1. Monique Marshall and Lisa Memmelaar CLT #4EDAD 6360 Learning
Theory in Educational LeadershipSam Houston State University
2. WHAT IS FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT?The act of assessing a students
understanding of a concept during the learning process is formative
assessment. The purpose of such assessment is to facilitate, or
form learning and not to assign a grade, (Snowman, McCown, Biehler
, 2009, p. 487). The teacher is able to acknowledge any
misconceptions the students may have and adjust teaching and
learning strategies. This type of assessment is powerful because it
allows open communication from the learner to the teacher
identifying the comprehension level throughout the lesson
(Brookhart, Moss, & Long , 2008).
3. 4 CORE ELEMENTS OF FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT Identifying the gap:
This is when teachers are determining the (ZPD) Zone of Proximal
Development. This is defined as the distance between what the child
can accomplish independently and the level at which he can problem
solve with the help of an adult. Feedback: When providing students
with feedback, this affects studentsperformance, motivation and
self-efficacy. Formative assessments encouragestudents to use
feedback to improve their learning. The teacher takes steps toclose
the gap by teaching, modifying, assessing, and re-teaching so that
eachstudent is successful. Student Involvement: Students learn how
to self and peer assess through activeinvolvement and
participation. Students reflect and monitor to adapt to their
ownlearning needs. Students collaborate with peers and teachers to
determine thecriteria for success such as an example of a rubric or
paper. Learning Progressions: Through learning progressions,
students have a guide orcriteria to follow so that students are
engaged in learning.
4. FEATURES OF FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT Students are assessed
during the learning process Learner-centered environment Teacher
and students collaborate Feedback from students is used to make
adjustments to instruction
5. USE OF FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTTo properly utilize assessment
formatively, Frey and Fisher (2011) suggests that the teacher
determine student learning outcomes, evaluate comprehension, offer
feedback, and adjust forthcoming instruction based on the
accomplishment of the student. Hattie and Timperley (2007)
developed three effective feedback questions that will support
formative assessment: Where am I going? (What are the goals?) How
am I going? (What progress is being made toward the goal? Where to
next? (What activities need to be undertaken to make
betterprogress?) (p. 86).
8. QUOTES FROM CLASSROOM TEACHERSI ask students to tell me what
they know or want to know about a topic; this helps me get a better
understand of what knowledge students already have or
misconceptions they may have about a topic.Debra Linder,
Kindergarten TeacherWhen I want to quickly check what students
know, I will ask yes/no or true/false questions and they will
respond with a thumbs up or down in front of them to answer. I can
quickly see if most students have mastered the skill or if I need
to reteach. Jenn Lemons, 1st Grade TeacherDuring small group
reading instruction I have students whisper read to themselves and
Iobserve their reading of a familiar text to see where they are
making mistakes so that Ican adjust my instruction in the group to
meet their needs. Diane Terry, 2nd Grade TeacherDuring small group
math instruction, I ask students to explain how they solved the
mathproblem. This lets me see their thinking behind their math and
it also lets other studentsin the group self assess their work and
understanding of the problem. Tamara Dukes, 3rd Grade Teacher
9. FEEDBACK VS. PRAISEMany educators believe that praise is a
form of feedback. In fact, praise only recognizes the high
achievement of student; however it does nothing to promote
continuous improvement. Phrases like, You did great on your quiz,
Good job, and Awesome can be likened to sauce on a steak. The sauce
tastes good, but it would be even better accompanied with the steak
feedback. As cited in Clark (2011) Torrance and Pryor (1998)
believe, many teachers focus on praise as a form of feedback
because of the efficacy of behaviorist reinforcement systems (p.
162). In order for formative assessment to be successful feedback
must be given to students so the teaching paradigm can shift
allowing a higher level of comprehension of concepts. Feedback is
considered to be a way to lead students toward methods that will
help them to improve by supplying information that can help the
student with learning and retaining knowledge (Burnett, 2002).
Feedback can specifically identify the strength and weakness of a
student on a particular lesson allowing the teacher to modify
instruction.FeedbackPraiseIdentifies strengths andAppraises
performanceweaknesses of performance
Learner-centeredTeacher-centeredPromotes improvementBoosts
self-esteem
10. WHAT TEACHERS NEED TO DOThe 4 core elements will help to
gather information that will help with instruction and meeting the
students individual needs. We need to first use teacher knowledge
to get a clear vision before starting the 4 core elements. We need
to establish what it is we want the students to know by the end of
the six weeks. Once we have a vision, we might have a questionnaire
that students will fill out so that we know what students already
know and dont know. From this we would identify the gap and
determine flexible groups and how we should spend time teaching. We
are able to meet with students and give feedback. We will get
students involved through the questionnaire as they are actively
participating in answering the questions. They are reflecting back
on their learning and determining what they need extra help on.
