Running head: ASSESSMENT: FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT IN THE CLASSROOM

Assessment: Formative Assessment in the Classroom

Angela Root
Wright State University

ASSESSMENT: FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT IN THE CLASSROOM

Assessment: Using Formative Assessment in the Classroom

Rationale
The topic of formative assessment has been personally relevant to me since my Senior
year of high school. During this year, I attended a college-prep program called the Teacher Prep
Academy. My instructor for this program first introduced me to the formal term formative
assessment and demonstrated how effective it can be when used in the classroom. After every
class, we completed an exit slip, usually listing three facts we learned in that days class and two
questions we still had about that days content. Throughout the course, the instructor
demonstrated several other examples of formative assessment such as checkpoints, self-progress
checks, and feedback. I feel that the use of formative assessment in this program strongly
contributed to my learning and class engagement. Since having this positive experience with
formative assessment, I have been interested in researching more about this teaching practice and
discovering how to implement it into my future classroom.
Literature Review
Assessment can be defined as the process of obtaining information in regards to students
performance in the classroom (Alkharusi, Aldhafri, Alnbhani, & Alkalbani, 2014). Assessment
involves making informed judgements in regards to the quality of student performance (Knight,
2006, as cited in Weurlander, Soderberg, Scheja, Hult, & Wernerson, 2012). Prior to the 1980s,
classroom assessment was primarily focused on summative methods of obtaining information
pertaining to student knowledge (Kumar, 2013). Since then, classroom assessment has gone
through a reform movement, drawing attention towards assessing for learning rather than
assessment of learning (Noonan & Duncan, 2005, as cited in Kumar, 2013). During the

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educational reform, the United States education system has focused on formative assessment as a
method of addressing individual student needs, promoting learning, and informing teachers about
student progress (Trauth-Nare & Buck, 2011). As research on formative assessment continues,
teachers are beginning to fully understand the benefits of this classroom practice and are taking
steps to utilize this form of assessment in their classrooms (Alkharusi et al., 2014).
Types of Assessment
In most academic classrooms, two primary types of assessment are used: formative and
summative. Summative assessment occurs at the end of instruction, measuring students
understanding of content area knowledge (Bell & Cowie, 2001, as cited in Trauth-Nare & Buck,
2011). Typically, summative assessment is used by schools to report student achievement to
district or state educational professionals (Cornelius, 2013). On the contrary, formative
assessment is an ongoing process which uses verbal and nonverbal data from students to
determine the progress of learning as it is occurring (Trauth-Nare & Buck, 2011; Black &
William, 1998). While summative assessment measures student growth at the end of a
comprehensive measure of time, formative assessment continually measures student growth and
can predict success on summative assessments (Cornelius, 2013).
Both summative and formative assessment are beneficial in classrooms for very different
reasons. Subsequently, teachers construct their classroom assessments based upon what they
believe to be the most effective assessment strategy for each particular context (Weurlander et
al., 2012). In some instances, summative assessment is the most efficient way to gauge student
achievement (Cornelius, 2013) . In other instances, however, formative assessment can be used
to provide a more accurate representation of student learning (Evans, Zeun, & Stanier, 2013).

ASSESSMENT: FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT IN THE CLASSROOM

Formative Assessment

In recent years, education has shifted assessment focus from summative assessment to
formative approaches (Trauth-Nare & Buck, 2011). Due to the broad array of opportunities that
formative assessment gives teachers and students, this form of assessment has proven to be a
significant benefit in classrooms (Rolfe & McPherson, 1995, as cited in Evans et al., 2014). The
underlying philosophy of formative assessment is that students should be given informative,
continuous feedback which describes each students individual strengths and weaknesses, as well
as suggestions for academic improvement (Brookhart, 2011, as cited in Alkharusi et al., 2014).
Important components of formative assessment include: monitoring student progress, assessing
student understanding of content, adjusting instruction based on data gathered, and reflecting
upon effectiveness of lesson objectives (Cornelius, 2013).
Examples of Formative Assessment
Formative assessment can be administered in a wide variety of ways. One of the most
common methods of assessing formatively is exit slips. Exit slips can be described as pieces of
paper which are used typically at the end of a class period for students to share their learning
(Leigh, 2012). These slips allow students to reflect upon lesson ideas, ask questions, or share
opinions (Leigh, 2012). Formative assessment can also occur in the form of observation. For
instance, some teachers use an anecdotal seating chart to record observations they make about
student behavior and classroom achievement (Cornelius, 2013). Another form of formative
assessment is feedback. Researchers have found that feedback is an important part of the
learning process for both teachers and students (Hattie & Timperley, 2007, as cited in Hudesman
et al., 2013). Feedback, along with self-assessment has been proven to aide in academic
achievement of students (Severance, 2011). By using self, peer, and teacher feedback, students

