| The teaching of writing at my university, Pattimura University, Ambon, Indonesia, relies on traditional forms of assessment and evaluation focusing mainly on the performance of objective skills or the display of knowledge as tested and evaluated by instructors. As a result, many students continue to depend on instructors to assess their learning. They are not, under the circumstances, encouraged to be responsible for their own learning. This study is a pilot study that was initiated to investigate the usefulness of criterion-reference assessment techniques for promoting student self-assessment, motivation to improve and progress in writing. Specifically, the study investigated whether or how students become better at self-assessing their own learning, and how students' writing performance improved over a semester with the use of self-reflection and assessment techniques. The six students who participated in the study were selected from those enrolled in a Writing I class at Pattimura University during the Spring 1999 term. The entire class received process writing instruction and produced a set of six writing tasks accompanied by six written reflections on learning, during a total learning time of 14 weeks or one semester. The results of the study show an increase in student's ability to self-assess their learning problems and needs as the semester progressed. Students were also found to have become better in setting learning goals and planning ways to implement their goals over time. Their writing also developed, particularly the compositional aspects of organization and development. Interestingly, the aspect of convention, which was not taught, also improved. |
