compared? Is the format in which you want the assignment submitted, or the format of the exam, made clear? Ideally, this information is clarified well before the assessment task starts.

Communication of the results of assessment is also of paramount importance. This feedback will help the student to identify areas of strength and areas in which further development is needed. If improvement is needed, guidance in how to go about improving may also be required. Relating feedback to the world of work after study can add particular relevance for students. In a professional setting (eg as a librarian or engineer) what would be the consequences of producing work of this standard?

Huba and Freed (2000, p.155) suggest the following questions are useful for teachers to reflect on the role of feedback in teaching and learning:

• When have I used assessment as an opportunity to reveal something to my student?
• What do I reveal to my students through assessment?
• How well do my students know the standards against which their work will be assessed?
• How could I explain to students the real-life consequences of doing excellent or poor work?
• How can I help my students to improve if they need to improve?

• Huba, M. E. & Freed, J. E. (2000). Learner-centered assessment on college campuses: Shifting the focus from teaching to learning. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.