We Need Formative Assessments that Goes Beyond Benchmark Data

Formative assessment has always been a passion of mine. At least, it has been as long as I have understood the importance of immediately analyzing formative assessment data. Although, I came clean in Authentic Project-Based Learning in Grades 9-12 (and 4-8): Standards-Based Strategies and Scaffolding for Success and revealed that I collected exit tickets to only throw them away at the end of the period. However, in the two decades since then, I've grown quite a bit as an educator in my understanding, implementation, and analysis of formative assessment data.

This morning, I read a new post from Edutopia, "Celebrating Student Growth with Formative Assessment Data." It was an interesting read that stressed using benchmark formative assessment plans such as MAP Growth and i-Ready. Interestingly, more informal and daily formative assessment checks were stressed less and were almost an afterthought in the reading. While the article was a relatively short read, this section was the only focus of the piece that centered on daily formative assessments:

"Whether using ongoing benchmark measures from a system such as i-Ready or MAP Growth, or?frequent checks for understanding from real-time data, educators can chart growth over time and use that information to provide more targeted instruction and help learners monitor progress and set goals. In LUSD, educators also leverage this kind of information to guide how they identify learners who would benefit from additional instruction or enrichment during?personalized learning time."

I would argue that a focus on benchmark formative assessments, while showing growth patterns, does little to inform our instruction in real-time. The purpose behind these benchmark formative assessments is to target instructional design for larger groups of learners or to develop learning plans for individual students. These benchmark formative assessments can show whether or not a learning plan was working or where the gaps in content understanding fall. However, the infrequency of this data collection limits educators' abilities to meet the needs of their learners immediately.

If we want to reframe our formative assessment approach, we have to consider how we can vary our formative assessments and institute these formative assessments with increased frequency. Both of these considerations require multiple formative assessment approaches daily. And, those exit tickets that I threw away at the end of each day without so much as a second glance are not the way in which we want to implement these daily formative assessments.

As you collect the data from your formative assessments, you must be sure to also use that data immediately. Are you prepared to shift and adjust your instructional approach if the data warrants it? Are you ready to address the needs of one, two, ten, or all of your learners based on the data you collect? If you are wondering what might be the best way(s) to collect that data via a technology platform, you can check out the SAMR infographic from Project ARC to get you started. Here's a screenshot from a portion of the infographic, but you can download it for free on our Project ARC website under the community column of the resources page. You'll notice there is a SAMR Connection for Teachers and a SAMR Connection for Learners. Be sure to grab both of them!

If you are interested in diving deeper into how you use assessment and at what points in an authentic project learning experience (APLE), the Project ARC formative assessment deck of cards will assist you in targeting key data throughout a project experience. You can place an order for the deck of cards ($19 US) from [email protected]. Here's the placemat that we use to help plan out these formative assessments. And, if you need help thinking through the design and implementation of an APLE, we have you covered, too. In October, we will be releasing our APLE Bites self-paced course that provides targeted feedback on your design using the Five Stages of Project Assessment as seen below in the placemat.

We'd love to hear how you are implementing formative assessments that go beyond benchmark data that only takes place once a semester! Drop me a line here, or send me a message [email protected].