Creating a place where all students feel included and can take part in their learning is important for their growth in school. When teachers use self-assessment, they help students take charge of their own learning. This builds a sense of responsibility and helps them learn to guide themselves. This guide will look at helpful ways to use self-assessment in your classroom.
Key Highlights
Empower students to take ownership of their learning by implementing self-assessment techniques.
Discover the benefits of self-assessment, such as increased student motivation, engagement, and metacognitive skills.
Explore practical examples of self-assessment tools, including learning logs, rubric self-assessments, and exit tickets.
Learn how to effectively introduce self-assessment to students and provide ongoing support throughout the process.
Encourage a growth mindset, where students view challenges as valuable learning experiences.
Understanding the Basics of Self-Assessment
Self-assessment is a helpful way for students to think about their own work. They look at what they have done and see how good it is. They also find ways to improve. This isn’t just about giving their own grades. Instead, students compare their work to set rules, check how they did, and plan how to get better with their understanding and skills.
When students take part in self-assessment, they build important skills that help them think about their learning. They become more aware of how they learn, what they are good at, and what they need to work on. This understanding helps them take control of their learning journey. They can then make smart choices about how they move forward in school.
Defining Self-Assessment in Educational Contexts
According to Benefits and Examples of Student Self-Assessments article self-assessment in education means that students look at their own work or performance. They do this by using specific rules or standards to help them. This practice encourages students to be more involved in their own learning. They reflect on what they understand and see where they can improve. Self-assessment isn’t just about grading. It includes different methods, like writing journal entries, using self-evaluation charts, and getting feedback from peers.
Doing self-assessment helps students learn more deeply and understand better. When they think about their own work, they learn the subject and the assessment criteria more clearly. As a result, their performance may get better, and they feel a greater sense of achievement.
Using self-assessment in higher education can be very helpful. It allows students to take more control of their learning. This also prepares them for independent study and future work in their careers.
The Significance of Self-Assessment for Learners
Benefits and Examples of Student Self-Assessments article suggests self-assessment helps learners take charge of their education. It gives them a clear way to think about how they are doing. When students look at their own work, they better understand what they do well and what they can work on. This helps them set realistic goals and see their progress.
Also, self-assessment builds a growth mindset. It shifts the focus from grades to the learning process itself. Students who use self-assessment see challenges as chances to grow. They are more likely to keep trying even when things get tough. They know that learning is a journey and that setbacks are just a part of it.
Using self-assessment in the classroom can help students feel more independent and responsible. This can lead to more motivation, better engagement, and a deeper understanding of what they are studying.
Preparing for Self-Assessment: What You Need to Get Started
Before you start self-assessment with your students, you need to make a safe space that supports reflection and growth. First, clearly explain why self-assessment is important and the good things that come from it. Stress that it is meant for learning, not for judging anyone.
Also, give students clear and specific assessment criteria. You can work together to create rubrics or checklists. This will help students know what good work looks like and let them use these tools to fairly assess their own performance.
Identifying Goals and Objectives
Clearly defining learning goals and success criteria is very important before starting self-assessment. First, set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) learning goals for the lesson or unit. This helps students know what they are working towards and creates a guide for their self-evaluation.
Next, introduce success criteria. Break the learning goal into smaller and manageable steps. Success criteria show the specific qualities or elements needed to show that a student has reached the learning goal. Involve students in defining success criteria. This helps them feel responsible and understand the expectations better.
By setting clear learning goals and success criteria, you give students the right tools. These tools help them with their learning process and allow them to do useful self-assessments.
Gathering Necessary Tools and Resources
To help students assess themselves, give them useful tools and resources. Having many options allows students to choose what fits their way of learning best. This means every student can get the support they need to do well.
Think about adding:
Checklists: These simple lists help students clearly track their progress and check off all important parts of their assignment or task.
Rubrics: Rubrics show various levels of skill, helping students judge their work fairly and find areas they can improve.
Learning Logs: Learning logs let students think about their learning experiences, write down their progress, and set personal goals.
Step-by-Step Guide to Implementing Self-Assessment
According to Peer and self-assessment article for students Implementing self-assessment in the classroom can be easy. You can start with a clear plan. Slowly add these practices to your teaching. This will help students feel relaxed about checking their own work.
Begin by explaining self-assessment and showing how to do it. Then, give students more responsibility. Make sure to provide clear rules and helpful tools, like checklists or rubrics. These will help them reflect on their work.
Step 1: Introducing Self-Assessment to Learners
When you talk about self-assessment, it’s important to explain why it’s useful and what it can do. Remind everyone that self-assessment is not about giving themselves a grade. It is a helpful way to think about a piece of work and find out how to make it better.
In primary school, start with easy self-assessment activities. For instance, after finishing a writing task, students can read their work again. They can use a checklist to make sure they have used capital letters, punctuation marks, and spaces between words. This will help them get into the habit of looking over their own work to see what can be improved.
As students learn more about self-assessment, you can slowly add more detailed tools and methods. Encourage them to think critically about their learning. Show them examples of how self-assessment can help them be more independent and achieve better results.
Step 2: Creating Effective Self-Assessment Tools
Creating good self-assessment tools is important. They help students evaluate their own work. You should start by involving students in making these tools, if you can. This will give them ownership and help them understand the assessment criteria better.
For younger students, simple checklists work well. Use clear and short phrases that focus on one or two main points. For example, in a writing assignment checklist, you could use items like “I used capital letters at the beginning of each sentence” or “I checked my work for spelling errors.”
