Metacognitive Assessment
Through the conversational assignment protocol that records the dialog between students and instructors, Sakai can make student thinking visible. By posing questions that make students reflect on whether their current level of understanding is adequate, the instructor can help students learn to be aware of the progress they are making toward understanding.
In my Web design courses, for example, students propose and negotiate the topics of their projects. Through an online consultation protocol, I help students formulate a project that not only satisfies their interests, but also meets national standards in their chosen career field. The dialog I have with my students is recorded in the Sakai database and can be viewed at any time on the course assignment page.
I encourage students to reflect on this dialog, think about their progress toward meeting the standards, and become actively involved in setting their learning priorities.
