EDTS 501 - Better Teaching & Learning With Formative Assessment (3)

Nothing is more disappointing than grading a big test or paper only to find that your students performed poorly despite weeks or months of faithful teaching. You wonder where you or the students went wrong, and it feels too late to rectify the situation.

Formative assessments provide both you and your students with an opportunity to check students’ progress and understanding. Formative assessments are a range of informal and formal assessments that give you the feedback you need to modify instruction to better meet students’ needs. You can use them in any subject or with any age group, making them a versatile tool for all teachers. 

In this course, you will learn how to use formative assessments to quickly and effectively gauge student learning. If you find that students are struggling, you’ll be able to analyze and apply the data from formative assessments to modify your instruction immediately. In addition, you will develop techniques for effective questioning and feedback to help students course-correct long before a final test, project, or writing assignment.

By the end of this course, you will be armed with numerous strategies for ensuring that all of your students are truly mastering the material for each step of your instruction.