Assessment in Alberta: Discussion Paper

Question 8 – What is the role of student reflection and goal setting?

Powerful learning occurs when students take the time to reflect on what they can learn from a completed summative assessment. Reflective processes maximize student learning. Metacognition is key to moving students purposefully toward becoming more effective self-evaluators.

“We must constantly remind ourselves that the ultimate purpose of evaluation is to have students become self-evaluating. If students graduate from school still dependent on others to tell them when they are adequate, good or excellent, then we have missed the whole point of what education is about.”
Costa and Kallick 2003, p.3.