What if?
School days are back, with their tests, assessments and exams. But just suppose students set and marked their own test papers.
In the UK government advisors - the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority are proposing that schoolchildren mark their own work and set the questions for classroom tests. Pupils should then assess the results, grading their own efforts and giving feedback to their classmates.
The QCA said such an approach helps children support each other and develop independent study skills. It said that peer assessment and self-assessment are much more than students simply marking their own or each other's work. To improve learning and self-assessment students must consider the quality of their work and how to improve it. Peer assessment should let students share valuable feedback so that they can learn from and support each other.
Guidelines proposed that teachers in schools that use the system would need to train pupils in marking techniques. Teachers will, of course, also need to be trained in how to help pupils adapt to the self-assessment system.
Suggested strategies for developing pupils' peer assessment skills could include asking them to select questions for homework and devise their own marking scheme. They would then mark each other's work but would not be given the right answers. Instead those marking would have to find the correct answers from "available resources".
The QCA proposed that pupils should also be involved in drawing up internal school tests and assessment tasks, which teachers use to find out how pupils are coping with their courses and where they need extra help.
The QCA said "Peer assessment adds a valuable dimension to learning: the opportunity to talk, discuss, explain and challenge each other enables learners to achieve beyond what they can learn unaided."
We'd so like to know what you think of this idea!
The QCA said such an approach helps children support each other and develop independent study skills. It said that peer assessment and self-assessment are much more than students simply marking their own or each other's work. To improve learning and self-assessment students must consider the quality of their work and how to improve it. Peer assessment should let students share valuable feedback so that they can learn from and support each other.
Guidelines proposed that teachers in schools that use the system would need to train pupils in marking techniques. Teachers will, of course, also need to be trained in how to help pupils adapt to the self-assessment system.
Suggested strategies for developing pupils' peer assessment skills could include asking them to select questions for homework and devise their own marking scheme. They would then mark each other's work but would not be given the right answers. Instead those marking would have to find the correct answers from "available resources".
The QCA proposed that pupils should also be involved in drawing up internal school tests and assessment tasks, which teachers use to find out how pupils are coping with their courses and where they need extra help.
The QCA said "Peer assessment adds a valuable dimension to learning: the opportunity to talk, discuss, explain and challenge each other enables learners to achieve beyond what they can learn unaided."
We'd so like to know what you think of this idea!