6.3: Self-Assessment & Reflection

Criterion Overview

Learning is strengthened when students have opportunities to pause, reflect on their progress, and evaluate their own understanding. Reflection and self-assessment encourage students to think about what they have learned, identify areas where they need additional practice, and recognize how their knowledge and skills have developed over time.

Self-assessment is more than checking answers. Effective reflection encourages students to examine their learning process, evaluate their performance, and consider how they can improve. Activities such as practice quizzes, reflective journals, peer review, progress checks, self-evaluations, and goal-setting exercises help students become more active participants in their own learning.

Providing opportunities for reflection throughout the course encourages continuous improvement rather than waiting until the end of a module or semester to evaluate progress. These activities help students become more independent, confident, and self-directed learners.

Why It Matters

Students who regularly reflect on their learning develop stronger metacognitive skills—the ability to monitor their understanding, recognize misconceptions, and adjust their learning strategies. These skills improve academic performance while preparing students for lifelong learning beyond the classroom.

Reflection also provides valuable information for instructors. Self-assessments, practice activities, and reflective assignments help identify concepts that may need additional clarification while encouraging students to take greater ownership of their learning.

What This Looks Like

A well-designed course typically includes:

• Opportunities for students to reflect on their learning throughout the course.
• Practice activities that allow students to check their understanding before graded assessments.
• Self-assessments or knowledge checks with meaningful feedback.
• Reflection prompts that encourage students to evaluate their progress and identify areas for improvement.
• Peer review or peer feedback activities that support learning and reflection.
• Opportunities for students to revise or improve their work based on feedback and self-evaluation.

Students regularly monitor their learning and use reflection to guide their continued growth.

Design Tips

Ask yourself: Do my students have regular opportunities to evaluate their own learning, reflect on their progress, and use feedback to improve throughout the course?

✔ Include reflection opportunities throughout the course, not just at the end of a module.

✔ Use practice quizzes, self-checks, or knowledge checks to help students monitor their understanding.

✔ Encourage students to reflect on both what they learned and how they learned it.

✔ Provide meaningful feedback that students can use to improve future performance.

✔ Incorporate opportunities for revision following self-assessment or instructor feedback.

✔ Help students establish learning goals and periodically evaluate their progress.

✔ Use reflection activities that encourage students to become more independent and self-directed learners.