Page 84 - Learning to Learn

READING EXPERIENCE 4: SELF -ASSESSMENT: THE ENGINE OF SELF-GROWTH
84 L EARNING TO LEARN: BECOMING A SELF-GROWER
SII Method of Assessment
As we saw in the discussion, the SII Method of Assessment is a form of assessment that requires the
assessor to focus on three main items: Strengths , areas for Improvement, and Insights gained. The SII
Method can be used in most any assessment situation.
A strength identifies the ways in which the performance was of high quality and commendable. A
strength should also include a statement as to why particular strengths were considered the most
important.
An area for improvement identifies what changes can be made in the future (between now and
the next assessment) to improve performance. This part of the assessment should also include a
description or ideas about how changes and improvements might be made.
An insight identifies what new and significant discoveries or understandings were gained concerning
the performance area. Insights include why a discovery or new understanding is important and how it
can be applied to other situations. An insight answers the question: What did the assessor learn that
others might benefit from hearing or knowing?
An insight can be described as…
• Something valuable you learned for the first time
• Something you now begin to understand that you did not understand before
• Something you recognized that you hadn’t noticed before
• Something that you perceive is significant
• An awareness of something important
To use the SII Method of Assessment effectively, you need to use it thoughtfully. The temptation might
be to simply dash off a few things that you noticed in order to finish an assessment, but that won’t
help you improve your personal or academic performance. There are levels of performance for the SII
Method of Assessment; these are presented in the self-assessment rubric on the following page.