Rubrics are another option. They offer a detailed way to evaluate work. Rubrics give specific criteria for different levels of achievement. This helps students look at their own work more fairly. When making rubrics, ask students to help find the key criteria. Make sure the language is clear and easy to grasp.
Step 3: Facilitating the Self-Assessment Process
Effectively facilitating the self-assessment process involves providing clear guidelines, offering constructive feedback, and creating a supportive environment that encourages reflection and growth. Encourage students to view self-assessment as an integral part of their learning process, rather than just another task to complete.
To guide students, provide prompts and questions that encourage thoughtful reflection. For example, ask them to identify the most successful aspect of their work, areas where they faced challenges, or steps they would take to improve their performance. Model the process of providing constructive feedback, focusing on specific examples and suggestions for improvement.
Consider using a table like this to structure self-assessment feedback:
Strength
Area for Improvement
Actionable Step
I organized my ideas logically.
I need to work on my sentence fluency.
I will practice writing different types of sentences.
I used vivid language in my writing.
I need to cite my sources correctly.
I will review
Step 4: Analyzing Self-Assessment Results
To analyze self-assessment results, change how you look at the data. Instead of just gathering it, use it to improve student learning. Tell your students to see the results as helpful advice for bettering themselves, not as a score of their hard work.
Start by looking at the data. Find common strengths and areas where students can grow, whether in the whole class or for individual students. This review can help shape your future lessons. For instance, if many students struggle with certain assessment criteria, you can create lessons focused on those challenges.
Also, urge students to use their results to set personal learning goals. By thinking about their strengths and weaknesses, they can choose specific areas to work on and come up with ways to make progress.
Step 5: Providing Feedback and Support
While students look at their own work, it is very important to guide and support them during this time. Use strategies like peer assessment. This means students give helpful feedback about the work of their peers. It helps create a teamwork environment for learning.
Encourage students to share their thoughts on specific parts of their peers’ work. They should offer tips for improvement instead of just making general comments. Show them how to give constructive feedback. Remind them to use kind words and to provide clear examples and steps for making things better.
By giving regular feedback and building a helpful learning space, you help students see self-assessment as a good tool for their growth. This boosts their confidence and helps them take charge of their studies.
Conclusion
Implementing self-assessment can greatly improve the learning process. It allows students to take control of their own progress. By setting clear goals, giving good tools, and sharing constructive feedback, teachers can create a culture of self-awareness and improvement. Encouraging students to think about their strengths and areas to grow helps them improve their academic performance and develop important life skills. Use self-assessment as a helpful educational tool and see its positive effects on long-term learning outcomes. Remember, helping students with self-assessment is important to make them self-directed learners who succeed in school and in life.
03.07.25A Great Example of Retrieval Practice from Kerrie Tinson’s classroom
We love to share examples of great teaching on the TLAC blog–especially great teaching that demonstrates core principles of cognitive psychology in action. If you follow the learning science at all you’re probably familiar with the importance of Retrieval Practice: how critical it is to bring previous content back into working memory so students remember it.
We’ve recently added this beautiful example of Retrieval Practice to our library. It’s from Kerrie Tinson’s English classroom at Windsor High School and Sixth Form in Halesowen, England.
Kerrie’s students are reading Macbeth and she starts her lesson with a Smart Start that focuses on Retrieval Practice… a series of questions that asks students to review and reflect on things they learned in the first scenes of the play.
We love how Kerrie asks students to write the answers to her questions–this causes all students to answer–universalizing the retrieval. We also love how familiar students are with the routine of starting with retrieval. This not not only makes the Retrieval Practice more efficient and easier to use but it socializes them to conceptualize Retrieval Practice as a great way to study on their own.
As students answer questions, Kerrie circulates and takes careful notes. This allows her both understand what students know and don’t know–you can see that she’s added one question to address a common misunderstanding–and also to Cold Call students to give good answers, which expedites the retrieval, making it efficient and pace-y.
But Kerrie doesn’t just rely on simple retrieval. She often asks students to “elaborate”: to connect what they are thinking about to other details from the play. For example, when a student recalls that Macbeth was a traitor, she asks “Why was that important?” The connections that come from elaboration build–schema–stronger connected memories that cause student’s knowledge to be connected and meaningful.
We also love the way she ends the session–by pointing out a couple of key concepts–that Macbeth is Impatient and eager– that are especially important and that everyone should have in their notes.
All in all its great stuff and we are grateful to Kerri and Windsor High School for sharing the footage with us!
LAUSD Superintendent Albert Carvalho during a school board meeting on August 30, 2022.
Credit: Julie Leopo/EdSource
Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Alberto Carvalho confirmed Thursday morning that the district denied campus entry earlier this week to Department of Homeland Security officials seeking information about five students in first through sixth grades.
On Monday morning, federal officials arrived at two district elementary schools, Lillian Street Elementary and Russell Elementary in South Los Angeles, Carvalho said, adding that Monday’s interactions marked the first effort by federal authorities to enter Los Angeles public schools since the Trump administration announced efforts to boost immigration enforcement and speed up deportations.
At a news conference Thursday morning, he said that the visit by the federal officials was “a sad day across Los Angeles — not just for our school system, but for our entire community.”
“As a school system, we have a professional responsibility to protect, to educate, to inspire young people,” Carvalho added. “I also have, beyond my professional responsibility, a moral responsibility to protect these students.”
The authorities were dressed casually and only presented identification when asked by the principals of the schools, Carvalho told reporters. He also claimed the officials quickly hid their credentials when the principals attempted to write down their information.
