Reviewing the impact of different definitions of formative assessment and its conceptual framework, this paper may be of interest to professionals with responsibilities for developing pupil assessment.
Formative assessment and contingency in the regulation of learning processes
Synopsis
This paper reviews the debates around the definition of formative assessment and proposes a refined definition based on the function of the assessment in testing pupil achievement, placing instructional decision-making at the heart of the issue.
Williams suggests that assessment can be thought of as the bridge between teaching and learning: only through some forms of assessment can educators decide whether their teaching has had its intended effect.
Williams strengthens his argument with a discussion of different types of assessment mechanisms, specifically whether assessment is proactive, measuring performance before instruction; interactive, measuring during instruction; or retroactive, after instruction. He briefly explores the relationship between formative assessment and self-regulated learning.