Formative Assessment: Improving Learning in Secondary Classrooms

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Formative Assessment: Improving Learning in Secondary Classrooms, a policy brief published by the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), reports on a study on the use of formative assessment. The study look at in eight educational systems in Australia (Queensland), Canada, Denmark, England, Finland, Italy, New Zealand and Scotland. While this brief looks at formative assessment from an international perspective the information offered is useful to U.S. educators in demonstrating that formative assessment has a global perspective. The issues identified in this brief are similarly of issue in the United States.

The OECD groups 30 member countries sharing a commitment to democratic government and the market economy. With active relationships with some 70 other countries and economies, it has a global reach. Best known for its publications and its statistics, its work covers economic and social issues from macroeconomics, to trade, education, development and science and innovation."

The policy brief offers perspectives on the following questions:

What are the benefits of formative assessment?

The study concluded there being three primary benefits to using formative assessment; "achievement gains, improving equity of student outcomes and building students 'learning to learn' skills."

What does formative assessment involve in practice?

The study reported that teachers using formative assessment have "changed the culture of their classroom, putting the emphasis on helping students feel safe to take risks and make mistakes and build self-confidence in the classroom." Additionally, "teachers were more communicative with learning goals, varied instruction methods, used mixed approach to assessing student understanding and provided more effective feedback to students on their work."

What are the major barriers to wider use of formative assessment?

Perceived tensions between formative assessments and highly visible summative tests to hold schools accountable for student achievement (teachers often teach to these summative tests and examinations).
A lack of coherence between assessments and evaluations at the policy, school and classroom levels.
Fears that formative assessment is too resource-intensive and time-consuming to be practical.

How can school leaders and teachers address school-level barriers?

In the school systems studies teachers prioritized the curriculum content deciding what concepts were most import and assuring that students had a good understanding of that content. Enlist the students in tracking their own performance. School leaders in establishments using formative assessment also fostered school-wide cultures of evaluation, using objective data on the impact of teaching methods on student performance.

How can policy promote effective teaching and assessment across systems?

The study reported that the key to promoting effective teaching and assessment systems is initial teacher education and professional development.

How to promote formative assessment?

• Keep the focus on teaching and learning.
• Align summative and formative approaches.
• Ensure classroom, school and system level evaluations are linked and are used form atively to shape improvements at every level of the system.
• Invest in training and support for formative assessment.
• Encourage innovation.
• Build stronger bridges between research, policy and practice.
• Actively involve students and parents in the formative process.

Source:

Formative Assessment: Improving Learning in Secondary Classrooms, Policy Brief, Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development, November 2005, Copyright OCED.

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