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Characteristics and purpose of formative assessment
Characteristics and purpose of formative assessment
Characteristics and purpose of formative assessment
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Assessment, in the context of education, was defined by Lambert, D (2000, pag 4) as the processs of gathering, recording and using information about pupils' responses to educational tasks. Despite some can consider that assessment is separated from the learning process, assessment is, in fact, an essential part of the learning proccess. Maguire, M. and Dillon, J. (2007, pag 213) pointed out that assessment is intrincately bound-up in the teaching-learning cycle. Cohen et al. (2010) wrote that assessment can be a major contributor to raising standards in schools in terms of teaching, learning and student achievement. In addition, if assessment is properly handled with consistency, reliability, validity and rigour, it can have a possitive effect on learning and can improve students' own understanding of how can they learn more effectively and improve. Although there are various types of assessment approaches, the three key ones that are used in Spanish language subject are the following: Assessment for learning or formative assessment, summative assessment and ipsative assessment or self-assessment. Assessment for learning The purpose of formative assessment is to find where students are in their learning. This type of assessment is carried out day-to-day, in every lesson. Its outcomes will help the teacher on making well-founded judgements about pupils' understanding of concepts, deciding what the next learning steps should be and, therefore on planning effectively. In addition, other purpose of formative assessment is to provide students with inmediate feedback about their performance. There is a wide range of how formative assessment is conducted. The use of questioning is a clear example of using formative assessment; the ... ... middle of paper ... ...actice. London: Routledge. Dillon, J., Maguire, M. (2007) Becoming a Teacher: Issues in Secondary Teaching. Third edition. England: McGraw-Hill. Cohen, L. Manion, L. Morrison, K. and Wyse, D (2010) A guide to teaching practice. London: Routledge. Black, P., Wiliam, D. (1998) Inside the black box: raising standards through classroom assessment. London: King's College. Blomfield, A., Roughton, L., Scott, A. (1997) Becoming a Secondary School Teacher. London: Hodder Arnold Kyriacou, Chris (1997) Effective Teaching in Schools. Second edition. United Kingdom: Nelson Thornes. Barton, P. (2009) National Education Standards: Getting Beneath the surface. Princeton: Educational testing service. Educational Broadcasting Corporation (2013) Teaching to academic standards, Available at: http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/standards/ (Accessed: January 2014).
...teacher see what their students know, wonder about and techniques they use to make sense of the world and the classroom. This information can then be used by the teacher to differentiate instruction. The teacher can recover material, present alternative activities that students are more receptive in order to foster student responsiveness and engagement. In Page Keeley’s article An Introduction to Formative Assessment Classroom Techniques (FACTs) she articulates the purpose and power of a classroom that frequently uses formative assessments by saying, “it organizes the entire classroom around learning and informs ways teachers can provide more effective learning experiences based on how their own” (10). Formative assessments foster a supportive classroom community where students and even teacher thoughts are encouraged and in turn shape the future of that classroom.
Wallis, Claudia. “How to Make Great Teachers.” Time Online. 13 Feb. 2008. Web. 16 March 2011.
Elwood, J. (2006). Formative assessment: possibilities, boundaries and limitations. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 215-232, doi:10.1080/09695940600708653
Assessment has been the greatest challenge in my development as a professional. My coursework as supported my growth in this area, especially in understanding the broad range of assessments used to support students’ growth and development. My courses have also supported my understanding of how ongoing observational assessment and standards-based measures can be used to inform instruction and support the cycle of observation, reflection and planning. Coursework
Current educational policy and practice asserts that increased standardized student testing is the key to improving student learning and is the most appropriate means for holding individual schools and teachers accountable for student learning. Instead, it has become a tool solely for summarizing what students have learned and for ranking students and schools. The problem is standardized tests cannot provide the information about student achievement that teachers and students need day-to-day. Classroom assessment can provide this kind of information.
Marsh, C. (2010). Becoming a teacher: Knowledge, skills and issues. 5th Ed. Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson.
