Education Essay Example: Formative Assessment Techniques

The formative assessment uses informal strategies to gather information about a students learning process. The mentor used formative techniques to determine what was needed to achieve the goals and outcomes of the lessons so that students need to adapt and change their learning to grasp and master what is taught in class. The mentor used the following assessment techniques to ensure that to ensure that her instructional strategies were working with the students.

Examples and non-examples

The mentor asked the students to provide the examples and non-examples of the of the math topics discussed in that lesson. The examples and no-examples provided the information on the depth of understanding of the students.

Graffiti Wall

The Graffiti Wall presented an opportunity for the students to have a fun activity. The wall gives a visual representation of what the students learned during the lesson. The mentor covered part of the wall with a white paper. She then encouraged students to draw or write anything they have learned about the math lesson or topic. Using the Graffiti Wall provides an opportunity for students to write opinions, connect their learned problems to other areas of study and write personal opinions.

Individual Whiteboards

Individual whiteboards presented to the student with several math problems to each one of them provided a quick assessment of students learning. Providing the same math problems at a time provides an assessment of each student understanding, ability to solve a particular math problem and narrows down to those who still need further help in a specific area.

Exit cardsThe mentor used exit cards to assess what the students know, understand and learned at the end of the lesson. She asked several questions and posed several problems about the topics for them to solve. The students recorded the responses on a piece of paper that were collected on leaving the class. The cards are then grouped into those that have mastered and those who havent to create groupings in the next lesson to help those that havent mastered.

Types of questions asked during the lesson

Write anything on a piece of paper you learned in this lesson?

Of the math problems taken today, which one did you find it difficult?

Write three examples of another math problem like the ones learned in this lesson.

Students responses

The students responded by writing down on pieces of paper the answers to the questions that the mentor asked. This included the thing they learned in that lesson, wring examples of similar math problems learned and each one of them telling the problems they found to be most difficult to them.

Things to consider when creating summative assessments

Volume: Too much volume will affect the quality of the test and cause fatigue.

Variety: Giving a variety of problems gives an opportunity to every student because each one of them demonstrates knowledge differently.

Validity: The testing need to reflects the objectives taught in a specific period.

Reliability: Tests given should consistently produce similar results under similar conditions.

Authenticity: The test should help the student comprehend the material than just answers to be helpful later after the lesson and in life.