On my practicum I had students assess their own learning throughout a particular unit. As we progressed, students would fill out a form that had them track their learning. If they felt behind in a certain area, I was made aware of it and either helped that individual, or addressed the issue to the entire class if it was a common concern among most students. This strategy notified me of student capability in an area, so I could refocus my lessons and not exhaust a lot of time on something the students already understood.
During group work I also had students assess their effort, contribution to the group and how well they communicated and collaborated with their peers. I found this to be a very good way of assessing student’s group work. They were honest in their self-assessment, and it motivated students to take ownership and responsibility for their work and role within the group.