Formative Assessments

1
Formative Assessments

• How are formative assessments different from
  traditional exams?

2
Formative AssessmentsakaAssessments FOR Learning

• Formative assessments provide information during
  the instructional process before summative
  assessments.
• Summative assessments are assessments OF learning
  that are used to make judgments like grading,
  program effectiveness, AYP

3
Assessment for Learning

• Formative assessments are ongoing occur during
  instruction
• Formative assessments are used to monitor
  progress to provide timely feedback to students
• Formative assessments incorporates both formal
  informal methods
• Formative assessments are not factored into
  summative results or grading

4
Assessment for Learning

• Formative assessment provides specific feedback
  to guide teaching learning
• For teachers to plan next steps in instruction
• For students to plan next steps in learning
• For students to set learning goals
• Formative assessments are assessments FOR
  learning that are used by the student and teacher
  to make decisions about what actions to take to
  promote further learning
• From Chappius and Chappius, Educational
  Leadership,12/07

5
Research on Formative Assessment

• 250 studies from several countries established
  that improving formative assessment raises
  student achievement
• Some studies showed that lowest achievers make
  greatest gains

6
Research on Formative Assessment

• Assessments that bring about these gains
• Provide descriptive feedback to students
• Involve students actively
• Inform adjustments in teaching learning
• Increase motivation build students confidence
• Provide accurate data

7
Learning to Love Assessment by Carol Ann
TomlinsonEducational Leadership, Dec. 2007/Jan.
2008

• What informative assessment isnt
• Just about tests
• About the grade book
• Always formal
• Separate from the curriculum
• About after
• An end in itself
• Separate from instruction
• Just about student readiness
• About finding weaknesses
• Just for the teacher

8
Whats Do You Think?

• Successful schools operate under the assumption
  that the key to improved learning for students is
  continuous, job-embedded learning for educators.
  
  
  
  Rick DuFour