Self-Assessment and Goal-Setting: Helping Students Own Their Progress

When students understand where they are in their learning and where they’re headed, they become more engaged, motivated, and confident. Grounded in John Hattie's research on student ownership and feedback, this workshop equips educators with research-based strategies and practical tools to foster student self-assessment and goal-setting. Participants explore how these practices promote student ownership of learning, enhance metacognitive skills, and improve academic outcomes. The session highlights distinctions between self-assessment and self-grading, emphasizing the importance of reflection, personalized goal setting, and meaningful feedback. Teachers will leave with actionable strategies to create a classroom culture that values growth, reflection, and student agency.

• Lack of student ownership and engagement in their learning process
  
  
• Minimal student involvement in assessment practices
  
  
• Ineffective or absent structures for student reflection and metacognition
  
  
• Resistance to new grading models due to traditional expectations
  
  
• Time constraints and uncertainty around implementing self-assessment meaningfully
  

1. Empowering Students through Metacognition and Reflection
   Educators will learn how to implement metacognitive strategies such as learning journals, exit cards, and reflection prompts that help students analyze their learning processes and outcomes.
   
   
2. Building a Culture of Ownership in the Classroom
   Teachers will explore ways to foster a supportive environment that promotes student voice, values mistakes as learning opportunities, and encourages goal-setting using SMART frameworks.
   
   
3. Designing and Integrating Effective Self-Assessment Practices
   Participants will gain tools for scaffolding self-assessment activities, including co-creating rubrics, incorporating self-assessment in grading practices, and using data from self-reported grades to inform instruction and boost achievement