From this, we can interpret the results and develop a plan so
flexible groups will be successful by the end of the six weeks.
Formative assessments will drive our teaching so that every minute
of every day can be spent motivating and meeting the learning needs
of students.
11. RELEVANT THEORISTS Connie M. Moss, Ed.D.Dr. Moss is
currently works in the Department of Educational Foundations and
Leadershipat Duquesne University as a professor. Prior to this, she
worked 25 years as a K-12educator and educational leader supporting
lesson planning and assessment andinstructional support. She is an
advocate for formative assessment and has made manypresentations
and publications on the subject. Notable work by Dr. Moss is
AdvancingFormative Assessment in Every Classroom.Susan Brookhart,
Ph.D.Dr. Brookhart is a faculty member at ASCD where she offers
professional developmenttraining in formative assessment. Brookhart
also serves on the state assessmentadvisory committee for the State
of Montana. She is the author and/or co-author ofseveral books on
formative assessment: How to Give Effective Feedback to
YourStudents, Advancing Formative Assessment in Every Classroom: A
Guide for InstructionalLeaders, Formative Assessment Strategies for
Every Classroom: An ASCD Action Tool.
12. RELEVANT THEORISTS CONTINUED Dylan Wiliam, Ph.D.Dr. Wiliam
is currently an Emeritus Professor of Educational Assessment at the
Institute ofEducation University of London. He has played many
roles throughout his career in educationsuch as Senior Research
Director at the Educational Testing Service in Princeton, NJ. In
hisrecent work Wiliam has focused on formative assessment . He has
worked with educators in boththe United States and United Kingdom
on creating formative assessment methods. Notable work:Assessment
for Learning in the Classroom, From Teachers to Schools: Scaling up
ProfessionalDevelopment for Formative Assessment, and Designing
Feedback as Part of a System.Paul Black, Ph.D.Dr. Black began his
career in education as a faculty member in the physics department.
In 1987he was chair of Task Group on Assessment and Testing. Black
has been a visiting professor atStanford University in California
where he worked with teachers to develop classroom
formativeassessment. He co-authored Developing the Theory of
Formative Assessment and Inside theBlack Box: Raising Standards
Through Classroom Assessment. Other notablepublications on
formative assessment: Formative and Summative Assessment byTeachers
Assessments: Promises and Problems.
13. RELEVANT THEORISTS CONTINUED Margaret HeritageMargaret
Heritage is Assistant Director for Professional Development at the
NationalCenter for Research on Evaluation, Standards and Student
Testing (CRESST) at UCLA.She has many years of teaching and
leadership experience in the United Kingdom as wellas the United
States. Her current focus is on school improvement, learning
progressions,and formative assessments. Margaret Heritage is the
co-author of Formative Assessmentfor Literacy, Grades K-6: Building
Reading and Academic Language Skills Across theCurriculum,
published by Corwin Press. Rick Stiggins, Ph.D.Dr. Rick Stiggins is
a consultant who helps teachers and school leaders understand howto
use the assessment process and its results to benefit student
learning. Dr. Stigginsbelieves that formative assessment can
promote student success. Dr. Stiggins hasworked with several
universities such as the University of Minnesota and Michigan
StateUniversity. He has participated on the research and
development team at the NorthwestRegional Educational Laboratory.
Dr. Stiggins is author and coauthor of several booksClassroom
Assessment FOR Student Learning, Assessment FOR Learning,
EvaluatingAssessment Quality.
14. REFERENCESBrookhart, S., Moss, C., & Long, B. (2008).
Formative assessment that empowers. Educational Leadership, 66(3),
52.Burnett, P. (2002). Teacher praise and feedback and students
perceptions of the classroom environment. Educational Psychology,
22(1), 5-16.Clark, I. (2011). Formative assessment: Policy,
perspectives and practice. FloridaJournal of Educational
Administration & Policy, 4(2), 158-180.Frey, N., & Fisher,
D. (2011). The formative assessment action plan: Practical steps to
more successful teaching and learning. ASCD.Hattie, J. &
Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational
Research, 77, 81-112. doi: 10.3102/003465430298487
15. REFERENCES CONTINUED.Heritage, M. (2007). Formative
assessment: what teachers need to know and do? Phi Delta Kappan.
89(2) 140-145KewlKiwiChick. (2011, May 7). Formative assessment in
schools. Retrieved October 9, 2012, from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7XpUqNnKtI&playnext=1&list=PL61C6C3
07E418326E&feature=results_mainSnowman, J., McCown, R., &
Biehler, R. (2009). Psychology Applied to Teaching. New York:
WadsworthStiggins, R. (2005). From formative assessment to
assessment for learning: apath to Success in standards-based
schools. Phi Delta Kappan. v87(4) 324-328.