Assessment in Alberta: Discussion Paper

Question 5 – How does formative assessment (assessment for learning) nurture critically thoughtful students and prepare them for success?

In a constructivist and inquiry-based curriculum, students need a safe environment in which to learn. Assessment experiences that consider multiple plausible or warranted answers provide opportunities for students to think critically about the content, values and processes of the program of studies. Assessment for learning is based on the premise that students have permission to take learning risks. It acknowledges that students require:

• clear learning goals
• appropriate scaffolding
• ongoing specific and descriptive feedback throughout the learning process
• opportunities to reflect on their work
• opportunities to improve their work through revision, editing and polishing.

During assessment for learning, teachers provide feedback and guidance but do not grade students on the process of learning. Summative assessments follow in due course once students have had sufficient opportunity to learn and explore the new skill or concept.

Carefully constructed tools for providing specific and descriptive feedback from teachers and peers provide data that students use to improve their learning. Students have opportunities to think critically about their performance to date, compare their own performance to the standard, and set goals for improvement of their work-in-progress.

Rick Stiggins has identified three practices which will lead to gains in student achievement:

1. improving the quality of classroom assessments; i.e., to create a solid link between the assessment task and the learner outcomes,
2. increasing the frequency of descriptive feedback, and 
3. involving students deeply in the assessment process.
   To the extent that these practices (i.e., quality of assessments, frequency of descriptive feedback, and student involvement in the assessment process) permeate a learning environment, impressive gains in student achievement are possible (Stiggins 2001; 2006). These practices could be considered criteria that teachers and leaders use to evaluate the effectiveness of the assessment program in their classrooms and school.

Although they serve different purposes, assessment for learning and assessment of learning are related. At the beginning of the planning process, teachers consider the summative assessment tasks, and then work backwards to ensure that instruction and formative assessment opportunities are appropriately placed. The Alberta Assessment Consortium Grade 3 performance assessment task, Making a Difference, models a sequence of instruction and formative assessment designed to support students toward successful completion of the task. Formative assessment tools guide students through peer feedback and self-reflection processes.