Week 4: Formative Assessment [Part 1] Prof Ed 311

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT

“The point of assessment in education is to advance learning, not to merely

[evaluate] absorption of facts” (Wiggins, 2006).

Assessment that facilitates learning—that is our focus for the next two weeks of
unpacking what formative assessment is and how it translates into the classroom setting.

Welcome to Week 4 of virtual learning in Prof Ed 311! How exactly can assessment
help students become successful learners? This is the question that we will help you
answer as you learn more about formative assessment. 

To prepare you for this week's discussions, accomplish the Background Knowledge
Probe (Activity 4A) and the analysis questions that follow.

ACTIVITY 4A

Background Knowledge Probe1. You have been introduced to formative assessment in Prof
Ed 221. Accomplish this self-check activity to test your current understanding of the concept
and reflect on any confusions or misconceptions that you might have. In order to maximize
learning, complete this activity without first looking at the answers.

Consider the following statements and identify whether each statement is True or False.

1. Any type of test can be used for formative purposes.

2. Formative and summative assessments differ mainly in the way they are measured.
3. Quizzes are for formative assessment, while longer tests are for summative
assessment.

ANALYSIS

Which statements did you answer correctly?2 Briefly discuss what you know by
elaborating on those statements you responded to correctly. Which statement(s) is/are
the most confusing? Specify what exactly confuses you about these statements.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

1 Classroom assessment techniques (n.d.). Retrieved from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/cats/

2 1. True 2. False 3. False

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Week 4: Formative Assessment [Part 1] Prof Ed 311

The Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST) specify basic knowledge in
formative assessment that beginning teachers need to possess. These include knowledge
about “monitoring and evaluation of learner progress,” “providing timely, accurate and
constructive feedback to improve learner performance,” and “the role of assessment data as
feedback in teaching and learning” (Department of Education, 2017). These skills are what
we will discuss in the next two weeks. This week, we focus on the formative assessment
process, as well as its characteristics and types. Next week, we will discuss methods of
collecting formative assessment data as well as providing effective feedback and
instructional adjustments. As you read, be guided by the following objectives:

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)3

By the end of this week’s learning experience, you should be able to:
1. Recall the key components, characteristics, and types of formative assessment.
2. Exemplify formative assessment practices that have varied effects on learning and
motivation.

ABSTRACTION

In classroom settings, a sad but common scenario happens when teachers “teach, test,
and move on” (Wiggins, 2006). This practice reflects the traditional notion that views
assessment only as an end-of-instruction activity and basis for student grades. Recent
trends in classroom assessment, influenced by theories of learning and motivation,
advance the idea of assessment as information for improving (McMillan, 2018; Wiggins,
2006). To make this happen, information about learners’ developing knowledge and skills
is collected primarily during instruction—while learning is ongoing.

If students are not showing expected evidences of learning, the teacher uses this
information to make necessary correctives in his/her teaching. The teacher also uses the
assessment information to provide feedback to students about where they are in their
learning and what else they need to improve on. This is so students can also make
necessary adjustments in their efforts to learn until they attain the objectives.

This process of formative assessment, depicted graphically as a cycle in Figure 4A,

includes gathering of evidence of learning, evaluating the collected evidence, giving feedback
to students, and making instructional adjustments. The cyclical nature of formative
assessment tells us that the process is repeated until students attain the desired
outcomes.
Now, take a pause and see if you can still recall the four components of
classroom assessment discussed in Week 2. Write down the components
in your notebook.

Check the footnote4 and give yourselves a pat on the back if you
correctly recalled the components in order.

3 TheILOs are related to CO1: Demonstrate mastery of basic concepts and principles in the development and utilization of alternative
forms of assessment.

4 Four components of classroom assessment: Purpose, Measurement, Interpretation, Use (McMillan, 2018).

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Week 4: Formative Assessment [Part 1] Prof Ed 311

This time, refer to Figure 4A and pay particular attention to the four
activities in the cycle—gather evidence, evaluate, give feedback, make
adjustments. Then answer this question: To which component of classroom
assessment (purpose, measurement, interpretation, use) is each activity in
the formative assessment cycle aligned? Go ahead and write your answers
in your notebook.

