In recent years, there has been a notable increase in the recognition of student-centered approaches within the realm of higher education. These approaches extend beyond instructional methods and encompass assessment practices, which play a pivotal role in shaping students’ learning experiences. Within the framework of student-centered approaches, formative feedback, self-assessment, and peer assessment are emphasized as important components that foster deeper learning and critical thinking skills. By actively engaging students in the assessment process, these practices promote autonomy, self-reflection, and a greater sense of responsibility for their own learning.

Assessment serves as a crucial component in the educational process, influencing students’ motivation, engagement, and overall academic development. Beyond its function as a measure of knowledge acquisition, assessment functions as a tool for promoting learning and encouraging self-development. Constructive feedback enables students to refine their understanding and develop higher-order cognitive skills, while self-assessment and peer assessment cultivate evaluative judgment and metacognitive awareness. In the context of teacher education, where future teachers are expected to develop strong reflective and evaluative competencies, these aspects of assessment are particularly critical. Gaining insight into students’ perceptions of assessment practices is therefore essential for understanding how these approaches support—or potentially hinder—their learning and professional development.

This study explores how students perceive assessment in the context of teacher education, focusing on the aspects of self-assessment, peer assessment, and the importance of constructive feedback. A questionnaire was utilized to collect data from 218 students currently enrolled in the Elementary Education programme at the Faculty of Education, University of Maribor. The findings indicate that students highly value constructive feedback and self-assessment, while peer assessment is perceived as less important.

The correlation analyses revealed multiple significant relationships between students’ perceptions of assessment practices, highlighting the interconnectedness of self-assessment, peer assessment, constructive feedback, and learning priorities. Among the ten examined correlations, the strongest were observed between self-assessment and both, constructive feedback and the perception of assessment as a tool for learning, suggesting that students who actively engage in self-evaluation also recognize the value of feedback and view assessment as a means for academic growth. Moderate but significant correlations were also found between prioritizing learning over grades and self-assessment, indicating that students who focus on learning rather than performance are more likely to engage in self-evaluative practices. In contrast, the correlations related to peer assessment were found to be weaker, as students did not strongly link it to feedback or recognize it as a critical component of learning-oriented assessment.

Encouraging self-assessment and meaningful feedback can enhance students' learning experiences and foster essential skills for their future teaching careers. By shifting the focus from grades to learning, teachers can create a more supportive assessment environment that prepares students for lifelong professional development.

Keywords: Student-centered approaches, assessment, higher education, teacher education.