Formative Assessments in Content-Heavy & Exploratory-Based Subjects
Every teacher knows the value of formative assessments. I have noticed, however, that some content heavy and exploratory-based subjects often lack in formative assessments.
Take science, for instance. In science, we are encouraging students to explore and investigate. At the same time, we are teaching them a ton of content in unconventional ways. In these situations it is best to provide formal formative assessments to determine if they are understanding the content portion of the investigation. I’ve seen several students conduct successful investigations with a misunderstanding of the content.
When pairing content with investigation, it is important to pair explorations with explicit teaching. This can even be conducted through a scientist meeting or presentation after explorations. Then, it is time to conduct a quick formative assessment!
I like to use multiple choice through Google Forms because it provides me with instant feedback. Summative assessments are a great opportunity for open ended responses and critical thinking questions. I tend to reserve formal formative assessments for black and white content that has a clear, distinctive response. My observational formative assessments can account for the deeper level questions that come out during explorations or constructive learning.
Grab a Google Forms formative assessment freebie on simple machines here!
Take science, for instance. In science, we are encouraging students to explore and investigate. At the same time, we are teaching them a ton of content in unconventional ways. In these situations it is best to provide formal formative assessments to determine if they are understanding the content portion of the investigation. I’ve seen several students conduct successful investigations with a misunderstanding of the content.
When pairing content with investigation, it is important to pair explorations with explicit teaching. This can even be conducted through a scientist meeting or presentation after explorations. Then, it is time to conduct a quick formative assessment!
I like to use multiple choice through Google Forms because it provides me with instant feedback. Summative assessments are a great opportunity for open ended responses and critical thinking questions. I tend to reserve formal formative assessments for black and white content that has a clear, distinctive response. My observational formative assessments can account for the deeper level questions that come out during explorations or constructive learning.
Grab a Google Forms formative assessment freebie on simple machines here!
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