Lip Service or Genuine Assessment Tool?

Providing opportunities for students to self-assess and reflect on their learning has become more common practice in primary/intermediate classrooms in recent years. Learning logs and reflective journals are more prevalent and students are increasingly being viewed as an active participant in the assessment process. I'm very much an advocate for students being provided with opportunities to self-assess and reflect on their own learning. As Davies and Hill (2009) state, "Students who self-monitor are developing and practising the skills needed to be lifelong, independent learners" (p. 64). This is also in line with the thinking competency identified in the revised curriculum.

I fear however, that self-assessment and reflection are often given lip service and in turn activities become more 'contrived' for the sake of 'doing self-assessment', or so it looks good in the learning logs that go home to parents/caregivers. Another concern I have is that students can learn to 'play the game' and write what they think the teacher wants to read, or simply write anything to just get the task completed! This is perhaps driven by a lack of understanding of the theory and purpose of self-assessment.

I believe that time needs to be spent teaching students the necessary skills to enable them to make insightful reflections with some depth, and it is essential that both the students and the teacher value these reflections. This is supported by effective questioning that facilitates deep reflective thinking. Students need to see a purpose in what they are doing and gain an understanding of how this process can be used to inform the next step in their learning. If students don't see the value in doing such a task (especially when they get to the more senior levels), there will be a reluctance to really take it seriously and the reflections/self-assessments will be of mediocre quality at best.

I'd value your feedback or thoughts on this topic...

Thanks,
Angela