Student Self-Assessment

Maddalena Taras provides is a highly personal reflection on the nature of self-assessment, but one which does not shy away from the necessity of students making judgments about their work and learning against disciplinary, vocational, or professional standards and norms. The book brings together her work with that of the co-author Hwei Ming Wong, and Singapore colleagues who describe self-assessment use from primary schooling to higher education contexts. The emphasis is on practical 'how to' applications of self-assessment. The introductory chapters give Taras' perspectives, from her long experience, on student self-assessment. Readers can dip into various chapters to find suggestions for implementing student self-assessment in their own context. Gavin T L Brown, Professor, The University of Auckland, New Zealand A thorough introduction to student self-assessment-a form of assessment rarely discussed and even more rarely used in the worlds' education systems. My thinking about assessing my students has been substantially changed by this book, and it certainly made me wonder why I was never exposed to such good ideas before! I strongly recommend this book to educators around the world. Here, Taras and Wong convincingly argue that student self-assessment has worthwhile benefits that are different from and certainly as important as those associated with more traditional forms of assessment. The authors make clear that student self assessment has distinct benefits for both students and teachers that are not found in contemporary assessment practices. Self assessment offers a much greater likelihood that closer and more respectful relationships between students and their teachers will be developed. Moreover, students learn skills that should help them in the world of work, after graduation. The authors provide school administrators and teachers with novel and creative ideas to rethink classroom assessment. Their ideas can redefine contemporary assessment practices, and improve teacher student relationships at the same time! David C. Berliner, Regents' Professor Emeritus, Arizona State University and Past President of the American Educational Research Association