Integrating formative assessment into the design of a science unit

Abstract

Formative assessment, or assessment for learning, is a promising approach in which assessment is no longer a tool to rank student performance but a process that provides feedback about the teaching and learning processes as they are happening. This master thesis is structured as follows: - Background research. The problem derived of using assessment only as an evaluation tool and the benefits of the use of formative assessment to promote learning are discussed. - Implementation of formative assessment in the classroom. The main features of formative assessment – sharing learning goals, effective questioning, feedback, self-assessment and peer-assessment– have been reviewed and have been used as foundation for the preparation of an educational unit. - Context. Description of the school for which the didactic unit created in this work has been designed (the International American School of Rotterdam). - Unit. A thorough description of a Science Unit, ready for implementation, in which formative assessment has been carefully included. The Unit includes 14 activities with all the materials needed for its application in the classroom. In each of the activities, formative assessment has been included. The main objective of incorporating formative assessment in the Unit is that both teacher and students get immediate feedback about the learning process. With this information, teachers can tailor their instruction to meet students’ needs, and students are aware of where they are on their learning and how they progress with reference to the learning goals. The application of the Unit is expected to result on a significant improvement on students’ learning, increased motivation towards the learning process itself, and self-reflection. All this aspects will make students take control of their own learning.