Is There a Role for Formalized Tools in Formative Assessment?

Debate Presentation at CCSSO

2013 National Conference on Student Assessment

Participants

Discussant: Jan Chappuis, Director, Pearson Assessment Training Institute

“Pro” presenters: Randy Bennett, Norman O. Frederiksen Chair in Assessment Innovation, ETSRobert Dolan, Senior Research Scientist, Pearson

“Con” presenters: Sarah McManus, North Carolina Department of Public InstructionEdward Roeber, Senior Assessment Policy Advisor, University of Wisconsin

Formalized Tools

Instruments developed for use across classrooms in a set of specified ways

Generally developed outside of individual classroom contexts, created by someone other than the classroom teacher, and purchased by schools and districts

Can range from the simple to the complex

Examples

– Questions created based on an understanding of how students learn within a particular discipline, including those designed to identify typical misconceptions and partial understanding

– Item banks from which teachers can select items to develop classroom assessments and quizzes

– Educational games and activities with embedded (“stealth”) assessments (Shute, 2011; Behrens & DiCerbo, 2013; Wainess, Koenig, & Kerr, 2011)

Formative Assessment

“Formative assessment is a process used by teachers and students during instruction that provides feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students’ achievement of intended instructional outcomes” (CCSSO, 2008).

Is there a role for formalized tools in formative assessment?

Turn and Talk

Is there a role for formalized tools in formative

assessment?

Considerations, “Con”

Disconnects between what is measured and what is taught

Lack of knowledge of effective formative use

Measures imposed on the classroom

Considerations, “Pro”

Pedagogical knowledge

Domain knowledge Measurement fundamentals

Bennett, 2013

Concerns

Limited understanding within the system of the relationship between assessment and learning

Formalized tools used to hold teachers accountable for “formative assessment”

Ignoring or abrogating responsibility for teachers’ assessment literacy

Regarding learning gaps as a problem, rather than as a calling

The absence of the student as central decision-maker, whose information needs must also be met

Thoughts

Where am I going? Where am I now? How can I close the gap?

Stiggins, Arter, Chappuis, & Chappuis, 2004, p. 41

Winner

Students

References and Resources

Bennett, R.E. 2011. Formative assessment: A critical review. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy, & Practice, (18)1, 5-25.

Chappuis, J. 2009 Seven strategies of assessment for learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

McManus, S, and E. Roeber. 2013. Resolved, formalized assessments cannot be considered ‘formative assessment.’ Unpublished paper prepared for American Educational Research Association conference, San Francisco, CA, April 2013.

Stiggins R.J., J. Arter, J. Chappuis, & S. Chappuis. 2004. Classroom assessment for student learning: Doing it right—using it well. Portland, OR: Assessment Training Institute.