EXPLORING FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT: QUESTIONS ASKED AND ANSWERED

EXPLORING FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT:  QUESTIONS ASKED AND ANSWERED

On 29 September 2020, the ETF hosted the webinar ‘New ideas for assessment: Assessment for learning on formative assessment in VET learning.  The webinar highlighted the importance formative assessment to support learning – that is, how assessment may be used to uncover what learners do and do not understand and to help move learning forward.   

During the webinar, participants also actively engaged in discussion, although due to time limits not all issues raised were covered.  Below are a few areas where participants posed questions which are of general interest for ETF stakeholders who are interested in formative assessment.

1. How does formative assessment support a student-centred approach to teaching and learning?

Formative assessment is an interactive and student-centered approach. It calls on teachers/trainers to develop a “growth mindset” – that is, an attitude that all learners can be supported to develop and improve.  Formative assessment provides a way to identify each learner’s needs and to adjust teaching and learning appropriately.

With formative assessment, learners are also encouraged to engage actively in their own learning process and to develop their skills for learning to learn (their “metacognitive strategies”) as well as for critical thinking. They develop their ability to use success criteria for self- and peer-assessment – and to identify gaps in their performance and the learning aims, and decide on next steps for learning.

2. How does formative assessment shape the teaching and learning process?

Formative assessment is most effective when it is carefully planned. Lesson plans include overall aims for learning, tasks that will elicit evidence of student understanding, including classroom discussions, team activities or homework assignments, and so on. 

Formative assessment also requires teachers/trainers to prepare for “contingent” teaching and learning.  In other words, as teachers/trainers gather information on what learners do and do not understand, they will then need to make decisions on how to adjust teaching appropriately. They may prepare in advance to meet a range of learning needs, but may also need to make “just-in-time” adjustments   They may also empower learners to assess their own and their peers’ learning, and ways to improve. 

3. How should formative assessment tools and approaches be differentiated according to age groups, education sector (general or VET), or professional field?

During the planning process, teachers/trainers naturally think about the specific discussion topics and tasks that will be appropriate for the subject matter and the age group. Younger leaders are likely to need more support for their learning, while learners who are older and who have more experience with this type of learning will be more independent.

As part of the planning process, teachers/trainers may focus specifically on identifying and addressing common learner misconceptions for their subject area. The types of questions they ask and the tasks they set will help learners to understand the “disciplinary habits of mind” – for example, how to think like an engineer, or how to see the world as a graphic artist, and so on.

4. How can formative assessment support personalised education?

Formative assessment is the first step in personalising learning to meet each individual’s needs.  As teachers/trainers are able to use formative assessment to identify strengths and weaknesses, they may develop a more holistic view of each student and how that student may be supported and empowered. Learners may also be encouraged to initiate and improve their learning by focusing on an area of particular interest to them.

5. What is the relationship between formative and summative assessment?

Ideally, formative and summative assessment are aligned with each other and with the curriculum being taught. Formative assessment is useful to ensure that learners are working toward standards and addressing any learning gaps. Summative assessments (e.g. tests, examinations) are based on the same criteria and standards, but the results are used for student marks, to make decisions on learner advancement to the next level of study, or for certification.

While teachers/trainers may sometimes administer a quiz as a formative assessment, typically, these are not officially scored and do not count toward the final mark. This is because formative assessment is most effective when learners feel free to reveal what they do not understand, which they may not do if they think it will have a negative impact on their final mark   Formative assessment therefore does not have any weight in student marks.

On the other hand, the results of formal summative assessments may be used formatively.  That is, teachers/trainers and learners may address weaknesses identified in the examination in a formative way, so that they are able to use the results to master the subject.

For further background, you may also wish to listen to the webinar. You will find the webinar in English, French and Russian here: https://openspace.etf.europa.eu/pages/webinar-new-ideas-assessment-assessment-learning

Let’s keep the conversation going.  Please feel free to raise further questions or share comments.