Topic: Evaluation and Assessment- Formative Assessment and Feedback.

Reflection Paper

Assessment and Evaluation: Formative Assessment and Feedback

Devishwar Bahadur USI # 1042861

University of Guyana Berbice Campus

Faculty of Education and Humanities

Bachelor’s Degree in Education

EFN 4201: Introduction to Curriculum Theory and Development

Lecturer: Dr. Tamashwar Budhoo

February 10, 2023

Topic: Evaluation and Assessment- Formative Assessment and Feedback.

Voinea, L. (2018). FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT AS ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING

DEVELOPMENT. Journal of Pedagogy. LXVI (1):7-23.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
326190241_FORMATIVE_ASSESSMENT_AS_ASSESSMENT_FOR_LEARNING_DEVELO
PMENT

The primary focus of this article's discussion of formative assessment is how crucial it is
to the teaching and learning process because it gives teachers and students feedback. This article
discusses the value of formative assessment as a medium of collaboration between teachers and
students, as a thorough teaching and learning tool, and as a source of high-quality feedback. The
article's author, Lucian Voinea, is a Romanian member of the Institute of Educational Sciences in
Bucharest. She is a member of the Department of Educational Policies and has a Bachelor of
Science in Sociology. Voinea is a well-known author who has contributed to several journals and
papers on pedagogies and education. She has so far co-authored nine papers with a large number
of other well-known writers and associates from the Institute of Educational Sciences, all of
which are accessible on the website ResearchGate.

Formative assessments, according to Torrance and Pryor (1998), “is commonly defined
as taking place within a course as the sole purpose of improving pupil learning"(p. 8; as cited by
Sol, 2020). The author of this paper emphasized the value of formative assessment
implementation in the classroom using an integrated theoretical framework and thorough
methodology. Instead of serving as an alternative to other theories, it involved a stream of
theories that were favorably orientated. A deductive study was undertaken by the author in order
to support earlier research findings. She demonstrated how properly implementing formative
assessments can have a positive impact on the results and performances of students in
accomplishing their learning goals using theoretical approaches and personal experiences. To
bolster her arguments, the author cited both classic and contemporary works of literature. This
was a sharp end study that provides educators with crucial information on formative assessments
and the value of implementing them. I wholeheartedly endorse the use of formative assessments
in the classroom, and this article has helped me become a more effective and successful teacher
in the classroom while using assessments.
Topic: Evaluation and Assessment- Formative Assessment and Feedback.

According to the article, formative assessments provide feedback on a variety of topics

relating to student learning in a variety of ways, which I fully endorse as a significant
intervention to the teaching-learning process. First, it was stated in the article that formative
assessments address both strengths and weaknesses in feedback. Furthermore, all procedures,
tasks, and pieces of knowledge that improve learning contain feedback. It gives students the
chance to reflect on their grades, comprehend their strengths, and pinpoint areas that need
improvement. For instance, Gibbs and Simpson (2004) asserted that feedback can help students
learn how to correct mistakes, understand concepts better through explanations, generate more
learning by suggesting additional, focused study tasks, promote the development of general skills
by emphasizing evidence of the use of skills rather than on the content, encourage meta-
cognition by enabling students to reflect on and be aware of the learning processes involved in
the assignment, and motivate students to keep studying. Second, according to the report,
feedback offers recommendations for effective teaching and learning practices. I believe teachers
in schools all throughout the country can gather comprehensive data about our Guyanese
students' levels of understanding and proficiency with the aid of frequent assessment tasks, such
as pop quizzes or learning games, so that we as teachers can modify and amend our instruction
accordingly. This is one of the key idea behind the work in the USA of Angelo and Cross (1993).
They have demonstrated how teachers can use variations of the one-minute paper questions that
are given to students before a teaching session and answered at the conclusion of the session to
obtain regular feedback information about student learning in big courses. Additionally, this
approach can assist students in developing crucial metacognitive abilities like the capacity for
holistic thinking and the recognition of comprehension gaps (Steadman, 1998). Thirdly, it
discusses the reasons for errors and how to avoid them. I held the opinion that the more students
participate in feedback, the more effort they will put in, and the more probable it is that the
feedback will be useful. Feedback must also include data on pupils' development and suggestions
for how to proceed (Boyle & Charles, 2013). Lastly, feedback also evaluates knowledge and skill
deficits. Sadler (1989) asserts that formative feedback must focus on the goal or learning process
that bridges the gap between what is known and what is intended to be understood. I firmly
believe that teachers in Guyana's educational system should be aware of their students'
knowledge gaps and be able to effectively close those gaps. Ramaprasad (1983) and Sadler
(1989), for example, assert that "feedback given as part of formative assessment helps learners
Topic: Evaluation and Assessment- Formative Assessment and Feedback.

become aware of any gaps that exist between their desired goal and their current knowledge,
understanding, or skill and guides them through actions necessary to obtain the goal" (cited in
Boston, 2002, p. 2). Of course, teachers must give the students the assistance they need to close
their learning gaps.

