What formative assessment is and isn't

Summary

The speaker explains why formative assessment has a greater impact on student achievement than almost any other classroom strategy. He outlines five key strategies: clarifying learning intentions, eliciting evidence of understanding, providing feedback that moves learning forward, activating students as learning resources for one another, and fostering student ownership of learning. Emphasizing that teaching is about engineering effective learning rather than delivering content, he highlights practical techniques such as peer assessment, mini whiteboards, structured feedback, and self-monitoring tools. Ultimately, the core idea is simple yet powerful: continuously adapt teaching based on evidence of student learning to better meet their needs.

Takeaways

• 😀 Formative assessment has a significant impact on student achievement and should be carefully implemented in the classroom.
• 😀 Clearly defining the learning destination for students and assessing where they are at that moment is essential for effective formative assessment.
• 😀 Formative assessment involves a network of roles, including teachers, peers, and students, working together to support the learning journey.
• 😀 Sharing and clarifying learning intentions is important, but it should be done in a way that supports exploration, rather than constraining creativity.
• 😀 Feedback should focus on moving learning forward, with an emphasis on actionable next steps, rather than just pointing out past mistakes.
• 😀 Effective questioning and eliciting evidence from students helps gauge their progress and adjust teaching strategies accordingly.
• 😀 Using examples of previous student work (exemplars) is a useful technique to help students understand quality and avoid common mistakes.
• 😀 Teachers should balance teaching with giving students opportunities to work independently or collaborate with peers to take ownership of their learning.
• 😀 Instead of just providing grades, teachers should offer feedback that encourages students to reflect and act on their learning.
• 😀 Classroom strategies should include student-centered approaches like peer feedback, active learning through colored cups, and checklists to encourage responsibility for learning.
• 😀 Implementing these strategies requires consistency and careful planning, but they provide a cohesive framework that helps teachers enhance their practice.

Q & A

What is the main finding from the research collected over the last 20 years regarding formative assessment?

The research shows that attending to classroom formative assessment has the most significant impact on student achievement compared to other teaching strategies.

What does formative assessment aim to clarify in the classroom?

Formative assessment helps clarify where the students are in their learning, what the destination or goal of the learning is, and what steps the students need to take to reach that goal.

Why is clarifying learning intentions important in formative assessment?

Clarifying learning intentions is important because it helps students understand the direction of their learning, but the approach to presenting these objectives can vary, especially when creativity or flexible thinking is involved.

What are some common issues with posting learning objectives in classrooms?

A common issue is that while learning objectives are often posted and written down, they can be ignored during the lesson, making them ineffective in guiding student learning. Additionally, overly specific or rigid objectives can limit student creativity and engagement.

How should teachers approach eliciting evidence of learning from students?

Teachers should gather evidence of student learning through various methods such as questioning, tasks, and activities that allow them to assess student understanding. Mini whiteboards or group discussions are examples of effective techniques.

What is the difference between backward-looking and forward-looking feedback?

Backward-looking feedback focuses on past mistakes, while forward-looking feedback provides actionable steps for students to improve and move forward in their learning.

Why is it important to activate students as learning resources for one another?

Activating students as learning resources for one another helps foster a collaborative environment where students can learn from each other, increasing engagement and deepening their understanding of the material.

What is the role of feedback in formative assessment?

Feedback in formative assessment should guide students on what to do next in their learning journey, focusing on progress and areas for improvement, rather than just highlighting mistakes from past work.

What are some strategies to help students own their learning process?

Strategies to help students own their learning include using methods like colored cups to signal understanding, encouraging peer assessments, and using checklists to allow students to take responsibility for their progress.

What is the role of the teacher in formative assessment?

The teacher's role is to create opportunities for students to take charge of their learning, provide feedback, and adjust the teaching methods based on evidence of student progress. Teachers should neither do all the learning for students nor just act as passive facilitators.