Assessment in Partnership with Learners

Abstract

Assessment procedures have a profound impact on the attitudes students take towards their work, their learning strategies and their commitment to learning. Most assessment of student learning is, however, undertaken with little or no consultation with students. Given the importance to students of developing the capacity for self‐assessment and evaluation, the unilateral control of assessment assumed by many academic staff can only be viewed as pedagogically unsound. It is important that students develop a clear understanding of tutor expectations regarding any learning task and this requires engagement in dialogue in the classroom setting. To become effective, independent, autonomous learners, students must be enabled to understand assessment criteria and expected levels of attainment. They should be empowered through meaningful feedback on their learning which relates to assessment criteria and which is given from a perspective of improvement on current attainment. This paper presents the case for academics to work in partnership with students, particularly in the context of assessment, for the purpose of enhancing learning and developing autonomous, independent and reflective learners.