Another crucial point the article's author makes about feedback is that it is used to help
students get to where they want to go (the learning outcome), with a focus on helping them
understand the methods they can use to strengthen their areas of weakness, capitalize on their
areas of strength, and add new knowledge to what they already know. What particularly caught
my attention about the author's information is how closely it connects to "self- regulated
learning." According to Pintrich and Zusho (2002), the concept of self-regulated learning refers
to how much control students have over certain aspects of their motivation, thinking, and
behavior when they are learning (as cited by Nicole& Macfarlane, 2006; p.199, para.2).
Additionally, a substantial amount of empirical research, primarily from the USA, demonstrates
that learners who are more self-regulated are more effective learners. They are more tenacious,
resourceful, self-assured, and reach higher levels of success (Pintrich, 1995; Zimmerman&
Schunk, 2001 as cited by Nicole & Macfarlane, 2006; p.205, para.3). Accordingly, as learning
becomes more self-regulated, students take on greater responsibility for their education and
become less reliant on outside instructor support when they engage in regulatory activities
(Zimmerman & Schunk, 2004).

Voinea (2018) mentioned in her paper that in addition to providing feedback, the teacher
must provide opportunities for students to demonstrate their understanding of and ability to apply
feedback to their learning. According to my interpretation of what she meant by this, students
should be asked to retake the task or complete one very similar to it after evaluation so that the
teacher may check to see if they understand and fix any prior errors or weak points. This strategy
has two benefits: it provides possibilities for improvement through the incorporation of feedback
and demonstrates to the student how to link the feedback received with certain standards
established for task completion. I would argue that student don’t receive feedback from teachers
only. Contrarily, both teachers and students, including their peers, offer feedback. Hattie (2012)
made a strong case for this viewpoint in support of it, stating that student’s feedback to teachers
is most effective because it makes learning visible. He added that mistakes present chances to
Topic: Evaluation and Assessment- Formative Assessment and Feedback.

succeed. They shouldn't be perceived by students as failures, embarrassments, or things to avoid.

Errors are fascinating because they reveal a gap between what we know and what we might
know; they are a sign of opportunities to learn and should be welcomed by students.

The author extensively discussed another key area in which formative assessments can
benefit students by mentioning the findings of an Assessment Scholar and Professor, Royce
Sadler. "If a student decides to ignore or reject an external goal, it is likely to have little, if any,
effect on achievement," wrote Voinea (2018) in her article. The regulation of performance can be
greatly impacted if the learner takes ownership of a learning goal (p.16, para. 2). As a teacher
and a student in my own right, I agree with Voinea that this is a crucial element in assisting
students in experiencing considerable success. With the correct attitude, a student may
accomplish a lot. However, as teachers, we must provide pupils the freedom to choose their own
learning goals. Studies have shown that when learners are given opportunities for independence
and accountability, particularly through models of self-directed learning, a number of positive
outcomes occur (Kearney& Hartnett, 2016). These include more commitment to learning, the
ability to connect formal and informal learning, enhanced metacognitive skills, increased
responsibility for learning, and a broader depth of knowledge (Kearney& Hartnett, 2016; p.37,
para. 2). Students will have the chance to know where they stand academically through formative
evaluations and feedback, and to take responsibility for their learning to help them meet their
learning objectives.

The author concluded by saying that teachers should build a learning environment (such
as a classroom) that promotes learning, questioning, curiosity, and interest and accepts mistakes
as opportunities for learning in order to maximize the usefulness of feedback. It is, in my
opinion, an important part of the instructional process. Students will learn more in a positive
learning atmosphere, and educators will feel happy and satisfied as a result. Additionally, a
supportive atmosphere for learning supports cooperative learning, which is a dynamic, student-
centered, and task-oriented learning process that involves the active engagement of both teachers
and students (Lau, 2003). When students are exposed to the ideal classroom environment rather
than being restricted to the antiquated standard classroom practices, they tend to learn more
successfully. Since children learn and perform better when they feel safe, content, and
Topic: Evaluation and Assessment- Formative Assessment and Feedback.

enthusiastic about the subject matter, it is crucial to foster a positive teacher-student relationship
(Oatly & Nundy, 1996).

Summary

Overall, formative assessment plays a significant role in this approach by enabling students'
learning to be continuously improved, including their knowledge and abilities for learning
assessment and improvement through feedback absorption. The author places a strong emphasis
throughout the piece on the numerous ways formative assessment can be used in the classroom,
with feedback playing a crucial role in the teaching and learning process. Feedback primarily
allows educators such as myself to identify the strengths and weaknesses of my students,
allowing me to better organize lessons and provide chances for pupils to strengthen their areas of
weakness and build on their strengths. In addition, the article examined above provides guidance
on feedback and formative assessments, paving the way for teachers to employ suitable teaching
and learning strategies as well as appropriate ways to go about engaging in corrective teaching,
as is evident in the ‘Upscale Curriculum’ used in primary schools across Guyana in grades one
through four, which accommodates the diverse learning styles and guarantee effective
instruction, a wide range of techniques, tactics, and gives a variety of resources that can be used.
The author also proposed the idea of formative assessments as a tool for empowering students to
take charge of their education and engage in self-regulated learning. A strategy for encouraging
students' increased independence in their learning; as educators, we already encourage some
degree of self-regulated learning in our classes when we assign homework and projects that
provide students the chance to do independent research and experiments. The article went on to
say that student feedback should be given to teachers as well, and it went on to say that if
students have a positive attitude toward learning, it can greatly improve their academic
performance and make it more likely that they will be able to accomplish their learning
objectives. As teachers, we must begin by fostering a supportive learning environment in order to
facilitate everything that was said about formative assessments and feedback. The classroom
environment should, in my opinion, be optimistic in order to foster positivism and morality as
well as to maintain a positive relationship between students and teachers that fosters safety,
contentment, and enthusiasm for learning.
Topic: Evaluation and Assessment- Formative Assessment and Feedback.

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DEVELOPMENT. Journal of Pedagogy. LXVI (1):7-23.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
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