Peer and self-assessment are ways of checking learning in which students evaluate their own work and the work of their classmates. They are a form of formative assessment, meaning they help students improve while they are still learning. This contrasts with summative assessment, such as exams or quizzes, which measures achievement at the end. This guide explains why these methods help, how to set them up, and which activities you can try with your class.
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Summative and formative assessment
Teachers have traditionally relied on summative assessments, such as exams and quizzes, to measure what students have achieved. Formative assessments work differently. Their purpose is to give students feedback they can act on right away. Peer and self-assessment are two kinds of formative assessment that put students at the center of that process.
Benefits of peer and self-assessment
Promotes active learning
Students stop being passive receivers of information. They take part in their own learning by judging their work and their classmates’ work. Active learning can raise motivation and engagement, sharpen critical thinking, and help students remember lessons better.
Gives timely and relevant feedback
Teachers often cannot give detailed feedback on every student’s work because of limited time. With peer and self-assessment, students get feedback from classmates right away, so they can improve their work quickly. Students also tend to take feedback from peers seriously and act on it.
Builds social and emotional skills
When students evaluate a classmate’s work, they practice:
- communicating clearly
- giving constructive feedback
- showing empathy
These skills matter outside school as well, in both personal and work relationships.
Develops metacognitive skills
Metacognition is the ability to monitor and manage your own learning. When students assess their own work, they notice their strengths and weaknesses. Over time this builds self-regulated learning, which supports lifelong learning and success in school.
How to set up peer and self-assessment
These methods work best with careful planning. Follow these three steps.
- Set clear learning goals and criteria. Write learning goals that are SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Give students clear criteria so they know exactly what meeting the goal looks like.
- Teach students how to evaluate work. Many students have never assessed their own or others’ work. Model the process, give them rubrics or checklists, and coach them on how to make their evaluations better.
- Monitor and give feedback. Review the evaluations students write and comment on the quality of their feedback. Also guide students on how to improve their evaluations and revise their own work.
Peer and self-assessment activities to try
| Activity | Who assesses | Best used |
|---|---|---|
| Self-reflection | The student, on their own work | End of each lesson, or within a larger project |
| Peer feedback | Classmates, in pairs or small groups | During an assignment, guided by rubrics or checklists |
| Peer review | Classmates, in a more formal evaluation | Within a larger project, possibly over several rounds |
Self-reflection
Students check their own progress and find areas to improve by answering questions such as:
- What did I learn in this lesson?
- What was challenging about this lesson?
- What did I do well in this lesson?
- What can I improve in this lesson?
Peer feedback
Students learn from one another and practice communication and critical thinking. They can answer:
- What did you like about your peer’s work?
- What could your peer improve on in their work?
- Did your peer meet the learning goals and criteria for the assignment?
Pairs or small groups work well. Rubrics or checklists help keep the feedback focused.
Peer review
Peer review is similar to peer feedback but more formal. Students can answer:
- Does your peer’s work meet the learning goals and criteria for the assignment?
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of your peer’s work?
- What suggestions do you have for improving your peer’s work?
Peer review fits well within a larger project and can include several rounds of evaluation.
Key takeaways
Peer and self-assessment can help students:
- learn actively
- get faster feedback
- build social and emotional skills
- become more aware of how they learn
The result is more self-regulated learners with stronger critical thinking. Setting these methods up takes planning, but the payoff for students makes the effort worthwhile.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between peer assessment and self-assessment?
In self-assessment, students evaluate their own work and progress. In peer assessment, they evaluate a classmate’s work against the learning goals and criteria.
Are peer and self-assessment formative or summative?
They are formative assessments. They give students feedback they can use to improve while learning, unlike summative assessments such as exams or quizzes.
How do I prepare students to assess each other’s work?
Set clear learning goals and criteria first. Then model the evaluation process, give students rubrics or checklists, and give feedback on the quality of their evaluations.
What is the difference between peer feedback and peer review?
Both involve classmates evaluating each other’s work. Peer review is more formal and can include several rounds of evaluation within a larger project.
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