According to Carvalho, the agents said they wanted access “to the students to determine their well-being” because they had come to the United States as unaccompanied minors.
The agents said they were authorized by the students’ caretakers to go to the campuses, but the district has since confirmed the assertion to be false by speaking with the caretakers, Carvalho said.
“Across the country, different agencies have been deputized and deployed to collaborate with ICE,” Carvalho said Thursday, referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “So, if a federal agent presents themselves to our schools, regardless of agency, asking for direct access to our students, that is suspect behavior that we’re not going to tolerate.”
He also praised the schools’ administrators and staff for their response, saying they are trained to handle these situations, including demanding officials’ credentials and examining any warrants or subpoenas.
If proper documentation isn’t presented, Carvalho said the officials will be asked to leave, and LAUSD’s operations department, legal department and school board police department are notified.
“We will protect our kids. We will educate our kids. We will inspire our kids. We will not allow abuse, intimidation of our children or our workforce,” he said. “Schools are places for learning. Schools are places for understanding. Schools are places for instruction. Schools are not places of fear.”
Carvalho, a native of Portugal, said he arrived in the U.S. as a youth without authorization. “If I am to represent who I am and what I became in this country, I have to do it in a way that honors the humanity and dignity of those who are currently in the same exact condition decades after I was in that predicament,” Carvalho said. “So, I would put my job on the line in the protection of our students and our workforce.”
Hi there, Education Coffee Break readers! I’m excited to share a special update with you. As you know, I’ve been focusing mostly on primary grade education here on the blog, but we’re about to branch out into something new!
I’d like to introduce my husband, Joshua, who will be joining me as a contributor to the blog. He started teaching in August 2023 at Dauphin County Technical School, a Career Technical Education (CTE) high school, where he teaches Web Development & Design. He’ll be bringing his experience and insights from working with high school students and his love for technology to add a new perspective here.
Joshua will focus on high school education, especially around preparing students for real-world careers through practical, hands-on learning. His background is quite different from mine, but that’s what makes this so exciting! You’ll be able to find content and ideas that span from elementary classrooms all the way up to high school settings.
I’m really excited to have him on board, and I think you’ll love hearing from him, too. Keep an eye out for his first post soon!
We are thrilled to announce that with our new release, version 3.0.2, JoomLMS has become open-source under the GPL license. This change means customers no longer need to install the Ioncube loader, simplifying the installation process. Additionally, the new licensing model ensures transparency and promotes collaborative improvements.
In line with this update, we’ve streamlined the license activation and renewal processes. Activating your JoomLMS license is now easier than ever!
How to activate your new JoomLMS license
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Navigate to the order information where you’ll find your License Keys
After clicking “Get Keys” you will be redirected to the Order details page where you can find your License key and License data:
Copy License key and License data
Log in to the Administration area of your website (Joomla! CMS back-end)
Go to JoomLMS -> About page:
Paste the License key into the corresponding field.This is a one-time setup
Paste the License data into the corresponding field.
Click the Save button to save your changes. Your JoomLMS is now activated and ready to use
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Paste the updated License data into the corresponding field, replacing the old data.
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That’s it! By following these simple steps, you can activate and renew your JoomLMS license effortlessly. We hope these changes will enhance your experience and look forward to your feedback as we continue to improve our product.
Wisconsin Public Radio reported that State Superintendent Jill Underly has announced that the state will not comply with a letter from U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon in which she directed states to agree with the Trump administration about stamping out diversity, equity, and inclusion. Trump wants to eliminate DEI, which would involve reversing compliance with existing civil rights law. In addition, although McMahon may not know it, she is violating federal law by attempting to influence curriculum and instruction in the schools.
Thank you, Superintendent Underly!
WPR reported:
Wisconsin school districts won’t comply with a directive from the Trump administration to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs until districts have more information.
On Wednesday, state Superintendent Jill Underly asked the U.S. Department of Education for clarification on both the intent and legality of an April 3 directive that schools sign a letter acknowledging they’re following the government’s interpretation of civil rights laws.
This school year, Wisconsin received about $216 million in Title I funds. About $82 million of that money went to Milwaukee Public Schools.
Underly said the request from the Department of Education potentially violates required procedural steps, is unnecessarily redundant and appears designed to intimidate school districts by threatening to withhold critical education funding.
“We cannot stand by while the current administration threatens our schools with unnecessary and potentially unlawful mandates based on political beliefs,” Underly said in a statement. “Our responsibility is to ensure Wisconsin students receive the best education possible, and that means allowing schools to make local decisions based on what is best for their kids and their communities.”
On Feb. 14, the U.S. Department of Education sent a “Dear Colleague” letter giving educational institutions 14 days to eliminate diversity initiatives or risk losing federal funding.
At that time, the state DPI issued guidance to school districts encouraging a “measured and thoughtful approach, rather than immediate or reactionary responses to the federal government’s concerns.”
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon has not clearly defined what the administration considers a violation of civil rights law. The February letter said institutions must “cease using race preferences and stereotypes as a factor in their admissions, hiring, promotion, scholarship.”
In a related document addressing frequently asked questions about how the administration would interpret Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the agency said: “Many schools have advanced discriminatory policies and practices under the banner of ‘DEI’ initiatives.”
The document went on to say that schools could engage in historical observances like Black History Month, “so long as they do not engage in racial exclusion or discrimination.”