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can implement formative assessment into their learning by analyzing their individual strengths
and weaknesses, and therefore adjusting their means of learning. (Kumar, 2013).
Using Formative Assessment Data
Teacher implications. Formative assessment can be a beneficial asset to teachers in the
form of gathering and utilizing data as an ongoing representation of student learning. Formative
assessment should take place as a cyclic process (Trauth-Nare & Buck, 2011). The process of
using formative assessment data includes: teachers receiving various forms of feedback from
students, analyzing the responses to determine teaching effectiveness, using the data to guide
instruction, and providing students with constructive feedback (Duschl & Gitomer, 1997, as cited
in Trauth-Nare & Buck, 2011).
Teachers can also utilize formative assessment as a means for self-reflection. By
reflecting on teaching practices, teachers are able to develop a greater sense of self-awareness as
well as pedagogical knowledge about the effectiveness of teaching practices (Trauth-Nare &
Buck, 2011). During a study on teacher self-reflection, researchers revealed that teachers who
did not reflect upon their teaching while in action were subsequently less likely to be capable of
adequately teaching the lessons goals (Schn, 1983, as cited in Trauth-Name & Buck, 2011).
Student implications. Using formative assessment in the form of self-assessment helps
students determine the effectiveness of their learning, as well as reinforce new knowledge (James
& Gipps, 1998, as cited in Trauth-Nare & Buck, 2011). Students who have the ability to selfassess their learning have been found to be more self-aware, better at critical thinking, and more
invested in their own education (Severance, 2012). Self-assessment encourages students to
analyze their own learning by locating their strengths, weaknesses, and individual learning goals
(Severance, 2012). Self-assessment as a result of formative assessment also has been shown to

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increase students motivation to study and self-awareness of academic progress (Weurlander et
al., 2012). A study involving middle school science students at an urban school was conducted in
the 2010-2011 school year. Researchers discovered that approximately 91% of the students
surveyed felt that they could accurately judge their level of understanding about a content related
concept (Severance, 2012). In addition, the researchers also revealed that students as young as
twelve years old can accurately self-assess their progress and can benefit from self-assessment
(Severance, 2012).
Benefits of Formative Assessment
Research has found that formative assessment improves student learning and increases
student motivation (Trauth-Nare & Buck, 2011). For instance, during a research study conducted
on pre-college students, researchers revealed that advances in achievement when using formative
assessment in a variety of content areas were the among largest advances reported for education
interventions (Black & William, 2009, as cited in Hudesman et al., 2013). This study, however,
may not fully reflect all students responsiveness of formative assessment due to the majority of
the participants being students who are low achieving (Hudesman et al., 2013). Another grading
factor that may be beneficial to consider is non achievement factors, such as effort and ability, in
order to compensate for learning and personality differences among students (Alkharusi et at.,
2014). This allows all students to demonstrate their learning using a method which best suits
their individual needs.

Drawbacks of Formative Assessment

Although formative assessment has many positive attributes, it can also be challenging
for teachers. Adding formative assessments to a classroom requires teachers to modify their

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existing classroom practices and expectations. (Trauth-Nare & Buck, 2011). Some teachers have
reported feeling that incorporating formative assessment requires more time and effort than
summative assessment (Hudesman et al., 2013). To account for these issues, proponents to
formative assessment recommend that technology be utilized to simplify the process (Hudesman
et al., 2013). Another possible drawback to this form of assessment is that many teachers have a
limited understanding of the purpose and format of formative assessment, therefore making
classroom implementation difficult (Trauth-Nare & Buck, 2011).
Conclusion
As education changes and improves over time, so does assessment (Kumar, 2013).
Researchers have continually proven that relying more on formative assessment rather than
summative assessment benefits students in many ways. According to Dunn and Mulvenon
(2009), formative assessment has been shown to improve instructional practices, identify
misunderstandings, and increase student performance (Kumar, 2013). In addition, researchers
have found that formative assessment can provide students with a deeper understanding of core
content (Cornelius, 2013). As researchers continue to investigate formative assessment, teachers
are increasing the use of this assessment type in their classrooms. As a result of this change,
teachers are noticing the benefits that formative assessment can have on students academic
achievement.

ASSESSMENT: FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT IN THE CLASSROOM

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