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Formative Assessment

The goal of formative assessment is to gain an understanding of what students know (and don’t know) in order to make responsive changes in teaching and learning.

Informed Teaching Means Targeted Instruction
The concept of using assessment to bring responsive change in teaching and learning contrasts with traditional summative testing where results are not released until the end of the school year or after school closes for the summer.

Formative assessment gives educators item detail that is really useful as a learning tool and allows for intervention. Formative assessment generates information teachers can use on an ongoing basis throughout the year to quickly identify individual student strengths and weaknesses and adjust the approach and pace of their instruction.

Technology-Supported Formative Assessment
Implementing Formative Assessment can mean a time-intensive process of collecting observations, data, and other classroom-based measurements to support targeted instruction. Technology empowers teachers and classrooms by providing a systemized, uniform way to present, analyze, and communicate student results.

Comprehensive technology-based assessment improves student learning by moving beyond traditional assessments to help educators make important decisions that impact school- and district-wide student achievement.

Quality technology-based formative assessment should include the following features:

• An accessible system for delivering assessment, communicating results.
• Instructional resources so teachers can reinforce concepts and provide opportunities for intervention.
• Alignments to state, district, or other local standards so educators have a common framework for understanding student progress.
• Results regarding how students are tracking toward success, before critical high-stakes assessments are administered.
• Data that can immediately impact student progress toward achievement.
• Support for customization toward local teaching efforts.
• Flexible tools that can accommodate and integrate with existing technology in place in classrooms, schools, and districts.

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