Formative Assessment
Overview
Formative assessment is "assessment for learning" rather than "assessment of learning". In terms of lifelong and lifewide learning, it is often called "learning-oriented assessment", since the focus is on fostering a Learner Mindset by providing feedback, reflection, and revision opportunities rather than evaluation. Embedding assessments throughout instructional activities for feedback and growth opportunities rather than evaluation of achievement, serves a variety of purposes in instructional settings. Learners have the opportunity to make mistakes in a low-risk environment, receive meaningful feedback from the instructor to understand their progress, and revise their work to support a cycle of learning. Formative activities and assessments also help to inform instruction as instructors also gain meaningful information about learner progress. These activities can positively boost learner Emotion and intrinsic Motivation, helping to ease academic anxiety as the emphasis is placed on the learning process rather than final achievement.
Use It In Your Learning Environment
Immediate feedback is a critical element of formative assessment, since it allows learners to monitor their own progress, engage in purposeful reflection, and learn through revision. To strengthen learning, instructors should provide meaningful, explicit, and timely feedback to learners, focusing on specific learning targets. There are many different techniques for incorporating formative activities and assessments in an educational setting. Exit tickets can be modified for adult learners after instructional sessions by having them write reflections or answer brief questions to assess learning. Posing higher order questions throughout instruction to encourage learner discussion can increase Attention and support both Short and Long-term Memory. Other techniques include one sentence summaries, concept mapping, and directed paraphrasing. It is important to build a safe environment in which learners feel they can meaningfully participate.
Formative activities and assessments can be especially effective in content instruction, particularly with Numeracy skills. Digital platforms can allow instructors to create anonymous online content quizzes to help learners understand their progress in a low-stakes way. These quizzes can include higher order questioning and have interactive commenting functionality to increase communication between instructors and learners. For math quizzes, these platforms should allow teachers to utilize similar question formats with random number generation for both practice and assessment opportunities. For all online quizzes, answers should be provided upon completion and allow learners to repeat quizzes to check their understanding. Online writing platforms that allow for collaboration and real-time commenting can support teachers in providing meaningful formative feedback to learners that is interactive. Posts in online discussion forums can also serve as a tool for formative assessment.
Additional Resources
Additional examples, research, and professional development. These resources are possible representations of this strategy, not endorsements.
Factors Supported by this Strategy
More Instructional Approaches Strategies
When adults can connect and communicate with authentic audiences about their interests and values, learning becomes more personally meaningful and relevant.
When designing instruction for adults, expectations and goals should be clearly outlined to help learners focus on the material and make plans for success.
Competency-based learning is self-paced, focused on mastery, and centered around demonstrating learning outcomes and skills rather than where or how they were attained.
In an increasingly digital world, adults who struggle with using technology can benefit from direct instruction for an array of digital tools.
Teaching learners how to effectively search the internet is critical for helping them learn how to find accurate and relevant information and aids in developing information literacy.
Direct instruction in math strategies may support some adult learners once conceptual understanding is in place.
Research shows that, along with traditional reading comprehension strategies, learners use unique strategies to read the non-linear, hyperlinked structure of online texts.
Adult learners who are struggling with Foundational Reading Skills, including decoding and phonemic awareness, can benefit from explicitly learning phonics skills in an educational setting.
Seeing and using new words repeatedly and across contexts is critical for vocabulary acquisition.
Opportunities for students to practice skills in context, with instructor support and also independently, helps to move concepts and ideas into Long-term Memory.
Intentionally incorporating voice and choice into adult learning experiences is critical for making learning meaningful and relevant.
Metaphors and analogies can support learners by helping to form connections and to notice patterns and similarities that promote learning, self-concept, and higher order thinking.
Mindfulness is a practice to create internal balance and a sense of being present in the moment.
Instruction and training presented in multiple formats allows learners to activate different cognitive skills and Background Knowledge that are necessary to remember procedural and content information.
Using multiple methods of assessment can help educators gain a comprehensive understanding of learner progress across a wide range of skills and content.
When instructors ask questions or have learners create questions before introducing a text, they activate interest, increase Motivation, and help them assess what they already know about a given topic.
Process-based writing focuses on how learners brainstorm, outline, draft, and revise their writing and is most effective when paired with feedback, especially for English language learners.
When instructors are able to provide context, and connect math concepts to an adult learner's world, math can be seen as relevant and applicable to their daily lives and work- a core aspect of adult Numeracy.
Learning and studying information across multiple sessions that are spaced, or distributed in time, can promote learning and long-term retention of both basic and conceptually complex facts and concepts.
A strengths-based approach is one where educators intentionally identify, communicate, and harness learners' assets to empower them to flourish.
