Creating a self-assessment instrument for teachers' coaching competence of vocational students' reflection skills: towards standards and criteria.

An important goal of teacher assessment is to stimulate the professional development of teachers. In this respect, self-assessment is a promising strategy. Self-assessment emphasizes teachers' own responsibilities for their professional growth. However, self-assessment as a growth strategy has received little attention in research. In this study standards and criteria for a self-assessment instrument were developed by using relevant design principles for assessment instruments. First, both theoretical and practical perspectives were taken into account by conducting a literature review as well as observations in the classroom and interviews with teachers. Second, criteria and standards were described in favorable consequences for reflection and learning. Third, standards and criteria did not favor any style of teaching. Fourth, in the development of the instrument, important quality criteria were considered in order to enhance its usefulness. The focus of the self-assessment instrument is on teachers' coaching competences for student reflection in vocational education. This is considered an important competence for vocational education students.