Maximizing the Power of Formative Assessments

Abstract

Formative assessment, done well, represents one of the most powerful instructional tools available to a teacher or a school for promoting student achievement. Teachers and schools can use formative assessment to identify student understanding, clarify what comes next in their learning, trigger and become part of an effective system of intervention for struggling students, inform and improve the instructional practice of individual teachers or teams, help students track their own progress toward attainment of standards, motivate students by building confidence in themselves as learners, fuel continuous improvement processes across faculties, and, thus, drive a school's transformation. Common assessments--those created collaboratively by teams of teachers who teach the same course or grade level--also represent a powerful tool in effective assessment in professional learning communities. Put the two together and the result can redefine the role of assessment in school improvement. But this synergy can be achieved only if certain conditions are satisfied. Three specific questions: How can common formative assessments contribute to productive instructional decision making? How can we make sure those assessments are of high quality? How can we ensure they are used in ways that benefit student learning? Our driving purpose is to maximize the positive impact of common assessments used to promote both student and teacher success. ASSESSMENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL DECISION MAKING If assess…