George Lucas Educational Foundation
Edutopia

Assessment

Look beyond high-stakes testing to learn about different ways of assessing the full range of student ability -- social, emotional, and academic achievement.

  • 4 Reasons Teachers are Going Gradeless

    Up to their elbows grading papers and questioning the motivational value of traditional grading systems, many teachers are starting to experiment with alternative assessments.
    Sarah Gonser

  • 60-Second Strategy: Bean Critique

    A simple way to get students talking positively about their peers’ work—and thinking about how they might improve their own.

  • The Difference Between Productive Struggle and Spinning Your Wheels

    Identifying when students are repeating problems but not actually progressing towards mastery can help educators refine their instruction.
    Laura Lee

  • 3 Reasons Students Procrastinate—and How to Help Them Stop

    Psychologists have uncovered reasons why students put off important work. But there are a few simple things teachers can do to keep students on track.
    Youki Terada

  • The Case for Not Allowing Test Retakes

    As more educators drop penalties for late work and allow students to redo tests, a high school teacher says that traditional policies are better for the majority of students.
    Anthony Palma

  • Creating Meaningful Grading Policies

    A simple three-step process to design objectives, measurements, and consequences of a grading practice.
    Andrew Ford

  • 60-Second Strategy: Respond, Reflect, and Review

    This simple activity helps students practice giving and receiving peer feedback—and gets them out of their desks.

  • 7 Smart, Fast Ways to Do Formative Assessment

    Within these methods you’ll find close to 40 tools and tricks for finding out what your students know while they’re still learning.
    Laura Thomas

  • Bringing Student Choice to Assessment in Science Classes

    What happens when students can opt to skip tests and instead give oral presentations or create art to show what they know?
    John Dorroh

  • Reducing Test Anxiety With Simple Strategies

    Addressing test anxiety doesn’t require sweeping changes. Introduce small daily practices to bring calm into the classroom.
    Laura Lee

  • Allowing Test Retakes—Without Getting Gamed

    Hundreds of teachers discussed the best ways to guide students toward mastery—without being taken advantage of.
    Stephen Merrill

  • 60-Second Strategy: Interview Assessments

    A face-to-face chat provides an alternative for students who struggle to show what they know on tests.

  • Do No-Zero Policies Help or Hurt Students?

    No-zero policies spur serious—and productive—debate among teachers. We look at the big insights on both sides of the argument. 
    Emelina Minero

  • 6 Teacher-Approved Tips for Faster, More Effective Feedback

    More is not always better (and other life-saving tips).

  • 3 Ways Student Data Can Inform Your Teaching

    Gather and use valuable student data to inform your classroom practice.
    Rebecca Alber