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Formative Assessments
Overview
Formative assessments are generally low-stakes activities that allow students to practice, demonstrate, or reflect on their learning and support instructors in recognizing course elements they may need to revisit with students. Formative assessments generally occur throughout a course. This rhythm contrasts with summative assessments, which are usually higher-stakes assessments or projects that evaluate student learning at the end of a unit or course (e.g., midterm test, final exam, research essay). Sometimes these two kinds of assessments are contrasted as assessment for (formative) and assessment of (summative) learning.
Rationale
Providing opportunities for formative assessment throughout a course has potential benefits for both students and educators.
Students can
- check their understanding of lesson elements
- extend or apply their learning
- engage in active learning and self-reflection
- receive helpful and timely feedback
Educators can
- assess which lesson materials should be reviewed before moving on
- be aware of what lesson elements stand out to students as especially interesting or as especially confusing
- provide individual or class-level feedback
"One instructor set up a due date for an optional first draft to receive feedback before submitting a final one. It provided me with a set date and the opportunity for feedback without risking losing marks. It was also optional whether the grade from the initial submission would be included in your final mark or dropped if you did better on the final submission."
When thoughtfully designed, formative assessments support learner agency by inviting students to demonstrate and identify their own learning progress and needs.
Guidance
Formative assessments may be nongraded or may be low-stakes exercises credited for completion. Some examples of formative assessments include the following:
- Ungraded "check your learning: quizzes to help students identify strengths and gaps in their understanding
- Think-Pair-Share or Think-Ink-Pair-Share exercises in pairs or small groups
- Classroom polls on specific issues, administered electronically (and possibly anonymously) or via a show of hands in class Asking students questions in class
- Responding to a prompt using a tool that displays students’ collective answers for discussion (e.g., Mentimeter, Padlet, or Microsoft Forms in presentation mode)
- "Two Roses and a Thorn": invite students to name two things they found interesting or liked about a lesson or reading, and one thing they didn’t like or have a question about
- Exit tickets (e.g., in an electronic comments form, on an index card or Post-It Note, or another format): a prompt in which students reflect on their learning at the end of a class, week, or unit
- Reflection journals that are reviewed periodically by instructors for engagement
Formative assessments can be integrated into a course at different times throughout, including the following:
- In every class session, with a simple poll or survey to assess students’ understanding of specific points.
- Once a week, to have students reflect on their learning and identify issues that need further clarification.
- In initial stages of a larger project, so they get peer or instructor feedback on drafts, outlines, or similar items.
- Any time you want students to be able to identify gaps in their understanding or reflect on what they have learned.
- Any time you want, as an instructor, to understand what lesson elements need reinforcement.
Recommendations
Try
- Explaining to students the purpose and expectations of the exercise
- Reviewing course material or themes that have been identified as needing more explanation
- Developing a system for keeping track of student submissions or participation, especially if credited
Avoid
- Creating so many formative assessments that you and the students are overwhelmed
- Developing complex tasks that do not support learning
- Designing all formative assessments in the same formats or modes – consider offering flexible assessment designs where possible
Resources
Centre for Teaching and Learning. Types of assessment. Queen’s University.
Centre for Teaching and Learning. Assessment and AI. Western University.
Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence and Educational Innovation. (2018). What is the difference between formative and summative assessment?
Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning. Formative and summative assessments: A guide on assessment types that instructors can use. Yale University.