Work in progress - utilizing assessment as a means to increased learning awareness

A student-centered classroom is enhanced when students are more aware of learning goals they are pursuing and learning outcomes expected of them. Assessment is an effective means of increasing student learning awareness. When the goals of the assessment are tailored appropriately, students learn to focus quickly on aspects of their learning and how to present evidence of that learning. Simultaneously, students learn to recognize their strengths and weaknesses as learners, thus providing opportunity for accelerated growth. This work in progress describes how the strength, areas for improvement, and insights (SII) style of assessment has been implemented into one introductory engineering and one calculus-based physics course. Consistent with the SII spirit, strengths, areas for improvement, and insights gained from the implementation of this technique are discussed. Preliminary results from a survey utilized for one semester in each of the two classes are also introduced.