FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT HAS TO BE MADE FORMATIVE: IT DOES NOT WORK ITSELF (original) (raw)

Formative Assessment Practices, University Teachers and Students’ Perceptions

Pakistan Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The present study aims to determine the major differences in student’s opinions towards formative assessment across universities. The study also wanted to understand the university teacher’s perception and their role in implementing the formative assessment in their classroom and to see the university teacher’s perception towards the impact of usefulness of formative assessment. The study used quantitative research design. Data was collected from four hundred students and one hundred teachers from four different universities of Lahore by using simple random sampling technique. An adapted form of survey tools were used to collect information from the study participants. The data was analyzed by using Descriptive analysis, Frequencies, t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Frequencies were used to examine the high and medium perceived statements by the teachers and students. The results reported statistically significant difference in perceptions of students among four univ...

Changing teaching through formative assessment: A Review

Bangladesh Medical Journal, 2016

The existence of a plethora of empirical evidence documenting the improvement of educational outcomes through the use of formative assessment is conventional wisdom within education. In reality, a limited body of scientifically based empirical evidence exists to support that formative assessment directly contributes to positive educational outcomes. The use of formative assessments, or other diagnostic efforts within classrooms, provides information that should help facilitate improved pedagogical practices and instructional outcomes. However, a review of the formative assessment literature revealed that there is no agreed upon lexicon with regard to formative assessment and suspect methodological approaches in the efforts to demonstrate positive effects that could be attributed to formative assessments. Thus, the purpose of this article was two-fold. First, the authors set out to clarify the terminology related to formative assessment and its usage. Finally, the article provides a ...

Formative Assessment and Consequential Validity: A Practice Yet to be Effectively Implemented in Saudi Higher Education

Standardized tests have been found in various settings strongly influencing students' learning processes as well as outcomes, but such tests have been reported being unhelpful in improving student learning. In contrast, formative assessment (FA) is employed to help students know the level of their learning during a course and allow them to increase the standard of their learning, through knowing their learning weaknesses, receiving informative feedback from their teachers and applying adequate learning strategies, in order to achieve the formulated goals of the course. A thorough examination of empirical published research in the field revealed that insightful studies in Saudi academic context are still awaited. Therefore, this exploratory study was an attempt to investigate consequential validity of formative assessment at a Saudi university. To examine the nature of the consequential validity, data were collected from 960 English-major students via a survey (of whom 465 responded), 18 classroom observations and 4 focus-group interviews. The data underwent both statistical and content analysis. The results showed that FA, in the context of this study, seriously lacks intended consequential validity—positive impact on students' learning. Besides, the data indicated a strong unintended consequential validity i.e., negative bearing of FA on what the students learnt, how they learnt it and the depth of their learning. Therefore, it is recommended that FA practices should be urgently revisited with expert understanding for the

The Nature and Value of Formative Assessment for Learning

The this paper has two foci. The first is to present an account of how we developed formative assessment practices with a group of 36 teachers. This is then complemented by a reflection on the productive and positive experience of these teachers, in the light of learning principles, of changes in the roles of teachers and pupils in the task of learning, and of effects on the self-esteem and motivation of pupils. Attention then shifts to the second focus, which is on the ways in which these teachers struggled with the interface between formative assessment and summative testing. The conclusion is that the potential of enhanced classroom assessment to raise standards may never be fully realised unless the regimes of assessment for the purposes of accountability and certification of pupils are reformed.

Analyzing Teachers’ Experiences and Attitudes towards Formative Assessment in Schools of Pakistan

This paper studies the role of Formative Assessment in systematic teaching. It focuses on the significant steps used in formative assessment to cater for effective teaching strategies. Formative assessment provides day-to-day feedback that can be applied immediately. This study explores the perceptions of some teachers of formative assessment in schools in Peshawar, KPK (Khyber Pukhtoon Khwa), Pakistan. It is developed in response to the discussion by Black and Wiliam on the effectiveness of formative assessment in raising classroom standards (1998). Data was gathered through a questionnaire, which was followed up with semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed, resulting themes were discussed and some conclusions were drawn. The paper is divided into the following sections: Introduction; Literature review; Methodology; Results; Discussion; and Conclusion. In recent decades, many classrooms have adopted formative assessment as a significant part of effective learning in their curricula. This study was motivated by the review of previous literature. An explanatory mixed methods two-phase research design was used in the study which used both quantitative data collection and analysis, followed by qualitative data collection and analysis.

