RSA 2: Maximizing the Power of Formative Assessments

Link:

http://web.ebscohost.com.cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=992f56b5-36a5-4397-9468-d72b9b925741%40sessionmgr114&vid=5&hid=123

Discussion:

The current learning module continues to focus on the elements of a professional learning community to ensure student learning at high levels.  The focus during this module is assessment.  Learning by Doing (2006) encourages teachers to create assessments to determine student ability levels and to also use data accumulated from assessments to modify instruction and measure student performance.  Accumulating data is not enough though, according to DuFour, DuFour, Eaker, and Many (2006), teachers need to not only just assess students, but give students “(1) feedback – the more timely, frequent, and precise the better – and (2) ongoing support as they attempt to implement new practices” (p. 184).  Essentially, visiting, revisiting, and creating collaborative clear goals and assessments make for an effective professional learning community as well as a classroom conducive to student learning.

In the article “Maximizing the Power of Formative Assessments,” Stiggins and DuFour (2009) completely reinforce the ideas of the module.  This is an article written, in part, by one of the co-authors of the textbook, so clearly he is not challenging what he wrote earlier.  The article offers an excellent explanation of the three types of formative assessments needed to promote student and teacher success: “To be truly productive, a local district assessment system must provide different kinds of information to various decision makers in different forms and at different times” (p. 641).  According to Stiggins and DuFour (2009), classroom assessments provide teachers and students with information regarding the progress of a student towards proficiency (p. 641).  School-level assessments allow the teachers and administration to note how teaching can improve as well as the program itself and the level of particular students in relation to the school (p. 641).   Institutional-level assessments, such as the ACT, PSAE, and various standardized testing, reveal the efficacy of particular schools (p. 642).  The article concludes that through collaboration among educators in addition to abiding by several essential conditions for the assessments, common formative assessments can be indispensable tools for teaching, instruction, and assuring student progress.

The article completely agrees and reinforces the ideas stated in the module.  Establishing specific standards, creating measurable goals, using assessments for instruction, and re-evaluating the skills taught are key components to professional learning communities.  Formative and common assessments clearly promote student achievement when written, used and shared for the right purposes.

References:

DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., Many, T. (2010).  Learning by doing: A handbook for
professional learning communities at work (2nd ed., pp. 59-154). Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.

Stiggins, R. (2009). Maximizing the Power of Formative Assessments. Phi Delta Kappan, 90(9), 640.