Observations of student accuracy in criteria-based self-assessment

Abstract

This quantitative study examines student self-assessment accuracy in supported, criteria-based self-assessment in two business discipline courses. Initial and subsequent student-instructor marking agreement were analysed in two consecutive assessable tasks. Initial over-assessment was widespread and student’s under-assessing was associated with higher achievement. Local Australian students and second-year participants were observed to be initially more accurate and to maintain accuracy more consistently than international and first-year participants. Inaccurate participants, both over and under-assessors, consistently responded to feedback of initial inaccuracy and improved accuracy in the second task through attention and response to criteria level feedback. A clear debiasing response triggered by the strength and direction of inaccuracy signal was noted among the very inaccurate. Persistence in individual’s general orientation in self-assessment was also evident. Self-assessment appeared especially beneficial for low achievers, who recorded strong learning (marks) gains. Overall the observations support the utility of criteria-level self-assessment as a mechanism for developing evaluative judgement and individual’s capacity to attend and respond to feedback. The study points to the ready trainability of self-assessment in suitably qualified populations. Future similar studies could confirm these findings and investigate the question of accuracy maintenance and individual’s persistence of orientation in self-assessment.

Keywords:

• Self-assessment
• self-assessment accuracy
• criteria-based self-assessment
• self-assessment training
• developing evaluative judgement

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Danny Carroll

Danny Carroll is a Digital Learning Manager at the UNSW Business School. He's run numerous successful projects integrating technology into curriculum to support assurance of learning, students at risk, assessment and active learning projects. Danny has won several University Excellence Awards and is passionate about improving student educational experiences.