Self-efficacy comes from social cognitive theory. It greatly affects how students feel about their chance to do well in school. This is especially important in higher education, where there are many challenges. Helping students believe in themselves is vital. When educators boost their self-efficacy, students can find their potential. This builds academic motivation and leads to better learning and personal growth.
Diverse Learners
Self-efficacy in education is crucial for diverse learners as it influences their motivation, effort, and perseverance in academic tasks. When learners believe in their abilities to succeed, regardless of their background or capabilities, they are more likely to set challenging goals and persist in the face of obstacles. Cultivating self-efficacy in education involves providing learners with opportunities for mastery experiences, social modeling, verbal persuasion, and emotional arousal to help them develop a sense of competence and confidence in their learning abilities. By nurturing self-efficacy in diverse learners, educators can empower them to achieve their full potential and thrive academically.
Key Highlights
This blog explores practical strategies to enhance student self-efficacy, a crucial factor in academic motivation and success.
We’ll examine the role of self-efficacy in learning, its effects on performance, and its impact on student motivation.
The blog offers a step-by-step guide, outlining practical strategies for educators to implement.
Additionally, we will provide insights into measuring and assessing self-efficacy in educational settings.
The blog concludes by addressing frequently asked questions, providing further clarity on this important topic.
Understanding Student Self-Efficacy in Classrooms
Self-efficacy is the belief in your ability to succeed. In school, it means a student’s confidence in their ability to handle academic tasks, face challenges, and reach their learning goals.
This is about helping students believe they can learn well. It’s not just about having skills or knowledge. It’s also about encouraging a belief that students can see themselves as able learners, prepared to handle any challenge that they encounter.
Defining Self-Efficacy in the Educational Context
Self-efficacy is a key idea in psychology and is very important in education. It means how much a person believes they can perform tasks to reach specific goals. It’s not just about having skills; it’s about believing you can use those skills to face challenges and reach your aims.
At its core, self-efficacy shows how much control a person thinks they have over their actions and results. It’s about believing you can make a difference in your own learning.
In schools, high self-efficacy is linked to good academic achievement. Students who strongly believe in their ability to learn often set higher goals. They also keep trying harder and achieve better results in their studies.
The Role of Self-Efficacy in Learning and Achievement
Self-efficacy is very important for successful learning. It pushes students to take part in academic tasks, work through problems, and aim for excellence.
When students believe they can learn and succeed, they see challenges as ways to grow instead of threats to their self-worth. This change in mindset can make a big difference.
Self-efficacy not only shapes how students view their abilities, but it also affects their academic performance. It helps them put in more effort, stay persistent, and be resilient. This leads to better grades, a stronger understanding of concepts, and a real love for learning.
The Importance of Developing Self-Efficacy in Students
Building self-efficacy in students goes beyond better grades. It’s about giving them a skill they can use in life. Students with high self-efficacy can handle challenges, recover from setbacks, and face learning with a friendly and strong spirit.
Picture a classroom full of students who are willing to try new things, learn from failures, and grow from their mistakes. This is the amazing effect of self-efficacy. It helps create strong, independent, and confident learners.
Effects on Academic Performance
In the unifying theory of behavioral change, self-efficacy plays a big role. It affects how people face challenges and keep going when things get tough. In education, this means students can have a growth mindset. They see problems as chances to learn and improve their understanding.
Students who believe in themselves are less affected by negative feedback. They see it as helpful advice and use it to find ways to get better. This skill is important for their academic performance.
Additionally, these students take charge of their learning. They set goals and stick with them. Their belief in a chance to succeed helps them do better in school overall.
Impact on Student Motivation and Engagement
Motivation plays a key role in education. It drives students to engage, put in effort, and succeed. When students believe in their abilities, they are more likely to feel motivated from within. They find joy in learning and enjoy the process itself.
This belief in themselves helps them take charge of their learning. As a result, they engage more in classroom activities. They also have a strong desire to learn more and challenge themselves. They often look for extra resources and explore subjects more deeply than what is required.
Additionally, students who believe in their efficacy can use metacognitive strategies well. They understand how they learn, which helps them plan, monitor, and assess their progress effectively. This awareness leads to a more organized and independent approach to their education.
Introducing Self-Efficacy to Beginners
For anyone who is unfamiliar with it, self-efficacy may sound complex. In easier words, it means having a “can-do” attitude. It is the idea that students believe they can overcome difficulties and reach their school goals.
Think about a student facing a tough math problem. If they have a positive mindset and trust in their ability to solve it, that shows self-efficacy. This belief helps students face challenges and keep trying, knowing that they can succeed.
Key Concepts and Terms Explained
Self-efficacy means believing in your ability to reach your goals in different situations. It is more than just feeling confident; it looks at how well you think you can do a specific task.
Teachers and educators are very important in building self-efficacy. They can help students succeed by teaching effectively. This includes breaking down difficult tasks into simpler steps, giving clear explanations, and creating a friendly learning space. These actions help students trust in their skills.
Also, verbal persuasion is key in developing self-efficacy. This means using positive words, encouragement, and helpful feedback. When teachers recognize students’ hard work, celebrate achievements, and offer support during tough times, they help create confidence and belief in what students can do.
Why Fostering Self-Efficacy is Crucial for Students
There is a strong connection between how students believe in themselves and their success in school. When students think they can do well, it positively affects their motivation, involvement, and achievements. This belief is key to having a good learning experience.
A positive link is seen between high self-efficacy and better academic performance. It also helps lower anxiety and boosts overall well-being. This belief makes students take charge of their learning and helps them enjoy gaining knowledge and want to improve.
