Research Guides: Course Developer Resources: Formative Assessments

What are Formative Assessments?

Formative Assessment

From The Greenwood Dictionary of Education:

Assessments that are administered before teaching a topic or skill to determine students’ abilities or prior knowledge. Use of formative assessment allows teachers to target lessons to the areas in which students need to improve, and focus less on areas in which they have already demonstrated mastery. It is typically used in classrooms prior to end-of-course assessments.

"Formative Assessment." The Greenwood Dictionary of Education. Ed. John W. Collins, III and Nancy Patricia O'Brien. 2nd ed. Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood, 2011. 188. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 17 Nov. 2015.

Readings & Research: Formative Assessment

Final Exams or Epic Finales?
Anthony Crider's reflections on using formative assessment rather than traditional final exams and suggestions for developing one's own "epic finale" experience.
Digital Portfolios: The Art of Reflection
Discussion about using digital portfolios or journaling for metacognition and reflective learning, and what it says about your students' success in your class.
Formative Assessment that Empowers
(To log into the database, use 0000-PID#; your pin/password is your birthdate MMDD) - Formative assessment engages students and teachers in a dialogue whereby teachers learn what students need to know and students' prior knowledge is valued. A great overview of FA and on the value of using it.