Respecting learner´s knowledge: evaluation through self assessment

Resumen

In civil society movements for justice, one aspect of respect means people being central to their own liberation. Joao Pedro Stedile, a member of the the Brazilian Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra national board, reflects that one of the most significant aspects of their work is to “[win] back the worth and dignity of the peasant.” (as cited in Peters & Podur, 2002). Even those without formal education, even people who are illiterate, can engage actively in knowledge creation to improve the conditions of our world. As Paulo Freire argues, knowledge is continually created and re-created as people reflect and act on the world. I argue that involving students in evaluating their own knowledge, dialoguing with teachers, and studying together with others, can contribute to both increasing students’ self-respect, as well as deepening their knowledge of mathematics. I review the competencies and evaluation methodologies underlying Quantitative Reasoning at The College of Public and Community Service. Then, I focus in detail on our Criticalmathematical Literacy Self-Assessment.