Formative assessment

Formative assessment refers to assessment that seeks to obtain information about student competence in a particular domain (e.g., science) in order to shape future learning. Typically formative assessment focuses on a specific aspect of student competence (e.g., understanding of the force concept). Teachers use formative assessment prior to beginning a new instructional unit in order to determine students’ level of competence and to plan instruction to foster students’ progression to the next level of competence. Throughout the instructional unit teachers continuously make use of formative assessment in order to monitor students’ progression and adapt instruction where necessary. As such, formative assessment needs to be closely aligned with the curriculum; that is, the formative assessment and the curriculum both need to be based on the same model of student learning.[This is an excerpt from the content.]