Picture a classroom where students want to join in, ask questions, and strive to do well. By promoting self-efficacy, we build a lively learning space where students can do great in their studies, connect well with others, and feel good emotionally.
What You Will Need to Get Started
Improving student self-efficacy isn’t the same for everyone. It begins with knowing what each student needs and what they are good at. Start by building a friendly and positive classroom. In this space, mistakes are just chances to learn, and hard work is praised.
You can see it like giving students a set of tools they can use. When teachers provide the right resources and help students believe in themselves, they can support students as they confidently handle their own learning adventures.
Identifying Sources of Self-Efficacy in Education
Understanding where self-efficacy comes from is important to help students grow in this area. It is not something they are born with; they build it through their experiences and interactions at school. For example, when students finish tough academic tasks successfully, they feel a sense of mastery. This feeling boosts their self-efficacy.
Seeing their peers succeed at similar tasks can also increase their sense of efficacy. This kind of learning, where students watch friends reach their goals, can have a great impact. It shows them that they can succeed too.
Additionally, feedback is very important for building self-efficacy. Positive and helpful feedback from teachers is crucial. When teachers recognize students’ efforts, point out their strengths, and give clear advice for improvement, they help build students’ cognitive development and confidence in their learning skills.
Essential Tools and Resources for Teachers and Educators
To effectively enhance student self-efficacy, educators can utilize a range of tools and resources designed to support their efforts. For instance, incorporating goal-setting frameworks can empower students to take ownership of their learning.
Providing access to resources such as learning platforms, educational apps, and interactive tools can further support students in their learning journey, allowing them to learn at their own pace and develop mastery in specific subject areas.
Here’s a table summarizing how different sources of self-efficacy translate into actionable strategies:
Source of Self-Efficacy
Strategies for Enhancement
Mastery Experiences
Provide opportunities for students to experience success in challenging tasks; break down complex tasks into manageable steps; offer individualized support and scaffolding.
Vicarious Experiences
Showcase successful peer models; utilize case studies and testimonials; engage students in collaborative learning activities.
Verbal Persuasion
Offer specific and genuine praise; provide constructive feedback focused on effort and improvement; encourage positive self-talk and affirmations.
Emotional and Physiological States
Create a positive and supportive learning environment; incorporate stress-reduction techniques; promote a growth mindset where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities.
By understanding these sources and implementing these strategies, educators can create a fertile ground for self-efficacy to flourish. This, in turn, empowers students to reach their full potential within and beyond the classroom.
Step-by-Step Guide to Enhancing Self-Efficacy in Students
According to the article Strategies for promoting self-efficacy in students improving self-efficacy in students takes time and a variety of methods. There is no simple fix, but by using different strategies, teachers can build a classroom where students feel confident and believe they can do well.
Here is a simple guide with steps to help boost student self-efficacy. It covers easy ways for teachers and educators to use those ideas in their classes.
Step 1: Setting Achievable Goals
Setting goals is very important for building self-confidence. In New Zealand, teaching focuses on helping students set realistic and reachable goals. When students take part in deciding their own learning goals, they feel a sense of control over their education. This feeling is key to building self-confidence.
It’s important to make sure that goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Breaking big goals into smaller, easier steps can help too. This makes them feel less overwhelming and more achievable.
It’s good to keep in mind that even small successes can greatly increase a student’s confidence and inspire them to aim higher. By making goal-setting a part of learning, we give students a useful skill for life. This helps them become strong and resilient young citizens who can reach their dreams.
Step 2: Providing Constructive Feedback
Effective feedback is very important for building self-efficacy. Using constructive feedback in teaching helps students improve and believe in their own abilities. It focuses on their strengths and gives clear suggestions on how to improve.
For example, instead of just marking an answer wrong, teachers can ask questions that make students think. Questions like “What led you to this answer?” or “Can you find another way to solve this?” can help students reflect and take charge of their learning.
When feedback is given in a positive way, it highlights effort and progress. This motivates students to keep trying, to adjust their methods, and to build confidence for making smart future academic choices. Remember, constructive feedback isn’t just about fixing errors; it’s about helping students reach mastery and grow their belief in their own potential.
Step 3: Encouraging Positive Self-Talk Among Students
The Education Hub’s mission focuses on helping students become self-directed learners. One important way to do this is by encouraging positive self-talk. This is very important in early childhood education. During this time, children start to build their sense of self and how they view their abilities.
Teachers can show positive self-talk by sharing their thoughts, especially when they face challenges. For example, they might say, “This problem seems tricky, but I know if I break it down step by step, I can figure it out.” This shows a good way to solve problems with a positive attitude.
In addition, teachers can help students change negative thoughts like “I can’t do this” into positive ones like “I can do this if I keep trying” or “I’m going to ask for help if I get stuck.” By creating a culture of positive self-talk, we give students a strong tool to overcome challenges and learn with a growth mindset.
Step 4: Creating an Environment That Supports Risk-Taking
Building a classroom culture that values effort more than perfection is very important for helping students believe in themselves. Bandura’s research shows that students do better in environments where they feel safe to try new things, make mistakes, and learn from them. We need to focus less on simply getting the right answers. Instead, we should appreciate the learning and problem-solving process.
One good way to do this is by highlighting different peer models. We should celebrate students who show resilience when facing challenges, those who ask for help, and those who see mistakes as chances to learn. This sends a strong message that encourages a growth mindset.
Remember, in a classroom where mistakes are viewed as failures, students may struggle to grow and build self-efficacy. Instead, we should create environments where students feel brave enough to take risks. They need to know their efforts and progress matter, no matter the outcomes.
