Abstract:
Can the quality of students’ work be improved through training in selfassessment
practices? This paper considers the impact of training high school students on
their performance in external examinations. Teachers were selected from a sample of high
schools and trained in how to develop students’ self-assessment skills. Ten high schools
representative of the top, middle and bottom levels of academic achievement in national
examinations were chosen and students trained in self-assessment by their normal class
teachers as part of their final year curriculum. An experimental group comprising 256
participants received formal training in self-assessment skills for the entire three terms of the
academic year. A control group was selected from matched classes not receiving such
training. A significant difference favouring those trained in self-assessment was found
overall and in each curriculum area. While it is demonstrated that self-assessment training
can have an impact on student performance the paper considers the circumstances of the
study and whether similar outcomes might be possible in less favourable conditions.
