Formative Assessment

Find and share ideas for checking in with students during a project, class, or semester to assess their learning and see if content or instruction needs adjusting.

Formative Assessment
Boosting Engagement With Notices and Wonders
When students make “I notice” and “I wonder” comments on course content, teachers can see what they know—and what they need to learn.
Teaching Strategies
Inviting Participation With Thumbs-Up Responses
A quick assessment strategy replaces raised hands, encouraging more students to contribute by accommodating their different processing needs.
The Research Is In
5 Tips for Designing Multiple-Choice Quizzes
A researcher explains how to align your test design with the latest brain science.
Formative Assessment
60-Second Strategy: Closing The Loop
A strategy for using a quick, whole-class reflection on content as a verbal exit ticket.
Differentiated Instruction
Sharing Tweets on Differentiation
Highlights from a lively Edutopia Twitter chat on differentiation and formative assessment.
Student Engagement
Putting Students in Charge of Their Learning
Giving students choices and the means to assess their progress fosters metacognition and independence.
Literacy
Thinking Like a Coach
Coaches model skills and show athletes how to improve with practice. Feedback on student writing can work the same way.
Assessment
A More Complete Picture of Student Learning
Assessing student work as a photo album—not as a single snapshot—may provide a richer sense of what students have learned.
Classroom Technology
Polling Students to Check Understanding
Audience response systems are a quick, engaging way to pause a lecture and see how well students are understanding the material.
Formative Assessment
Hit the Mark With Digital Media Exit Cards
Exit cards can be easy—and sometimes even fun—for students to create with a variety of digital tools.