Feedback to Students
• Immediate or delayed
• Specific

Instructional
Evaluate Evidence
Adjustments
• Interpretations
• Next steps
• Absence of bias
• Student activities
Gather Evidence of
Learning
• Informal observation
• Questioning
• Structured exercises
• Student self-evaluations

Figure 4A. Formative assessment cycle (McMillan, 2018 p.110)

Of the four components of classroom assessment, Figure 4A highlights the last three—
measurement (gathering evidence of learning), interpretation (evaluation of evidence),
and use (feedback and instructional adjustments). Another pat on the back if you
answered correctly.

In Week 2, we presented traditional and nontraditional purposes of classroom

assessment. Among the reasons listed why teachers carry out classroom assessment,
two are most closely related to formative assessment— to monitor student progress
toward achieving objectives and to provide student feedback (McMillan, 2018).

Although formative assessment makes use of more informal learning evidence collection
strategies such as observations and classroom questioning, measurement is not where
formative and summative assessments mainly differ. In fact, any type of tests—short
quizzes or long tests—can be used formatively (Black, Harrison, Lee, Marshall, & Wiliam,
2003; McMillan, 2018).

Formative and summative assessments mainly differ in how assessment information is

used—summative assessment is for grading and reporting to parents, while formative
assessment is used as feedback for both teacher and the students for them to take
necessary correctives for the ultimate goal of student learning improvement.

Before we move on to the more specific characteristics of formative

assessment, try recalling the four assessment events or activities included in
the formative assessment cycle. Write these in your notebook, including
descriptions and specific details of each assessment activity. Then go back to
your readings to verify your answers.

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Week 4: Formative Assessment [Part 1] Prof Ed 311

Characteristics of Formative Assessment

Earlier, we represented formative assessment as a cycle, consisting of four events or

activities—from collecting information related to learning, to interpreting or describing
this information in terms of certain standards, informing students where they are in their
learning and what they still need to work on, and finally using this feedback to make
changes in strategies for students to learn better.

This time we explore more specific characteristics that describe formative assessment
(Table 4A). At this point, it is important to note that there are multiple ways of
implementing formative assessment—ranging from low-level to high level—and their
effects on student learning and motivation also vary (McMillan, 2018).

Study the characteristics listed in Table 4A and think about the assessment
practices of your teachers in elementary, high school, and college. In
general, did your teachers employ low-level or high level formative
assessment? How did your teachers’ assessment practices affect your
learning and motivation to learn? Write your reflections in your notebook.

Table 4A. Formative Assessment Characteristics (McMillan, 2018 p. 112)

Characteristic Low-Level Formative High-Level Formative
Evidence of Mostly objective, Some standardized and Varied assessment,
student learning standardized some anecdotal including objective,
constructed response,
and anecdotal
Structure Mostly formal, planned, Informal, spontaneous, Both formal and
anticipated “at the moment” informal
Participants Teachers Students Both teachers and
involved students
Feedback Mostly delayed (e.g., Some delayed and Immediate and specific
give a quiz and give some immediate and
students feedback the specific
next day) and general
When done Mostly after instruction Some after and during Mostly during
and assessment (e.g., instruction instruction
after a unit)
Instructional Mostly prescriptive, Some prescriptive, Mostly flexible,
adjustments planned (e.g., pacing some flexible, unplanned
according to an unplanned
instructional plan)
Choice of task Mostly teacher Some student Teacher and student
determined determined determined
Teacher-student Most interactions Some interactions Extensive, informal,
interaction based primarily on based on formal roles trusting, and honest
formal roles interactions

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Table 4A. Formative Assessment Characteristics (McMillan, 2018 p. 112)

Characteristic Low-Level Formative High-Level Formative
Role of student None Tangential Integral
self-evaluation
Motivation Extrinsic (e.g., passing a Both intrinsic and Mostly intrinsic
competency test) extrinsic
Attributions for External factors Internal, stable factors Internal, unstable
success (teacher; luck) (e.g., ability) factors (e.g., moderate
student effort)

In general, formative assessment that brings about the greatest gains in learning and
motivation (high-level formative) uses multiple modes of collecting evidence of learning
—both formal and informal. Formal tools include structured exercises, seatwork,
homework, and pretests while informal tools are observations and classroom
questioning. High-level formative also involves both teachers and students in the
assessment process, with specific feedback given immediately. Assessment is done
mostly during instruction, as opposed to low-level formative that is done mostly after
instruction.

Practices also vary in terms of the role of student self-evaluations. Gains in learning and
motivation to learn are greater when students are given opportunities to assess the
current status of their developing knowledge, understanding and skills. Finally, high-level
formative assessments support students’ intrinsic motivation and effort-attributions for
success, which as you learned in Facilitating Learner-Centered Teaching (Prof Ed 122) have
more positive effects on learning compared to extrinsic motivation and external/stable
attributions for success such as luck, task difficulty, and ability.

