Formative assessment in higher education: an exploratory study within programs for professionals in education

Abstract

This study explores how prospective professionals in higher education can learn about and apply formative assessment methods relevant to their future educational workplaces. In the academic year 2022–23, 156 pre-service teachers, social workers, and heads of social services took part in a three-stage mixed-method study on university learning experiences involving formative assessment practices. They were exposed to self-, peer-, and group-assessment strategies. Data collected after each stage revealed participants’ perspectives on each method. Findings show that students who engaged in formative assessment comprehended assessment complexity and were motivated to use diverse assessment forms. Formative assessment proves effective for both evaluation and development, supporting higher education students in honing assessment competencies for future professional roles in educational and social sectors.

“Measuring bones”: A cross-disciplinary experiential learning event to increase awareness that math is everywhere

“…Since the EL is not directly linked to a course, and instead aims to influence holistic competencies, the assessment should be formative rather than summative. This will also add to calls for empirical research on the use of formative assessments in higher education (Parmigiani et al, 2024).…”

Digital Learning Ecosystem to Enhance Formative Assessment in Second Language Acquisition in Higher Education

“…Parmigiani et al [28] suggest that there are three FA strategies, namely self-assessment, peer assessment, and group assessment. FA helps to make the learning process transparent as it provides insight into the key elements for the correct acquisition of knowledge [29].…”

“…Therefore, the key aspects of FA are based on knowing where learners are going, where learners are, and what learners need to achieve learning [21,32,33]. Thus, the greatest potential of FA lies in its contribution to the design of more effective and meaningful learning environments [28].…”

Data_Sheet_1.PDF

“…Since the EL is not directly linked to a course, and instead aims to influence holistic competencies, the assessment should be formative rather than summative. This will also add to calls for empirical research on the use of formative assessments in higher education (Parmigiani et al, 2024).…”