High Quality Performance Assessment

What is formative assessment?

Formative assessment is a type of assessment that is continuous; it occurs either before, during, or after the lesson and is used best as an evaluation for learning.

What is the CENTRAL purpose of formative assessment?

The central purpose of formative assessment is to act as an evaluation for learning verses an evaluation of learning; struggling students need to be identified and strategies need to be implemented to aid the struggling learners.

Connect a best practice in formative assessment to one research-based strategy.

A formative assessment is best practiced when used as a form of research-based strategy. Using a formative assessment as feedback, for instance, would be an example of connecting a formative assessment to a research-based strategy to enhance its purpose. Feedback is crucial as a teacher needs to examine ways to implement different approaches to improve student achievement.

Give an example of how a specific assessment can be used formatively and summatively.
Using a rubric, for example, as a specific assessment can be used formatively as it identifies the lesson's expectations and summatively as it calculates a grade for the assignment.

Give an example from your field placement related to formative assessment and timing.

While at my clinical, I am usually engaged in multiple math lessons. One portion of the math period is dedicated to Reasoning Minds, and it is there that students have to learn objectives, complete A-B-C level problems, and correct mistakes using the “genie solution”. As the students work at their computers, I circulate the room, paying close attention to what exactly is being written in the journals (where the students show all work), how each student is rating in terms of accuracy, and how far along each student is in completing the various levels of problems. From there, I am able to identify which students are struggling and the concept that is causing the frustration. It is then a series of questioning techniques are implemented, and upon hearing answers, I am able to determine the student’s way of understanding and thinking. I can redirect the student from that point, and then observe as correct steps are demonstrated by the student as he or she solves the problem without error. Observation and questioning go hand in hand as I formally assess the students before, doing, and at the end of the lesson.

What are some strategies to help formative assessment be more effective when providing students with feedback?

To help formative assessment be more effective when providing students with feedback, provide the feedback in a timely manner to increase motivation and the overall success rate.

Name two advantages to high quality formative assessment.

An advantage to high quality formative assessment is that the students become more aware of the quality of their work, and with each success, their confidence increases. With this awareness and confidence, students seem to stay on task quite easier. Additionally, the teacher is able to identify struggling students and implement strategies to aid those students as a result.

What are some challenges to implementing high quality formative assessment?

Some challenges to implementing high quality formative assessment include: using formative assessment with instruction verses as an extension of instruction, the hardships of educators being able to implement these practices, and finding ways to use the assessment to develop strategies that are appropriate for the struggling learner.

NCTE. (2010). Fostering High-Quality Formative Assessment. James R. Squire Office of Policy Research. Retrieved November 1, 2012 from, www.ncte.org