Types of Formative Assessment

Based on the above-mentioned characteristics, McMillan (2018) proposes two main

types of formative assessment—embedded and summative-based (Figure 4B). The two
mainly differ on the types of tools for gathering evidence of learning and how
immediate assessment information is used for feedback and instructional adjustments.
Embedded formative assessment employs more informal tools, with assessment data
used immediately. On the other hand, summative-based formative assessment utilizes
formal tools, with delayed feedback and instructional adjustments.

On-the-Fly
Embedded
Planned

Formative Assessment
Classroom

Summative-Based Common

Large Scale

Figure 4B. Different types of formative assessment (McMillan, 2018 p.113)

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Week 4: Formative Assessment [Part 1] Prof Ed 311

To help you understand the embedded and summative-based formative assessment

better, let’s briefly explore their subtypes.

For embedded formative assessment, on-the-fly is implemented spontaneously, such as

when a student is explaining, the teacher detects some misconceptions or gaps in
understanding. So the teacher asks questions not previously planned because there is an
immediate need to uncover and address the root cause of that student’s confusion.
Planned embedded formative assessment, on the other hand, utilizes prepared questions
and tasks, but is similar to on-the-fly in its immediate use of assessment information.

For summative-based formative assessment, classroom subtype uses teacher-designed

tools which are more contextualized to the needs of the class. Common subtype uses
tests developed by teachers in a department, school, or district. Finally, large-scale
subtype uses standardized tests.

These subtypes differ in their relative effects on student learning and motivation to
learn, with both subtypes of embedded formative assessment having the strongest
impact and large-scale summative-based having the least (Figure 4C).

Summative-Based
Embedded
Large-Scale Common Classroom

Weak Strong

Figure 4C. Relative impact of formative assessment on learning and motivation.

In preparation for our post-instruction assessment, go back to our ILOs

and rate your perceived attainment of these outcomes, with 1 being the
lowest and 10 the highest. Target at least a rating of 8. If your rating for
each ILO is below 6, go back to the material and make necessary
adjustments with how you learned.

REFERENCES
1. Black, P., Harrison, C., Lee, C., Marshall, B., & Wiliam, D. (2003). Assessment for learning: Putting it
into practice. Buckingham: Open University Press.
2. Department of Education (2017). National adoption and implementation of the Philippine
Professional Standards for Teachers. [DO 42 s2017]. Retrieved from https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-
content/uploads/2017/08/DO_s2017_042-1.pdf
3. McMillan, J.H. (2018). Classroom assessment: Principles and practice that enhance student learning
and motivation. New York, NY: Pearson Education, Inc.
4. Wiggins, G. (2006, April 3). Healthier testing made easy: The idea of authentic assessment. Retrieved
from https://www.edutopia.org/authentic-assessment-grant-wiggins

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Week 4: Formative Assessment [Part 1] Prof Ed 311

ACTIVITY 4B
This activity is designed to gauge your attainment of ILO1, namely: Recall the key
components, characteristics, and types of formative assessment.
To ensure validity of inferences about the results, you are not to refer to your notes
while answering. You may however redo this task if after checking your answers, you
scored below 6. But while doing this activity, do not look at your notes. Check with your
respective professors for method of submission.

List subtypes of formative assessment

What are the two main uses of formative according to their relative effects on
assessment? student achievement from the strongest
to the weakest.
1.
5.
2.
6.
7.
List two informal tools used for formative
assessment. 8.

3. Describe two important roles of the

student in formative assessment.
4.
9.
10.

ACTIVITY 4C
This activity is designed to measure your attainment of ILO2, namely: Exemplify formative
assessment practices that have varied effects on learning and motivation.
Accomplish this in the VLE. You may consult your notes while doing this activity.
1. Reflect on your previous teachers’ formative assessment practices. Describe one
experience (in elementary, high school, or college) wherein the assessment
practices of your teacher resulted in improvement of your motivation and learning
achievement. Discuss the level of implementation of formative assessment in this
experience in terms of specific characteristics presented in Table 4A. (10 points)
2. Describe another formative assessment experience that had the least effect on
your learning and motivation. Discuss the level of implementation of formative
assessment in this experience in terms of specific characteristics presented in Table
4A. Then, suggest ways of improvement after reflecting on the question: What could
the teacher have done differently? (10 points)

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