Step 5: Recognizing and Celebrating Progress and Success
Schunk and Pajares’ research shows that recognizing and celebrating progress is very important. This is true for learners’ belief in their abilities. It isn’t just about the end result. It is also about appreciating the effort, persistence, and growth mindset shown throughout the process.
Celebration can appear in many ways. You could give simple words of encouragement, like “I’m so impressed by the effort you put into this project.” You could also provide rewards, such as displaying excellent work or sharing achievements with the class. The important thing is to make recognition personal and meaningful for each student.
Building a culture of celebration helps improve self-efficacy. It also creates a positive and supportive learning environment. In this setting, students feel valued and are motivated to reach their full potential. Keep in mind that even small successes can greatly impact a student’s self-belief and their readiness to face new challenges.
Practical Strategies for Teachers and Educators
Let’s move from theory to real-life actions. We will look at clear ways educators can build self-efficacy in their classrooms. The goal is to create a space where students feel empowered, supported, and sure of their own learning skills.
Consider these strategies as tools to help students reach their potential. By using them in daily teaching and giving students chances to succeed, teachers can inspire a love for learning that lasts well beyond the classroom.
Incorporating Mastery Experiences in the Classroom
One of the best ways to build self-efficacy is to give students many chances to experience mastery. It’s important to create situations where they can clearly see how their effort leads to achievement. This can be done by breaking hard tasks into smaller, easier parts. Gradually, you can make these tasks more challenging as they improve.
When students allow themselves to face these challenges, they feel more competent and believe in their ability to overcome problems. It’s important to remember that setbacks are a normal part of learning. Instead of thinking of them as failures, we should encourage students to view these setbacks as ways to grow and learn.
By presenting challenges as chances to build resilience and problem-solving skills, teachers can help students develop a “growth mindset.” This means believing that their skills can improve with effort and determination.
Utilizing Role Models and Mentorship Programs
Role models and mentors can be strong sources of inspiration. They show resilience and success when facing challenges. Pairing students with older peers who have faced similar issues or inviting guest speakers to share their stories can spark hope and belief in what they can achieve.
Words of encouragement from admired people can really help build self-efficacy. Hearing phrases like “I believe in you,” “You can do this,” or “I’ve seen how much you’ve improved” from someone respected can give students the confidence they need to keep going.
In addition, mentorship programs in schools or through community partners can offer great support and guidance. Mentors can provide personal encouragement, share their own stories, and help students develop the important skills and self-belief they need to succeed.
Promoting Vicarious Learning Through Peer Interactions
Social cognitive theory highlights how observation and social interaction can strongly impact learning. Educators can create chances for vicarious learning. This means students learn by watching their peers. By doing this, they help build a community, teamwork, and shared achievement.
Putting students with different skill levels into group projects or having them help each other through peer tutoring can give great learning experiences. When students see their peers succeed with academic tasks, it can increase their confidence. It shows that they can succeed too.
Moreover, when students share their ways of setting goals, tackling challenges, and celebrating their wins, it helps create a supportive and encouraging classroom atmosphere.
Enhancing Emotional and Physiological States
It’s essential to understand that a student’s emotions and physical state affect their confidence and, in turn, their academic performance. Feelings like anxiety, stress, and fear of failure can make learning harder and lower self-esteem. For this reason, it’s very important to create a positive and supportive learning environment.
Good teaching methods that meet different learning styles, set clear expectations, and give students enough chances to practice can help reduce anxiety. This helps students gain the knowledge and skills needed for success.
Giving constructive feedback in a supportive way can also boost a student’s belief in themselves and their ability to improve. By building a classroom culture that values effort, honors progress, and sees mistakes as chances to learn, teachers can create a place where students feel safe to take risks and do their best.
Measuring and Assessing Self-Efficacy in Students
Measuring self-efficacy is important for adjusting teaching methods to fit each student’s needs. When teachers understand what students believe they can do, they can give the right support. This helps create personalized learning experiences that promote growth.
Teachers can assess self-efficacy in different ways. They can use questionnaires, prompts for self-reflection, or observe how students behave and engage in class. The best way to learn about a student’s self-beliefs is by using a mix of these methods.
Tools and Techniques for Evaluation
There are different tools and methods to check self-efficacy in students. One popular way is using questionnaires or scales that measure self-efficacy beliefs in a specific area. These assessments ask students to look at statements about their abilities and to say how much they agree with them.
Teachers can also learn a lot by watching how students behave. Noticing things like how willing they are to join class discussions, how they keep working on tough tasks, and how they accept feedback can give important information about a student’s self-efficacy.
Keep in mind that assessments should help students grow and improve. The information from these evaluations should guide teaching methods, help pick the right interventions, and allow students to build their belief in their ability to learn better.
Interpreting Data to Inform Instructional Practices
Once we collect self-efficacy data, the next important step is to interpret it. This means looking at the results to find patterns, trends, and parts where students may need more help. For example, if many students show low self-efficacy in a certain subject, it suggests we need to change our teaching practice.
In New Zealand, we focus on creating resilient young citizens. This means helping them build the skills and mindset to face challenges and reach their goals. By using self-efficacy data, teachers can design specific interventions to meet students’ needs. This could include giving personal feedback, providing extra support, or changing teaching methods to fit different learning styles better.
When teachers make decisions based on data, they can support all students. This approach helps them feel empowered and confident to succeed.
