Student Self-Evaluation: What Research says and What practice shows.

Rolheiser, C. & Ross, J. ( 2010?) “Student Self-Evaluation: What research says and what practice shows.” Center for Development and Learning, Metairie, LA

Summary: This is the results of a seven year study focusing on authentic, alternative and formal assessments and the role of student self-evaluation in the grading of learning. The researchers focus is how the use of alternative assessments, specifically self-evaluation, plays a role in giving teachers more information into their learning. In the introduction, self-evaluation is defined as” students judging quality of their work based on evidence and explicit criteria for the purpose of doing better in the future.” The study is broken into five sections. The first two focus on background of research and theory of self evaluation, specifically discussing the shift in teachers conceptions and factors relating to that. One of the more interesting findings is that teachers who had a conflict between constructivist approaches and their own teacher beliefs were less likely to resort to alternative assessments and find traditional multiple choice assessments as more valuable in measuring learning. Another factor contributing to the use of traditional assessments was the increasing demands and the changing role of teacher. The third and fourth sections focus on practical approaches to implementing self evaluation in the classroom and the final section is basically questions and answers. the middle section provides step-by step- directions for classroom teachers as well as model questionaires to use with students

The introduction grabbed my interest research sited did bring me to other useful studies. The study mentions it is over seven years, and mentions teacher interviews and observations, but it fails to mention where the study took place, how interviews with teachers were conducted, questions asked or how many teachers and students were involved. I am currently looking for the answer to these questions because of the potential use for my own research. The third and fourth sections are not research based, but a general idea of 4 main stages ineeded to implement self evaluation within a classroom based on “interviews with exemplary users of cooperative learning models” but does not elaborate further. It is a very practical approach and I will most likely use this with my own students. I have not found a simpler, clearer model yet. I have e-mailed the researchers to see if more detailed copy of their research is available.