Marsh, C.J. (2010). Becoming a teacher: Knowledge, skills and issues. Frenchs Forest, Sydney, NSW: Pearson Australia
Although somewhat vague compared to summative assessment, several key features help frame formative assessment. First, formative assessment happens while learning is taking place as opposed to at the end of content delivery. Rather, this is considered “assessment for learning,” (Chappuis, J., Stiggins, Chappuis, S., & Arter, 2012, pg. 5). The format is formal or informal, but the outcome in its use is an in-progress check of what students know and what students do not know. Chappuis, Stiggins, Chappuis, and Arter (2012) define formative assessment as, “Formal and informal processes teachers and students use to gather evidence for the purpose of improving learning,” (pg. 24). Second, this type of assessment is used to make instructional strategy adjustments. If student learning did not happen via one instructional method, the teacher must make the necessary accommodations to reteach the concept or skill. Next, it is not only used by teachers for feedback on instruction, but formative assessment is also used for providing timely, descriptive feedback to students and extends to allow for student self-assessment (Chappuis, J., Stiggins, Chappuis, S., & Arter, 2012; Popham, 2008). Formative assessment provides opportunity to provide specific feedback to students on where they are currently in their learning, and where they should be headed.
However, a formative assessment is ongoing and is used to check for students’ understanding throughout a lesson. Both work samples “matched learning objectives” and I was able to identify the students’ strength and weaknesses. I was also able to “analyze assessment data to understand patterns and gaps in learning” to guide my future instructions. In the word problem assessment, I recognized where the student was struggling and gave “effective and descriptive feedback” to address the area that she needs work in.
Assessments have always been a tool for teachers to assess mastery and for a long time it was just to provide a grade and enter it into the grade book or report card. Through resources in and out of the course, there has been a breath of new life into the research on how to use assessments. They take many forms and fall within the summative or formative assessment category. Sloan (2016) addresses how formative assessments has traditionally been used by teachers to modify instruction, but when we focus on a classroom that is learner-centered “it becomes assessment for learning as opposed to assessment of learning” (slide 4). The fact is, the students are the ones that should be and are the ones using the data we collect through assessments, since it is our way of providing feedback in order
Marsh, C. (2010). Becoming a Teacher: Knowledge, Skills and Issues. Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Australia
Marsh, C. (2008). Becoming a Teacher. (4th ed.). French Forest: Pearson Education. Retrieved from: http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_2_1&url=%2fwebapps%2fblackboard%2fexecute%2flauncher%3ftype%3dCourse%26id%3d_62128_1%26url%3d.
Assessment is an important key to student learning. Testing both what students know and are able to do serves as a compass that guides educators all over the world. Within the last fifteen year, there has been a shift in the world of assessments due to the attention from policy makers. This shift has not necessarily been beneficial for students or their teachers. Teachers have used the same standardized test styles to assess students and prepare them for test. However, many teachers have realized that this is not the best way for students to show evidence of their learning. Instead, Chappuis, Chappuis, and Stiggins(2009) suggest that the two necessary components of an assessment that fairly and accurately judges student knowledge are “quality
Stiggins, R., Arter, J., Chappuis, J., Chappuis, S., (2007). Classroom assessment for student learning: Doing it right -- using it well. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson.
Through assessment students and teachers are able to determine the level of mastery a student has achieved with standards taught. Both formative and summative assessment should be purposeful and targeted to gain the most accurate data to drive further instruction (Ainsworth, 2010). While this syllabus does a good job of identifying the need for both formal and informal assessments, the way in which this is communicated does not provide enough detail for understanding. Simply listing assessment types does not give any insight into how these assessments fit in the learning process of this course. While some of the assessments mentioned could be common assessments chosen by the school or district to gain insight into the effectiveness of instruction, the inclusion of authentic assessments is most beneficial to students and demonstrates learning in a context closer to that of a work environment (Rovai, 2004). Unfortunately, this particular course, according to this syllabus, relies heavily on quizzes and traditional tests and essays to form the bulk of assessment opportunities. While other activities, such as formative assessments, journaling and discussions are mentioned as possible avenues for scoring, they are given a very low percentage of the overall grade. This shows that they are not valued for their ability to show progression and mastery. If this is indeed the case, this puts the students as a