Conclusion
In conclusion, improving student self-efficacy is key to helping them succeed in school and grow personally. By setting realistic goals and giving constructive feedback, teachers can encourage students to trust in their abilities. Creating a supportive learning environment is also important. Using practical methods like mastery experiences and offering role models can increase students’ confidence and motivation. Remember, when we support self-efficacy in students, we help them achieve now and gain skills for a successful future. Together, we can inspire a group of confident and strong learners ready to face any challenge.
Dr. Bob Arnold, Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedmans Chair in Palliative Care and Vice Chair for Professional Development at Mount Sinai’s Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, and Dr. Rene Claxton, Director of Palliative Care Undergraduate and Graduate Medical Education at UPMC, are two of our twelve Teach Like a Champion Fellows from cohort 3. For their final projects. Bob and Rene studied Cold Call in the medical educator setting. They shared the following brief summary of their project!
If you are interested in becoming a TLAC Fellow or know someone who might be a good fit, applications for our fourth cohort are open and available here: https://teachlikeachampion.org/teach-like-champion-fellows/ and are due by May 30, 2025.
Cold Calling in Medical Education
For decades, medical educators have employed questioning as a teaching strategy. Senior doctors quiz learners, asking them questions until they do not know the answer and then moving on to a more senior member of the team. The focus is building on knowledge deficits.1 While learners felt this practice known as “pimping” (a gendered term for a demeaning practice) was a rite of passage, it did not cultivate psychological safety and its impact on learning is unclear. In the era of physician wellness, some educators called for the elimination of this form of questioning practice.2
Teach Like a Champion Fellows and physicians, Bob and Rene, honed in on the dissonance between their experience of pimping and their observation of exceptionally skilled educators employing questioning strategically to ensure voice equity, demonstrate loving accountability and ensure learning. They came up with the following differences:
Pimping
Cold Calling
Teacher intention
Highlight knowledge shortfall
Celebrate knowledge acquisition and maximize voice equity
Group dynamics
Reinforce hierarchy
Create supportive learning environment
Pre-requisite knowledge
None explicitly provided
Provided prior to questioning sequence
Learner errors
Underscores learner knowledge deficit
Provides teacher insight into the success of their teaching (allows for checking for understanding)
As they brainstormed replacing the antiquated method of pimping with Cold Calling, they agreed on several core steps:
1. Start by outlining the rationale for cold call and distinguishing it from pimping in a short roll out speech. In Rene’s roll out for the first day of a series of fellows’ education, she makes sure to say:
What she’s doing
I’m going to call on people even if their hands aren’t raised
Why she’s doing it
Helps us gauge how good of job we are doing teaching…to help us stay engaged…what we pay attention to is what we learn
What to do if a learner doesn’t have the right answer
It’s okay if you don’t know the answer. That means you’re learning…that’s why you’re here … just say pass
2. Carefully craft and place Cold Call questions in the lesson to set students up for success. Don’t call on someone as a punishment or to call out that they were distracted. To ensure learners have pre-requisite knowledge, assign pre-reading prior to the class session. Use Wait Time to give the students time to think about a thoughtful answer. Use formative language by starting cold call questions with low-stakes phrases like, “Who can start us off?”
In this example, Bob planned a Turn and Talk before a Cold Call to help learners teach each other (increase motivation) and feel more confident in their responses. He transitions from the Turn and Talk to the Cold Call using low stakes phrasing by directing the group, “We’re going to go from team Becca to team Courtney and see how we do.”
3. Positively frame the Cold Call practice by repeatedly setting expectations that mistakes are part of learning and respond to mistakes with supportive phrases such as, “You’re 80% there” or “Who can build on that?” When the answer is wrong, use it as an opportunity for the group to learn together by using phrases like, “That is a common mistake that we can all learn from.” These phrases maintain accountability for learning while enhancing psychological safety. Learners are more excited to contribute when they know their answers will be taken seriously and used to promote their learning.
In Bob and Rene’s experience, medical students reported high satisfaction with Cold Calling – the key was making sure teachers perform the technique effectively–setting it up carefully and making it safe which allowed students to bring their best answers and appreciate what they do know.
Chen DR, Priest KC. Pimping: a tradition of gendered disempowerment. BMC Med Educ. 2019;19(1):345. doi:10.1186/s12909-019-1761-1
Want to learn more?
Join us for our remote Engaging Academics in the Medical Educator Setting (four 90 minute remote sessions on May 22nd, May 29th, June 5th, and June 12th). Bob and Rene will be co-facilitating with the TLAC Team! Learn more and register here.
Lynn Chan-Nguyen and Faith Ballesteros, two resident assistants at Sacramento State, at the Public Employment Relations Board office in Sacramento. They back unionization for about 1,400 RAs at CSU campuses.
Credit: Courtesy of the California State University Employees Union
Takeaways:
The union wants to absorb 1,400 or more resident assistants, who do everything from organizing karaoke nights to navigating health crises. They want more guidance about responsibilities.
Cal State opposes the bid,claiming it“would have detrimental effects for students.”
Student RAs typically don’t get paid, but receive benefits like free or reduced-cost housing.
To be a resident assistant (RA) in a college dorm is to be many things at once. The person who hosts university-approved events — and cleans up after nonsanctioned revelry. The person who builds community among students— and mediates between feuding roommates. The designated friend — and emergency first responder to a freshman spiraling into a mental health crisis.
That’s why the students behind the currentpush to unionize an estimated 1,400 resident assistants in the 23-campus California State University system argue they deserve better workplace protections and stronger guidelines defining their positions. If their bid succeeds, RAs would add to the more than 17,000 other student workers who joined the CSU Employees Union last year.
