Testing forms the bedrock of educational assessment and represents a commitment to high academic standards and school accountability. You can't know where you're going unless you know where you are
Firm evidence shows that formative assessment is an essential component of classroom work and that its development can raise standards of achievement, Mr. Black and Mr. Wiliam point out. Indeed, they know of no other way of raising standards for which such a strong prima facie case can be made
Often referred to as assessment for learning, formative assessment:
...refers to all those activities undertaken by teachers, and by the students in assessing themselves, which provide information to be used as feedback to modify the teaching and learning activities in which they are engaged. Such assessments become formative when the evidence is actually used to adapt the teaching to meet the needs.
Web 2.0 Tools Which Can Be Used For Assessing Student Learning:
Successful middle schools engage students in all aspects of their learning. There are many strategies for accomplishing this. One such strategy is student-led conferences. As a classroom teacher or administrator, how do you ensure that the information shared in a student-led conference provides a balanced picture of the student's strengths and weaknesses? The answer to this is to balance both summative and formative classroom assessment practices and information gathering about student learning.
Assessment resource directory
The purpose of this resource is to provide teachers with examples of how key formative strategies can be applied across all curriculum areas
Finding Balance: Assessment in the Middle School Classroom
Stephen Chappuis and Rick Stiggins
Most teachers routinely develop and communicate to students and parents the various plans and policies that govern the middle school classroom. Usually, this includes a classroom management plan, a grading policy, an instructional plan linked to state and district curriculum standards, a homework policy, and perhaps an intervention plan detailing what will happen for students if they fall behind.
Formative assessment is increasingly seen as underpinning effective teaching and learning.
In this programme, Paul Black and Chris Harrison, authors of the influential pamphlet Working Inside the Black Box, outline what they see as the key features of formative assessment. They focus on effective questioning, peer and self-assessment, feedback and marking.
The Student Assessment of their Learning Gains (SALG) website allows instructors to gather learning-focused feedback from students. The SALG survey asks students to rate how each component of a course (e.g., textbook, collaborative work, labs) helped them to learn, and to rate their gains toward achieving the course goals. The SALG survey can be customized to fit any college-level course, and can be administered multiple times per course. A baseline instrument allows faculty to compare gains relative to incoming student characteristics.
ATI - Your Resource for Classroom Assessment for Learning
ETS Assessment Training Institute (ATI) helps teachers improve student achievement by integrating student-involved classroom assessment into day-to-day instruction. Using the ATI learning team model of professional development, teachers quickly learn to assess accurately and use the results to promote learning even further. Read our current articles for more in-depth examinations of assessment for learning practices and learning-team-based professional development.α
ne of the ways in which we may be able to encourage University students to achieve more in their studies and gain the careers they desire is to enable them to reflect upon their own learning. This process of student reflection may include recognition of their achievements and skills, as well as planning ahead for their personal, educational and career aspirations. A novel and useful tool to assist in the process of reflection is the electronic Portfolio (ePortfolio). ePortfolios are the subject of this project.
Welcome to PebblePad!
PebblePad is much more than an eportfolio. It is a Personal Learning System being used in learning contexts as diverse as schools, colleges, universities and professional bodies; by learners, teachers and assessors; for PDP, CPD and L&T
The Internet is booming with new read-write web tools everyday. Knowing what tools to use, why you should take on learning something new, and finding ways these tools can be used in concert can be pretty confusing. When would I use a blog? Why would I use Moodle? Do I use a wiki or Google Docs? How do I choose? Do I use it just because it is the latest newest coolest thing, or is there a better reason? Four web based tools have emerged that can enhance student learning by taking some established best practices in education to the next level making it easier, faster, and more fun to learn.