How does the formative assessment process support ambitious teaching, and vice versa?

The theme for the 2021-22 Assessment Learning Network is leveraging assessment to achieve equitable access and outcomes for all students through an emphasis on assessment practices most relevant to students’ efforts to increase their own learning.

Today, education requires students to think for themselves—critically, creatively, and metacognitively. Teaching that focuses solely on presenting information for students to passively acquire, a transmission model, is no longer fit for purpose. Instead, ambitious teaching that involves students as active participants in rich and authentic tasks, in disciplinary discourse practices, and in becoming agents in their own learning is essential to achieving contemporary educational goals. 

Assessment, too, must play a part supporting ambitious teaching, in particular the process of formative assessment, which is concerned with the here and now of teaching and learning. Formative assessment is characterized by a shared understanding of learning goals, eliciting students’ thinking as they are engaged in learning, and taking action to keep learning moving forward.  

In this session, we will explore the reciprocal relationship of ambitious teaching and the formative assessment process, and how each one supports the other to achieve valued educational goals for all students.  

Framing Questions 

1. How can ambitious teaching and integrated formative assessment support every student to reach valued educational goals? 
2. How does ambitious teaching and the formative assessment process support students to become agents in their own learning? 
3. How can teachers be assisted to develop and deepen their knowledge and skills to implement ambitious teaching and formative assessment to benefit all students’ learning?