But CSU is opposing the move. In a letter to state labor authorities, a CSU representative said allowing RAs to join a union would “would have detrimental effects for students” and argued RAs should be considered “live-in student leaders,” not employees.
An RA’s role can include everything from organizing karaoke nights to making sure students know how to apply for food stamps. At CSU, they help manage dorms that encompass more than 67,000 beds. RAs receive no salary but get benefits like free housing or access to a campus meal plan.
“Sometimes we are (students’) therapists, and we’re essentially sitting there and connecting with students, one on one, and we’re talking them through really difficult times,” said Yasamean Zaidi-Dozandeh, an RA at CSU Dominguez Hills. “Sometimes we’re their doctors. We’re sitting there calling 911 for them.”
And it’s a position that can vary widely depending on the dorm’s size and the students it serves. An RA in one building might sleep peacefully while another is jolted awake by middle-of-the-night calls.
The union points out other reasons resident assistants could benefit from labor protections. Because RAs live in dorms, they risk losing their housing if dismissed unfairly, it says. Students interviewed for this story said RAs would be more willing to voice concerns to housing administrators, too, with union backing.
A successful union drive would put Cal State students in the company of RAs who have already organized at Boston University, Wesleyan University, Grinnell College and Georgetown University, among others. Though some colleges have voluntarily recognized such bids, others have resisted. The American Council on Education similarly argued against resident assistant unions in a 2016 amicus brief in a case before the National Labor Relations Board involving RAs at George Washington University.
“RAs often are required to be available around the clock to attend to emergencies. If universities and colleges had to bargain about the ‘hours’ of RAs, it is entirely possible that any agreed-upon hours limits would conflict with real-life emergencies,” an attorney representing the council and other higher education organizations wrote. “Could an RA rely on a union contract’s hours limitation to refuse to assist a depressed student in the middle of the night?”
The board ultimately gave George Washington’s resident assistants the go-ahead to form a union, though a union election planned for 2017 was later canceled.
At CSU, the employee union wants to absorb RAs into its existing unit of student assistants, who include part-time workers at places like campus health centers and libraries. Early last month, the union filed papers arguing that resident assistants share a “community of interest” with student assistants, meaning they have similar working conditions and job duties. CSU is currently negotiating its first contract with student assistants.
In opposing the bid, CSU says the housing and meal credits RAs receive are effectively financial aid, not wages. It argues that converting RAs to employees will jeopardize “peer-to-peer relationships” with student residents. It warns that RAs would need to pay taxes on in-kind perks that can reach nearly $30,000 in value. And it says blending RAs into the existing student assistants unit would “overly complicate ongoing negotiations.”
Finally, CSU argues that one of the reasons some RAs favor a union — a lack of consistency in their duties — is a better reason to reject the union’s claim that they share a community of interest with student assistants. “There are no set ‘duties’ or expectations nor set hours for RAs as a whole. In fact, the only uniform characteristic of RAs is that they live on campus alongside other students,” the letter says.
CSU’s opposition means that RAs will likely have to wait for a few more steps to unfold before state labor officials make a decision on the petition. A union spokesperson said the union disagrees with CSU’s response and expects a hearing before state labor officials to be set.
‘No clear distinction in what our role is’
Lynn Chan-Nguyen decided to work as a resident assistant for one reason: “I really could not afford to go to school without the job.”
Chan-Nguyen, a third-year student at Sacramento State majoring in nutrition, grew up an hour’s drive south in Stockton. If not for the meal plan and housing she gets by being an RA, she probably would have stayed closer to home and taken classes at a local community college rather than enrolling at Sacramento State.
But Chan-Nguyen has found noneconomic reasons to love being an RA, too. She enjoys hosting activities like ice cream socials, which help the upper-division, international and transfer students in the apartment-style housing where she works make new friends.
Still, parts of the position she could do without, like cleaning up vomit or trying to defuse physical altercations. “There’s just no clear distinction in what our role is,” she said. “And a lot of the times, when people do get hired, or when people are first starting off from the job, it is not defined what we’re going to be doing.”
First-time resident assistants only start to grasp how emotionally taxing the role can be during a two-week training at the start of the school year, Chan-Nguyen said.
It’s then that RAs realize they might face a life-or-death test of their counseling skills if called on to help a resident experiencing suicidal ideations or a similar health crisis. A 2019 study found that RAs who encountered a resident engaging in self-harm experience higher levels of burnout than RAs who didn’t have those interactions.
CSU Monterey Bay students move into campus dorms in August 2021.Credit: Monterey Bay/Flickr
Resident assistant Zaidi-Dozandeh at Dominguez Hills, who supports the union drive,said her first-year on-campus housing experience prompted her to become an RA.
The university’s housing department mishandled an escalating conflict among the students in her three-bedroom apartment, Zaidi-Dozandeh said. As an out-of-state student, however, she felt she had no choice but to return to university housing the following year. She shared her concerns with a staff member — who suggested she use that passion to become an RA.
Zaidi-Dozandeh, a fourth-year computer science major, enjoys connecting student-residents to resources like the school’s food pantry. But the work of an RA can also be vaguely defined, she said, creating miscommunication, inconsistencies, and, ultimately, a worse experience for students who live on campus — a problem as CSU campuses experience enrollment declines.
“The question really is, why are these students leaving housing,” she said, “when in some cases they really don’t have anywhere else to go?”
