Formative assessment is a critical part of teaching, and it can be used to help students understand what they have learned. There are a variety of techniques that can be used to check for understanding, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
One popular formative assessment technique is quizzing. This can be done in a variety of ways, such as having students write a short essay about a topic they have learned, completing a quiz on the material, or responding to questions in a discussion. Quizzing can be a great way to check for understanding, but it can also be time-consuming.
Another formative assessment technique is peer assessment. This involves having students give feedback to one another about their understanding of the material. This can be done in a variety of ways, such as having students share their thoughts on a homework assignment, rating each other on a test, or commenting on a blog post. Peer assessment can be a powerful tool for checking for understanding, but it can also be time-consuming.
One disadvantage of quizzing and peer assessment is that they can be easy to game. For example, a student can try to get a high score on a quiz by studying for it, or a student can give high ratings to their friends in order to make them look good. Another disadvantage of quizzing and peer assessment is that they can be subjective. For example, one student’s understanding of the material may be different than another student’s.
Formative assessment can be used in a variety of ways to check for understanding. Some of the most popular techniques are quizzing and peer assessment. Both of these techniques have their own advantages and disadvantages, but they are both effective ways to check for understanding.
