Co-creation of Marking Criteria: Students as Partners in the Assessment Process

Abstract

This article focuses on the final iteration of a four-year longitudinal action research project that culminates in students acting as partners in the assessment process by co-creating and utilising marking criteria. Three versions of the marking criteria are discussed, one written by the academic staff, one written by the students and a final version agreed through negotiation and collaboration. This article argues that this partnership working empowers the students and gives them ownership of the criteria which were then used in a peer- and self-assessment exercise. Differences in values and language are discussed, with gaps between student understanding and lecturers' academic discourse. This article concludes that for students to fully understand marking criteria they need to be active participants in the process and using discussion and collaboration in this way brings students into the academic community of practice.

Keywords:

• marking criteria
• peer assessment
• self-assessment
• formative assessment
• partnership