Changing teaching through formative assessment: research and practice—the King's-Medway-Oxfordshire-Formative Assessment Project

2005

e existence of a plethora of empirical evidence documenting the improvement of educational outcomes through the use of formative assessment is conventional wisdom within education. In reality, a limited body of scienti cally based empirical evidence exists to support that formative assessment directly contributes to positive educational outcomes. e use of formative assessments, or other diagnostic e orts within classrooms, provides information that should help facilitate improved pedagogical practices and instructional outcomes. However, a review of the formative assessment literature revealed that there is no agreed upon lexicon with regard to formative assessment and suspect methodological approaches in the e orts to demonstrate positive e ects that could be attributed to formative assessments. us, the purpose of this article was twofold. First, the authors set out to clarify the terminology related to formative assessment and its usage. Finally, the article provides a critical analysis of the seminal literature on formative assessment.

Enhancing teaching and learning in higher education through formative assessment: Teachers’ Perceptions

International Journal of Assessment Tools in Education, 2022

A good assessment system is one of the preconditions for quality education. Formative assessment is comparatively an emerging idea to assess the students throughout the academic year with the intention to identify and overcome the weaknesses of the students and enhance their learning outcome. Taking these into account, this study attempted to explore the teachers' perceptions of the use of formative assessment in enhancing teaching and learning in Bangladesh higher education. A mixed-method study was employed with survey and semi-structured interview as the data collection methods. 100 participants were randomly (simple random) selected for the survey, and 6 participants were purposively selected for the interviews. For analysing the data, descriptive analysis and content analysis were used. The findings of the study revealed majority of the participants agreed that formative assessment is crucial to enhance teaching and learning in Bangladeshi colleges. Nonetheless, there are some challenges like-teachers' biasness, shortage of teachers, large class, poor infrastructure, insufficient power supply, and heavy workload of the teachers. As a whole, this study will provide a fundamental ground for future research in formative assessment in Bangladeshi colleges specifically and for comparative study with other higher education institutions globally.

Cultural challenges to implementation of formative assessment in Saudi Arabia: An exploratory study

Medical Teacher, 2015

Background/Purpose: This study investigates challenges that students and faculty face to implement assessment for learning; and the activities, capabilities, enablers, and indicators which could impact performance. Method: The study is a mixed methods research, cross-sectional, exploratory study. The study was organized through two phases of data collection and analysis (QUAL ! quan). Based on qualitative focus group discussions (FGD), we first gathered data through field notes. Later, we engaged in analysis using techniques drawn from qualitative data including categorization, theme identification, and connection to existing literature. Based on this analysis, we developed a questionnaire that could provide quantitative measures based on the qualitative FGD. We then administered the questionnaire, and the quantitative data were analyzed to quantitatively test the qualitative findings. Twenty-four faculty and 142 students from the 4th and 5th clinical years participated voluntarily. Their perception of FA and the cultural challenges that hinder its adoption were evaluated through a FGD and a questionnaire. Results: The mean score of understanding FA concept was equal in faculty and students (p ¼ 0.08). The general challenge that scored highest was the need to balance work and academic load in faculty and the need to balance study load and training and mental anxiety in students. There was no difference between faculty and students in perceiving ''learning is teacher-centered'' (p ¼ 0.481); and ''past learning and assessment experience'' (p ¼ 0.322). There was a significant difference between them regarding interaction with opposite gender (p50.001). Students showed higher value as regards the ''gap between learning theories and assessment practice'', ''grade as a priority'', and ''discrimination by same faculty gender''. Conclusion: The authors suggested a ''Framework of Innovation in Endorsing Assessment for Learning''. It emphasizes a holisitic approach through all levels of the System: Government, Accreditation Bodies, Policy makers; Institution, and Classroom levels.

Students' Perceptions towards Formative and Summative Assessment: A Single Institution Study

Journal of Islamic International Medical College, 2016

Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this study was to get an understanding of the MBBS students' perception and experience about their formative and summative assessment. Since the implementation of integrated curriculum students need to adopt deep learning approach contrary to traditional learning. We were interested to explore what approach our students take towards the preparation of their exam. We were also interested to get their views about formative and summative assessment currently being undertaken in our medical college. Objectives of the Study: To collect data using a Pre-validated questionnaire and then analyze it, regarding: a) Students study efforts towards passing the exam. b) Students' perception about the importance of formative assessment held in our college. c) Students experience and their views about conduction of summative assessment. Study Design: A quantitative cross-sectional analytical study. Place and Duration of Study: The Study was conducted fro...