8
ASSESSMENT as a
Catalyst
for LEARNING
order to grow and improve. The word assessment is not synonymous with a certain task type such as a test or project. Assessment (when used appropriately) is the most powerful tool that both teachers and learners possess to improve learning.
The Process of Assessment The process of assessment starts with planning. Teachers first consider the question, What do students need to know and be able to do? and then move to the question, How will we know when they have learned it? in order to establish a shared understanding for themselves and a clear goal for students (DuFour, DuFour, Eaker, & Many, 2010; DuFour et al., 2016). Teacher- and team-level conversations then look at strategic checkpoints along the way to that learning goal and possible interventions that will support students who need more instruction and enrichment for those who show early proficiency. This procedure keeps student learning at the center and uses assessment as the primary source of information. The purpose of assessment is to gather the information necessary to personalize the learning process and maximize growth. Assessment should not be used to sort or punish but instead be used to inspire learning for both teachers and students. Through sound, student-centered assessment practices, teachers should be able to answer the following questions. • What will the student learn from this assessment? • What will I learn from this assessment about my own instruction? • What can I learn about the learning styles of my students so that I can improve? • What will tomorrow look like based on the evidence I see today? • What can my collaborative team learn from the assessment process? When teachers view assessment through the lens of learning, not evaluating, it opens the door to expand understanding of not only student learning and instruction
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We wrote this chapter with the intent to redefine assessment, both formative and summative, and its use in the everyday classroom to support and maximize learning for both teachers and learners. We’ll start by further explaining the process of assessment and then present and discuss some fundamental truths about assessment. After that, we’ll explicitly define formative and summative assessment before discussing how this clarity informs a healthy culture of assessment, how the two types of assessment are interdependent, and how they can work in a digital world.
