Validity of student self-reported ratings of learning

This study examined the relationship between individual student self-reported ratings of progress on relevant learning objectives and performance on exams administered during a college course. Across three sections of the same course taught by a single instructor, 188 students rated themselves at the end of the course on two objectives identified by the instructor as either essential or important. They also rated themselves on 10 other objectives the instructor identified as having minor or no importance. Self-ratings on course-relevant objectives correlated significantly and positively with four out of five exams and the course total, whereas ratings on irrelevant objectives did not. Students who rated their progress as either exceptional or substantial generally performed better on course examinations than those who rated their progress as moderate or less. These findings support the validity of student self-reported ratings of learning.